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Art & Social Strata Conference

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March 23, 2018 - March 25, 2018

Art & Social Strata will address the formal, political and ethical dimensions of socially and politically-engaged art practices.

Motivated by increasingly precarious working conditions, rising levels of student debt, and profound systemic inequality, the program seeks to critically reflect on the relation between social stratification and contemporary cultural production.

WAHC is pleased to serve as the primary venue for Art & Social Strata, which will include artist projects, a video screening, and a series of panels featuring both local and visiting artists.

Founded and initiated by Teresa Carlesimo, the Art & Social Strata Collective is comprised of Carlesimo and Michael DiRisio, two artists and arts workers who share an interest in considering the relationship between socio-economic issues and contemporary cultural production.

The Art & Social Strata conference will feature presentations by David Bobier, Megan Gnanasihamany & emily macdonald, Danica Evering, and Friends and Neighbours Gallery, among others, addressing themes including care, access, gentrification, and anti-capitalist practices. Artist projects will feature work by Abedar Kamgari, Thea Jones, and Sean Procyk, a walking tour led by the Hamilton Perambulatory Unit, as well as a screening featuring videos by Oliver Husain, Kika Thorne, Amanda Low, Fallon Simard, Nahed Mansour and Kandis Friesen.

In addition, WAHC’s Youth Council will present a unique Art and Labour Panel Talk. This panel, which will feature an activist, an academic and an entrepreneur from the local community, will unpack the effects of the new reforms of Bill 148 — the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act — which include an increase in the minimum wage to $15 by 2019, as well as new regulations around equal pay for equal work, paid vacation and emergency leave, and more. A parallel panel of youth artists will create screen printed posters that respond to the dialogue generated during the panel talk.

Moderated by Mehar Hamid, WAHC Youth Council. Confirmed Panelists include Meaghan Ross (Hamilton Fight for 15); Peter Graefe, Professor, McMaster University; Dave Kuruc, Proprietor, Mixed Media; Jonathan McNamara, Owner, Jonathan’s Swedish Car Repair. Youth Artist Panelists include JoJo Harley, Elijah Nolet and Tess Visser. Organized and Conceived by Kristina Durka, Dina Hamed, Mehar Hamid, JoJo Harley and Claire Norman.

For more information, contact Teresa Carlesimo and Michael DiRisio at info@artandsocialstrata.com.

The Art & Social Strata conference is supported by the Ontario Arts Council.