Artworks by: Alyssa-Jaylene Adato, Angel Chi, Annie Chen, Bozena Tomczak, Camilla Watkins, Cathy Zhou, Dammi Kim, Denise Agassini, Doris Chu, Estefani Tito, Esther Kim, Fuyu Liu, Ghazal Vakilzadeh, Jennie Lau, Jenny Zhang, Kaeti MacNeil, Kim Luong, Liankun Sun, Malakai Shvinen-Morgan, Mendos Yawa, Michelle Vu, Nicole Kim, Parastoo Mahmoudi, Raha Alipourfard, Rebecca Van Fraassen, Sidney Millett, Vraj Desai

These series of work was produced from the remote/online course of Pixel Pusher Class at OCAD University during May-June 2020. These work are the results that came out from the remote/online class during the pandemic of COVID 19. A variety of materials and digital process in mark-making were considered from what was accessible and available to students during these quarantined isolated times. Thus these sets of work grew out of necessities and resourcefulness, as they maneuver to the available space they are situated in. An example despite these hard times art practices never stop, It continues to evolve through the challenges we are faced with. These possibilities and resilience are the embodiment of this show as they navigate through the creative process in these uncertain times articulating sets of narratives through digital space.

Alyssa-Jaylene Adato

These Digital Wallpaper Series was created a series are both decorative and reflective to my surrounding influences. Experimenting with the use of ornaments and intricate patterns that derived from abstraction, patterns, organic forms from nature, and graphics influenced from digital data, Etc. These incorporated influences echos snapshots of remembered images through collective visual data locked in my memories and visual experiences. These images also connects with the viewers own memory bank of images, that re-collects a sense of familiarity through the viewers perspectives. The symbolism of the wallpaper conceals and reveals at the same time questioning what is being covered in a room and what is being represented on it surface. The variety of non related patterns are memories for me growing up, as these were the images that I was most exposed to or at least how I remember them. Colours, nature, abstraction were the main themes that I naturally gravitated to when creating, as they repeatedly reveal into my work. Alyssa-Jaylene Adato

Raha Alipourfard

"King of the World", Digital Media & Sound Performance: English Version, 2020, by Raha Alipourfard

"King of the World", Digital Media & Sound Performance: Farsi Version, 2020, by Raha Alipourfard

“King of the World”, is the name for one of “Molana” poems. Molana is a Persian poet, his poems mainly features mystical themes. In the most difficult times in the life, his words are able to bring calmness to my world. This work connects to the feelings I have experienced in the Quarantine time: Connecting to God, the source of power and generosity in the world. It is a Photo-montage, made in Photoshop. An abstract figure of the Poem, written in calligraphy has made a pattern in this work. The patterns radiate from the source of brightness and it encompasses everybody and everything in the world. I made a GIF out of the different images of the work, and read the Poem in Farsi and English on it. (This is my own translation of the Farsi Poem) This is the words, which tell what helps me at the moments that anxiety could ruin my life: “You are the only one, who makes us safe from all the calamities; we are all safe with you. Everyone is pleased under the refuge of your soul. You are the king of the whole world; you are the principle of all people. If you are ours, there is no fear or sorrow from anyone for us”. My interest here was to execute and perform a mystical theme, and this intervention helped me to pace my first steps in this contemplation. Raha Alipourfard

Ghazal Vakilzadeh

"Bafteh", Digital Animation, 2020, by Ghazal Vakilzadeh

"Bafteh", Digital Animation Detail #1, 2020, by Ghazal Vakilzadeh

"Bafteh", Digital Animation Detail #2, 2020, by Ghazal Vakilzadeh

"Bafteh", Digital Animation Detail #3, 2020, by Ghazal Vakilzadeh

“Bafteh” is a visual narrative which explores my Persian background through the lens of my childhood. I grew up with Persian rugs in the house; which is one of the things my country is known for. It not only resembles “home” for me but it also holds most of my childhood memories; whether it’s walking, running, playing around on it or even scattering my books all around to do my homework on. Nowadays as an adult, I own a Persian rug in my own house. This piece is meant to look into the narrative possibilities of Persian rugs. The word “Bafteh” is a Persian word meaning: “Woven”. Each rug is unique and has a different story to tell so the title of my piece refers to the stories that are woven within each rug. Considering narratives and the ability of animation as a tool, I created this piece by looking at elements and characters in my rug and searched for the stories each one weaves into the rug in order to create a whole. The process of creating this piece also had a child-like feeling in itself; just like the times you’d look at clouds and try to figure out a character within them, creating a personality for each element in the rug played a vital role in bringing them to life. The Narrative consists of interactions between elements. Each element and the stories they bring with them, along with my childhood memories and the definition of “home”, are things that have been woven into my animated rug. The elements are what make a story and a story is what makes a Persian rug. Ghazal Vakilzadeh

Sydney Millett

"Healing Hues: Experience A Virtually Immersive Painting", Painting & Digital Video, 2020, by Sydney Millett

This work is a short, silent video recording of a 360 panorama of my painting. The name of the video piece is called "Healing Hues: Experience A Virtually Immersive Painting". As the concept of this work is based on my research in the healing properties of colors, and how to use them to bring about positive emotions within the viewer while feeling immersed in the vibrant colors. I first created the artwork in Photoshop through digital brush strokes and the collage of different images of vibrant flowers I had taken photos of from my garden at home. I then translated my digital work into a physical painting, as it is my medium of practice, I also feel that the paint creates beautiful texture and mixtures better than digital brush strokes. Especially as my work is all about getting lost in the details and magic of the colors, I found it was most necessary to use painting as my medium. To tie my painting back to the digital realm, I wanted to create a virtual experience that looked vibrant and painterly. I decided to create a 360 panorama of my painting and then video record it in motion, capturing the details and magic in the painting. The 360 video helps to emphasize the experience I want viewers to have then they see my work. The colors come alive as they are put in motion, and the viewer can be captivated by the stimulation of vibrant, high energy colors. As my work also touches on encouraging people to become more mindful, the flowing and soothing motion of the abstract painting can help bring a sense of calm, comfort, and an invitation into the present moment.Through the findings in my research, I wan able to choose a color palette that would evoke both feelings of calming self awareness from the color violet, and the soothing/ enlivening feelings of green. My research allowed me to develop color palettes that can evoke different customized emotions/feelings within the viewer. This video best suited to be played on a large screen, so that the viewer can really feel immersed. Sydney Millett

Bozena Tomczak

"Moment and Memory", Video Performance, 2020, by Bozena Tomczak

The title of my artwork is “Moment and Memory”. It is a performance of an Early Childhood Educator and artist at the same time. I am at children’s eye level and I am equal player. I’m lying down, and then I’m sitting on a mat and blowing bubbles. I am on a large 6x9 feet carpet made out of wax papers. It looks like I’m developing photographs with a Polaroid camera on the spot and on that carpet. In this piece bubbles are making visible, instead of invisible marks of our memories. It is visible, because I added some black ink into the bubbles. In less than one-minute video, recorded in the classroom at OCADU just a few weeks before we closed. Now, I blow black ink bubbles on my dinner plate, coffee cup, and water glass. I see the bubble circles, but they are no longer fun. The circles are viruses. I can no longer use my mouth to blow bubbles. The inspiration to this piece is Lindsay Dobbin. She is also educator and artist. Another inspirational artist is Hans Op de Beck “Staging Silence”. I like to perform in silence. I put two videos together into one piece, the one from OCADU classroom and now at home. The movie is recorded with normal speed except bubbles at the end are on slow motion. Bozena Tomczak

Jennie Lau

"Through the Isolated Eyes", Digital Photo Painting, 2020, by Jennie Lau

"Through the Isolated Eyes" is a series of digital paintings and collages I create during the current quarantine period. The work is about the ways that man-made structures interplay with the natural world. It intends to reflect the unique time of self-isolation which demands self-reflection into how we imagine the future world or where we want to be when we investigate the sacrifices and shortcomings of the world we have created. In this series, I integrate digital painting and photo images with color exploration. I use digital drawing and painting to present the nature, which becomes rare and rare to see when more urbanization and globalization are underway. The digital mark-making is a combination of East and West, which connects with my mixed cultural background. The structures and architecture are represented by photo images with digital modification, which reflects urbanization and human interference. The photo images are associated with my current / past communities and travel. The combination of mediums, together with intersecting layers and overlapping colors, reconciles human interaction with nature which creates conflict, disruption, harmony, and / or mystery. I further break down the series into two mini-series, each consists of three digital artworks: (i) The Future; and (ii) The Present. The Future series is about how I imagine the future world or where I want to be. The three artworks are presented in colorful and playful images, in a more representational style with a light touch of abstraction (such as the distorted structures). They reflect my hope for more harmonization between nature and urbanization, with existing conflicts. It is about trying to find a balance. The Present series reflects the current state of where we are during the quarantine period. They are the neon light effects of the three artworks from The Future series. The intersecting and abstract digital mark-making with black background create a disruptive space and sense of conflict. They reflect my current state of uncertainty, fluctuation and anxiety.Living in a rural area as a child and growing up in modern cities, I adapt to changes in my environment. I love traveling so to interact with nature and experience different cultures mostly through architecture and man-made structures. This series bring my personal connection with nature, urbanization and environment. It touches modern and nature; realty and imagination; social life and isolation; and creates a new digital space. Jennie Lau

Cathy Zhou

"Guardian : Menshen", Series #1, Digital GIF Animation, 2020, by Cathy Zhou

"Guardian : Menshen", Series #2, Digital GIF Animation, 2020, by Cathy Zhou

"Guardian : Menshen", Series #3, Digital GIF Animation, 2020, by Cathy Zhou

‘Menshen’, in Chinese culture, is the name of ‘guardian(god) of entrance’, it is a special ritual derived from Han Dynasty, and is still meaningful to many Chinese until today. For me, Menshen not only refers to the portraits of gods which people put on the doors for safeness, but also refers to the relationship between protector and ancestor in my own family. The concept of Menshen is how I feel my relationship with my family, ancestor and culture. In this series of GIF images, I show my understanding of Menshen, as spirit, history and an endless cycle of generations. I choose GIF image as the medium of my work, because GIF image has a characteristic of repeating, I can build up a moving cycle in a relatively static scene. Instead of using only hand drawings, I use both photographs and digital drawings to create the GIFs. Photographs have many interesting details and textures that drawings do not had, like the textures of woods and stones, and also most importantly, the feeling of time and ages inside them. This time, I completed three GIFs in Menshen series, their name is Pass, Spirit, and Samsara. They are all created base on the photographs I took in my family’s temple, in JIangXi, China, which is a place to record and store the family’s history, and a place that our ancestors rest. It has been built for more than a hundred years. For the first GIF, Pass, I used the photo of a relief in the temple and mix with patterns founded on traditional portraits of Menshen. The face of the two warriors had been destroyed in the past, but the time is still passing, their faces were lost in the history, but they will still protect us like a pair of Menshen or Guardians. The second one is Spirit, the words on the door are the names of the first pair of Menshen in China, and inside is a deserted house of my families, I painted the old furniture in bright colors and with traditional images of Menshen overlapping, showing that history can be "alive" only with the inheriting of spirit and culture. The third GIF is Samsara, it derives from photo of incense and candles after burning in a ceremony, I use paintings to make create a cycle of them burning again and again. The script I merge inside is my family’s instructions. The family, the culture I lived, becoming my protector or ‘MenShen’, I learned from them, and will become the protector of the next generation, and hoping the spirit and love can be pass through time, like a cycle of life. Cathy Zhou

Camilla Watkins

"Tears Are Only Water", Etch-A-Sketch Video Performance, 2020, by Camilla Watkins

In the animation​ Tears Are Only Water, ​ a series of Tulips sprout one by one, populating a field after a person, looking down on the ground, lets a small river of tears flow from their eyes and onto the ground. As the water falls, it creates a stem and the droplets that bounce off the ground become leaves, making the person’s eye the very first Tulip to sprout. I consider the flowers as having different symbolic meanings on different levels: the first thing it symbolizes is a literal flower, a plant, which is, by extension, a representative of nature in general. The nature we have abused and destroyed, for which we now weep, for which we fear, as we see the very real consequences our century-old misbehaviour has entailed, the nature we still have the power to heal through love and empathy, developing a mechanism of identification with it, by realizing we are just a small part in the Ecosystem and, therefore, are not above it. I chose the Tulip precisely because it is said to be, contrary to many people’s belief, the true Flower of Love. The song I have chosen for this piece is “La Canzone dei Vecchi Amanti” by Italian singer Franco Battiato. I have chosen to sing it myself, acapella and add some noise, reverb and vinyl scratch sounds in order to give it the nostalgic feel of an old lullaby. The song talks about the passing of time and the everlasting beauty of a lover’s devotion. It is dedicated to an old and aging sweetheart, a woman who has a past with the singer, a past that isn’t perfect, yet remembered fondly and through the eyes of a man that still loves her dearly. To me, Earth resembles that woman. She is like the lover we, as a humanity, once cared for and devoted ourselves to, and who cared for us in return, but as time passed by something went wrong and we became estranged. Only now, as she cries out, we fall into despair and we can only hope that we aren’t too late. The flowers in the animation can also be interpreted in a more metaphorical way. To me, they also represent a new and fresh perspective, innocent and hopeful, like that of a child… which brings me to my medium. For this piece I chose to use an Etch-A-Sketch. A children’s toy, a simple object but one that I believe holds great potential for storytelling. My choice compelled me to simplify my idea in order to be able to carry it out in an effective way using a single line but also to rethink my artistic process, as the animation could only be filmed in one take. Needless to say that in order to get to the final animation there had to be many takes but, contrary to what most people might think, the most satisfactory moment for me wasn’t finishing the piece… It was shaking up that Etch-A-Sketch and erasing my work. There is something very cathartic about spending hours working on something and perfecting it, only to destroy it a few moments after completion. As to why, I am clueless. Camilla Watkins

Translation of the song: “The Song of Old Lovers” by Franco Battiato.

Surely there's been a storm or two. Years of mad loving. A thousand times you said "enough". A thousand times I went away. And every piece of furniture. In this room without a crib is reminiscent of the lighting bolts of our old conflicts. Not a thing was right anymore. You had lost your warmth. And I had lost my drive to conquer you. My love, my wonderful sweet love. From the light of dawn until the day dies. I love you still, you know I do I know all about your spells and you know all about my intimacy. I knew about your every lie. You knew about my miserable cowardice.I know you have had lovers. One must spend time after all The body needs to jubilate But it took quite some skill. To grow old without growing up.My love, my wonderful sweet love. From the light of dawn until the day dies. I love you still, you know I do. Time goes by and throws us back Torments lie on our path. But tell me is there greater peril. Than to love each other monotonously? Now you cry much later and my despair comes with delay. There's no mystery between us Less is left to chance. We come to term with the Earth. For the same sweet war. Translated by Camilla Watkins

Kaeti MacNeil

"Ponchovia", Digital Video Installation, 2020, by Kaeti MacNeil

Ponchovia is the imaginary home of Mr. Tyler Poncho, a stuffed monster. Tyler is a fantastical monster born in an isolated world who builds a community of magical companions throughout the journey of his life. This short atmospheric film combines photography of Mr. Tyler himself with surreal composited landscape photography. This series of imagined landscapes is animated environmental concept art for a future narrative animated film. This iterative work’s purpose is to explore a feel, atmosphere, and conceptual space for Ponchovia. The scenes include found photography and my own panoramic photos taken of the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas. Portraying this character using photography plays with the imaginary and the tangibly real. Although Mr. Tyler is imaginary, he is also a tangible stuffed monster. I have chosen to represent him in his imagined landscape as he really exists in a photograph. His world is brought to life through animation and projected in a gallery setting. This work does not convey an explicit narrative but gives a glimpse into the world of Mr. Tyler. This work is crucial for me because I am working towards creating a short narrative film about Mr. Tyler. I am a graphic designer and former professional toy designer. I want to continue my career creating fantastical animated films. I chose to move from manufacturing to digital entertainment because I want to create more environmentally conscious art works. Read more about Mr. Tyler at tylerponcho.com . Kaeti MacNeil

Nicole Ji Soo Kim

" 엄마의 손 " , Video Installation Performance, 2020, by Nicole Ji Soo Kim

I have a conversation with my mom about her immigrant experience while reenacting a memory of her de-heading and gutting anchovies. The activity of 멸치 손질 (de-heading and gutting anchovies) is an activity that my mom did routinely in order to prep for stews and soups. My performance of this action was to reflect on this memory of my mother keeping our family fed. In our conversation, we talk about her efforts in helping us make friends and adjust to the new culture. At the same time, she discusses her concern over the possibility of us (her children) forgetting our Korean culture. She did everything in her hands to keep this from happening while understanding our struggles to adapt to the new environment. With this, I titled the work 엄마의 손 which translates to Mother’s hand. Using video as a tool which also carries audio, I edited the work to read like a documentary. It is my mother’s story I am telling and through her story I refer to the efforts of a first generation immigrant. Between conversations, I ask her questions about my past struggles of introducing Korean food to my friends and her opinion on this. In doing so, I also refer to the conflict of a 1.5 Generation (those who came to a new country at a young age) / Second Generation children who experience two different cultures at home and outside of home. I recognize and note in the video that my mom’s specific story should not be generalized as all immigrant parent’s stories. I do hope, however, that other immigrants would resonate with this work and the opened, vulnerable conversation my mom and I shared. The subtitles do not directly refer to who is speaking because I wanted everyone to listen to the audio to be able to tell the difference with the voice. This was a way to challenge my ​regularly intended English speaking viewers ​ to listen to the Korean language that we were speaking. It’s evident that my experience was different from hers. I want to acknowledge how much my parents, as well as every other immigrant parent, have sacrificed to give their children a "better life" here. Their intentions were pure. I am forever grateful; however, as a 1.5 Generation immigrant who have been exposed to western education and system more than my parents, I will continue to be critical of this culture and question why I felt ashamed to open my delicious Korean lunchbox at school; why I felt I didn’t want to bring friends home in case any of my parents were cooking something unfamiliar to them that day; and why I felt I needed to be more westernized in my choice of actions, language, clothes etc.  Nicole Ji Soo Kim

Rebecca Van Fraassen

"Eulogy of Mother Earth", Digital Media Installation, 2020, by Rebecca Van Fraassen

EULOGY FOR MOTHER EARTH IS A MULTI-SENSORY INSTALLATION CREATED AS A SYMBOL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS ALTAR INVOKES MAGICK, KNOWLEDGE, AND POWER OF THE PRIMITIVE TO EXPRESS THE IMMEDIACY OF LIFE AND ETERNITY OF NATURE. THIS EULOGY IS NOT WRITTEN IN ANY SYNTACTIC TERMS, INSTEAD THE ALTAR IS USED TO INVOKE REGENERATION AND CHANGE THROUGH ITS OBJECTS AND COMMUNICATE THE NECESSITY OF OUR ABILITY TO HEAR THE EARTH THROUGH ITS SYMBOLS. THE ALTAR IS A PLACE TO FOCUS INTENTION, RECLAIM OUR ROOTS, AND BECOME ONE WITH NATURE. THE SYMBOLISM OF A EULOGOGY BRINGS A LONGING FOR THE DECEASED. GAZING UPON THE ALTAR WE EXPERIENCE OUR MOURNING FOR THE EARTH AS IF CATCHING A STILL MOMENT IN NATURE WHERE IT IS SO EERILY CALM-JUXTAPOSED WITH THE FEAR OF LOSING IT. DESTRUCTION IS A FORM OF CREATION AND DEATH; A RITUAL OF TRANSFORMATION. EARTH PERFORMS THE ULTIMATE ACT OF MAGICK, THE ANCIENT RITUAL OF CREATING NEW LIFE. EACH OBJECT ARRANGED ON THE ALTAR IS A LAYER OF COMMENTARY ON THE BALANCE BETWEEN HUMANITY, CYCLES OF LIFE AND DEATH, AND THE ASSERTION OF MOTHER EARTH. RETURNING ART BACK TO NATURE, THERE IS A WAY FOR US TO BECOME WHOLE AGAIN. NATURE IS THE UNIVERSAL MOTHER, RUNNING LIFE THROUGH EVERYTHING FROM INSECT TO MAN. THE ALTAR IS A SYMBOL OF THE TAXONOMY OF COLLECTED NATURE. EACH OBJECT IS PLACED UPON A TAPESTRY STAINED WITH LAVENDER. A PORTRAIT OF MOTHER EARTH IS EMBODIED IN THE TWENTY FIRST TAROT CARD OF THE MAJOR ARCANA, A SYMBOL OF HARMONY BETWEEN INNER AND OUTER WORLDS; OF MIND AND NATURE. THE REFLECTION OF OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE PASSIVE WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE DETRIMENT OF OUR ACTIONS. A MIRROR CATCHES A REFLECTION OF A MASKED FIGURE AS IF IT WERE OUR FLEETING IMAGE REFLECTED IN A POND. THE MASKED FIGURE IS AN EMBODIMENT OF BOTH THE ARTIST AND SUBJECT POSITIONED AS A SYMBOL OF OUR HUMANITY. THIS EULOGY COMBINES THE MATERIAL AND THE DIGITAL THROUGH ITS DOCUMENTATION. THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGY PROVIDES A WAY TO ELEVATE ART BY CREATING A SENSORY EXPERIENCE. THIS INSTALLATION RELIES ON FILM AND TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE AN INSTALLATION AWAY FROM THE CONTEXT OF A GALLERY. DIGITAL MEDIA PROVIDES A NEW WAY OF REPRESENTING TIME AND SPACE. THE PRIVATE ALTAR IS BROUGHT INTO A DIGITAL SPACE, SHARING SOMETHING INTIMATE WITH BROADER CULTURE. THE RIGHTS OF MOTHER EARTH CHALLENGE THE LOGIC OF CAPITALISM THAT HAS CAUSED THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. ECOLOGY IS NOT CONTINUING THE EXPLOITATION OF THE EARTH, IT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON-EXPLOITATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATURE. THE EARTH IS THE OLDEST GOD WE HAVE. THE NATURAL WORLD GIVES US EVERYTHING. MOTHER EARTH IS THE FIRST FORCE WE ARE IN RELATION TO BEYOND OURSELVES. WITH THE EXHAUSTION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, THE BALANCE OF HUMAN RELATION TO THE EARTH IS AT RISK OF BECOMING OBSOLETE. PLANET EARTH IS DYING AND WE DO NOT NOTICE IT. IT STRIKES ME LIKE WAKING UP TO FIND YOUR FOREST IS GONE. IN THE AGE OF THE ANTHROPOCENE THERE ARE NO TREES FOR OUR SURVIVAL. THE CATASTROPHE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS A SLOW-BURN ISSUE. THESE ISSUES CAN UPEND OUR COMPREHENSION BUT THEY ARE NOT ABSTRACT, VAGUE OR DISTANT. WE ARE BIDING OUR TIME. AS THE EARTH FACES ITS DESTRUCTION WE ARE CONFRONTED BY OUR OWN MORTALITY. THE WELFARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE FATE OF SOCIETY DEPENDS ON OUR HUMANITY. Rebecca Van Fraassen

Doris Chu

This work called Koszyk (which means basket in Polish) is a basket made from woven rice paper. Traditionally koszyk is used in everyday life: to carry goods from the market, to collect mushrooms, and for holidays like Easter. It is a utilitarian object that is a big part of Polish culture. Normally baskets are woven with wicker or trees sapling roots, but I’ve decided to construct mine with rice paper from China. In addition to being a very common product for writing and painting, rice paper is a thin material that works well in the construction of the basket. The rice paper has words like “Are you the nanny?” or “Are you her real daughter?” printed overtop of a coloured collage. After that the sheets of printed paper were rolled into tubes and woven into the shape of the basket. I think the medium and the object itself represent my aspects of my identity and experiences of what is to be Polish & Chinese. Doris Chu

These sets of collage series are a few iterations of what it is to collage within spaces as site for digital interventions. Contemplating cultural placements into archived interior & exterior spaces that collides my presence within the certain spaces. Having grown up mostly in Canada, I find it hard to situate myself and my ways of thinking apart from the western concepts I’ve grown up with. I would like to connect myself to my other cultures more and reflect on the way western society has shaped who I am. Doris Chu

Esther Kim

Exploring the infinite possibilities of new digital media Photoshop, I created my own surreal space in my digital art called Intangible: Kakao Talk using Photoshop. I want to tackle the idea of photo collage conveying my personal connection and experience through a digital device, my smartphone, and an app installed on my phone called Kakao Talk. To me, the device means more than technology with software applications. The application platform helps me to connect with my father, who lives far away from me instantly. It prepares the audience for the context of my execution and the cultural phone app from Korea that you use, which is an essential part of the main work. For my final project, I want to explore the concept of intangible connections between digital devices. Growing up living apart from my father in Korea from Canada, the absence of the presence of my family connects to the power of the absence of the body in the blank space where the presence of the form echo. The concept of loss by articulating the presence of my father in my archived Kakao Talk images, which connects to my digital archives. Through communication and exchanging images through the digital landscape, my memory and experience with my father abide within the device. I created a surreal background, an empty cold space to convey my isolation, loneliness without the presence of my father. The idea of the intangible indexical presence of the person that is translated into a digital mark-making is the essential part of my work. Esther Kim

I created two more digital artworks to further develop the digital indexicality amid our pandemic—what is going on at the moment of quarantine amid the covid19 virus and its impact on our nature. Image 2: "Quarantine", Image 3: "Our Last Warning Sign".

My third artwork is called Our Last Warning Sign using Photoshop to create my surreal space digitally. I wanted to talk about an inevitable materialistic obsession of consumption in our contemporary culture and connecting this idea of human marks' impact on our natural environment. Our current crisis, COVID19, has profoundly shaped our life and perspective differently. We have reduced energy consumption and emissions quarantined at each other's homes; our air is cleaner. Fish and birds are gulping plastic garbage in the ocean, and even death due to our irresponsibility of non-biodegradable waste. Ultimately destruction of nature equates to the elimination of humans. The other artwork is called Quarantine. I want to share about my experience, personal emotions living amid the pandemic: the isolation, fear, and death, but on the other hand, without warning from the Covid19, we won't have time to stop and look around about what is happening around us other than our capitalistic economic growth. Through my collaged digital artworks, I want to share my personal connection and experience during the coronavirus and how this could be our last warning sign of saving both our planet and humanity. Esther Kim

Dammi Kim

"Truly Happy", Digital Collage, 2020, by Dammi Kim

Truly Happy is about my sisterhood and family love. My sister had gone to a boarding school when I was little, so we did not have much time to spend together. As we grew up, she got married so then we really could not hang out even more. That is why I wanted to make a piece of “What if we lived together and travelled together?”. I wish to convey my hope of spending more of my childhood with my sister and growing beside her. The work is a digital collage done on iPad Photoshop and Procreate. By working on my iPad, I was able to work on my comfort zone with some music reminding me of those past memories. I lived in Korea, Pakistan, India, Egypt, and now Canada, so I used airplane windows as the background and each window is going to represent the countries I lived in. The narration goes from left to right as a timeline of us growing up. I chose airplane because it is a transportation that took us to the five countries. In addition, I have written down the year I lived in their language on each window to show the audience that they are all different places. Truly Happy will be a more important piece for me than my other ones. I am very glad to be creating one about my journey and sister. While creating Truly Happy, it became an inspiration about how to create more works related to my experience of living in different countries. Dammi Kim

Vraj Desai

"Aitihaas", Day 1, Digital Animation, 2020, by Vraj Desai

"Aitihaas", Day 2, Digital Animation, 2020, by Vraj Desai

"Aitihaas", Day 3, Digital Animation, 2020, by Vraj Desai

"Aitihaas", Day 4, Digital Animation, 2020, by Vraj Desai

Archives: “a collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people.” Having translated the word archive into my native language of gujurati to “aitihaas”. This piece is a collection of visual memory of a work week in quarantine. This series of animation was produced over a five day period, using physical objects and translating them into digital with Adobe tools. The premise of this series was to capture and archive my personal life into a visual collection and use objects that were the most meaningful from each day. The aesthetics choice is a homage to the bauhaus design style, which implied the idea of “ art in the everyday”. Playing also with this theme, I wasted to use the “everyday” things as art subjects as living in a world of quarantined and having been limited to the physical objects that can be used. This work will forever hold a memory as it moves through the timeline of digital space and stands as a reminder of my 5 days, my “aitihaas” in the miserable world of a Pandemic. Vraj Desai

Jenny Zhang

In this body of work, an installation with Pictorico Film and Glass vessels are displayed, company with the documentary photography of the piece. By looking at familiar objects and photographs, precious memories are recalled. These glassware brought a homely feeling as they were used with my family members. Interacting with the vessels is a way of remembering the past and looking into the future. And by visually displaying my personal objects, I invited the viewer to discuss and explore the memories with me. The transparency of the materials revealed an endless possibilities of the substances contained: the associated memories and stories. Another reason for using glassware as the material, is how it symbolizes the current condition of quarantining where people are isolated and blocked from contacting the outside. In addition, the arrangement of the glassware echos with the buildings of the city landscape. Overall it is a self-reflecting work that summarized the past and present, and a work encouraging the viewer to become a discoverer, seeing a new world through different lenses. The Pictorico films presented the most memorable parts taken out from the photographs taken from the past. They have been cropped and digital edited, suggesting an overlap of memories from the past and present. The element of digital layer also lead to the thinking of, how we see differently with digital tools and filters. The recreated images are then printed on Pictorico films in an dramatic pinkish blue tone to show a sense of fantasy, encouraged imagination beyond the imagery content. It also says the idea of how photography styles looks repeated under the common use of filters. The reason for choosing Pictorico film as the imagery carrier is because of its glossy transparent quality that paired with the glassware, and how it is less heavier than paper and softer than glass. Its physical flexibility enables curvature during installation, allows more reflection and visual pathway flowing around. By interacting and changing the observatory position, the images become lively and changeable. The work Conversation with Glass Vessels is crucial to my research in exploring personal identity, my home belonging and the connection to surrounding environment. By recalling memories from different period of time, I grew deeper understanding about what they meant to me. The migration of my family, moving between cities and countries, and the encountering of new culture, are all being shown by the photographs. When I look at them in a new way, there will be new connections created between old memories and the new one. Jenny Zhang

Denise Agassini

Your "Daily Quarantine Predictor" is an attempt at observing the global pandemic through a lens of absurdist humour. This website is supposed to reflect the silly games presented by social media platforms, such as Instagram and snapchat, and to address the tiny disappointments and inconveniences of daily life heightened by the global pandemic. To produce Your Daily Quarantine Predictor I went around my own house logging what exactly made my day a little less good and then went ahead and logged those things into a JavaScript array, and used random functions to randomly select an option from the array. I think with the global pandemic, with something so big already taking place, small things like the ones presented in Your Daily Quarantine Predictor can feel like unnecessary added stress and pressure, but if we’re able to laugh about them and not take them too seriously, then that’s a little bit of unnecessary added pressure we don’t have to face or deal with. Denise Agassini

Michelle Vu

During this quarantine, I've been doing a lot of self-reflection. A lot of us were feeling very stressed, anxious, drained, and overall scared. I had changes that happened in my life during the last 3 months that created daily challenges. I soon started to pick up journaling and it helped me immensely to untangle my thoughts and emotions. That's what this piece, Liberated Snapshots, is about -- documenting all of these thoughts and feelings that I've been having for majority of my life that really began to heighten the longer I was in quarantine. I began to journal my thoughts and using post-it notes, I started reminding myself of certain things in order to not fall into the same traps of my past mistakes. These drawings are personifications or image versions of my thoughts. In the website, I organize these post-it notes by theme. At first, it all seemed like a collage of random ideas and images but I soon recognized a theme with all of them. By uploading them onto a website, I was able to categorize them into their respective themes (Past, Reflection, Healing, and Strength). When you hover over every note, it says what quotation or thought was behind said illustration. It still holds the same idea of having a timeline go to past to present. At first I was going to do some of the drawings onto actual post-it notes but I decided in the end to keep it all digital because it kept a refined, clean look, while also staying true to the fact that most of these thoughts are journalized digitally on my computer, which is private to me and only me. The website echoes this theme by the only ones who have access will be the ones that I share the link with. Similar to my thoughts, I choose who I disclose them to. Through art, I'm able to walk towards the path of healing with all my issues. It makes these really painful moments tolerable and I'm able to turn them into something creative that means something to me. Without these painful times, I wouldn't be able to create something that was honest to myself to showcase to the world. I've always been one that valued rawness and authenticity and I want to portray that in my work. I want to create something human. If there's anything that I want to constantly improve on, it's giving myself the respect to let all of my emotions process and pass through me and that is my priority for myself. Michelle Vu

Kim Luong

"Disconnect", Digital Painting Animation, 2020, by Kim Luong

For the final assignment I wanted to explore the disconnection between the modern world and nature. There are times when I feel that as a society, we have separated ourselves from the natural world without realising it. Through the introduction of social media most of our interactions There is a degree of separation between us and the tangible world. The piece underwent various visual and conceptual changes as I worked on it. After the initial project proposal feedback, I decided to change the imagery in order to convey my concept more concisely. While I had originally planned to incorporate digital collage into my piece, the final piece was more of a digital illustration. I created the composition by rearranging objects and plants found at home, which I photographed and collaged with other photographs. This was used a reference for me to create the illustration. I then added a simple looping animation of water filling the glass container. The final image depicts a woman contained within a glass cylinder who appears unaware of the nature around her as well as the fact that she is trapped. I wanted to animate the water to give the feeling of the glass container filling up. I wanted to convey a sense of claustrophobia, as our way of life, especially in the context of the Covid-19, has drastically changed to become very confining and suffocating. Personally, this topic is something that greatly interests me and I would like to continue exploring this subject further in my practice. Though I think conceptually, I struggled to find a balance with conveying my idea while also keeping nuance and subtlety. Kim Luong

Angel Chi

"Inverted", Mix Media & Digital Video, 2020, by Angel Chi

INVERTED is to focus on the theme of identity in the digital world with the usage of social media platforms in the modern age. This is shown through the inverted effect that is applied on the piece similar to how users can pose as another person on the internet; whether they are uploading videos or images for the few minutes of internet fame. This is dangerous with how the whole world can have access to these uploads and how gullible some people may be with access to electronics almost anywhere. The inverted effect is to show the crafted avatars that can be seen because at the same time, users take to their social media for an escape from their reality and being able to indulge into their hobbies and virtually meet mutuals that share the same interests. The mediums are what I had found within my vicinity in my quarantine space. The paper colours were first put under my device that had the ‘classic invert’ effect turned on to determine the colours. I wanted to use these because the colours will stand out from the failed panel prints. In addition, the reason I am utilizing the wall and specifically the pale yellow wall is because when inverted it becomes a blue which I wanted to use as a colour scheme, and linking it to the word ‘internet’. A lot of the colour paper when inverted becomes different shades of blue while the prints are the basic black and white. I have also traditionally drawn images made for the collage and applied basic photoshop to digitize and paste on. The conceptual idea of the work overall is when it is inverted it shows a different side of the figure which I identify as myself when on the internet versus when off camera, linking it to the idea of the performative aspect of when we present towards the public realm. We seldom reflect how powerful the age of technology can be as we can change up our image as we please. Through my digital process I incorporated an audio from TikTok that contemplates the mass interest of people who have joined Tiktok and taken to social media to cope with their isolation during the quarantined times. This is in relation to the culture of copy and paste and the popular social platforms we turn to in times of distancing. And so in relation, I also incorporate an anime style which came into light on the app and I wanted to carry it over to the work, hence the comic-like panels and figures (me taking a photo) that represents that switch (inverted version). This work embodies both the traditional aspect (collage and paint) with digital (digital drawing, editing and animation) which continues in my own research and experience, the collision of traditional and digital, that reflects my cultural interests in context of the criticality of the anime culture. Angel Chi

Fuyu Liu

For this project, I started with tangibly making a real model and editing it through digital manipulation. The model of the “The Ship of Fantasy” is a reimagining of alternate to reality, even a sense of looking back to childhood narratives. This tangible object of play and crafting the actual ship evokes the sense of play. As I researched Hayao Miyazaki’s animations and exhibitions, his artworks possesed these magic elements. In every animation he made I can feel like walking into that imaginary space. This is where my critical interest in “Fantasy” comes from, through these visual cues of narratives that I get lost in. Through the process of combining the materiality of the model and the digital mark-making through digital editing, I overcame many challenges of possibilities. Hybridizing both the object and the digital, the fantasy and the reality, all colides through this narratives in the presense of isolation during this quarantined times. Fuyu Liu

Estefani Tito

"Living Among Fairies", Digital Photo & Drawing Collage, 2020, by Estefani Tito

"Living Among Fairies", Digital Photo & Drawing Collage, 2020, by Estefani Tito

The series "Living Among Fairies" is a representation about the type of society I desire and want, a society without inequalities, love and comprehension between everyone. I chose fairies among any other mythical creatures because of a few reasons. The first one is because what they symbolize describes what I want in my life, they symbolize spirituality, feminine energy, childhood and beauty in all shapes and forms. The second reason I decided to use a mythical creature is because this type of society lives only in my imagined narratives and we are very far away from achieving this imagined perfect representation of community, and equity, thus sadly the human race has its flaws to ever meet these utopic imagined space. Fairies that lived in harmony in their communities representing the beauty of its connectivity. In this project I decided to photograph different areas of my house and insert imagined fairies who lived around me, using digital drawing and stock pictures. I also decided to recreate how the appearance of the fairies would look like. I did two types of fairies: Garden Fairies, and Crystal Fairies. Both beautiful in their own way, all doing important things in their fairy world. In this project I discovered the effects of simplicity and editing my visions as a single visual narrative. Estefani Tito

Parastoo Mahmoudi

"Quarantine Stories", #1, GIF Stopmotion Still, 2020, by Parastoo Mahmoudi

"Quarantine Stories", #2, GIF Stopmotion Still, 2020, by Parastoo Mahmoudi

"Quarantine Stories", #3, GIF Stopmotion Still, 2020, by Parastoo Mahmoudi

"Quarantine Stories", #4, GIF Stopmotion Still, 2020, by Parastoo Mahmoudi

"Quarantine Stories", #5, GIF Stopmotion Still, 2020, by Parastoo Mahmoudi

“Quarantine Stories” is a personal narrative. It’s a narrative about me and my imaginary characters. Some of these characters are monsters and some more similar to human. These characters are representing my thoughts and imaginations. During the quarantine, I have started to design different scenarios with these characters while I was alone for days and days. this project is representation of some of those scenarios. I photographed sketches and scaled models of my imaginary characters and I digitally worked on them in photoshop. Digitalizing these character images in photoshop was a great method to create a realistic representation of their presence in a real space. The work frame is square, to be able to uploaded on Instagram. This project is a series of five gif files. The action each character plays in each scenario is a very simple and ordinary act that suggests the symbol of the basic behaviors which are not accepted by the society because of cultural, political and moral reasons. The Quarantine Stories” is happening in my imaginary self-created society in my space which these basic behaviors are accepted. Parastoo Mahmoudi

Annie Chen

“East” is a multi-media painting that is inspired by Feng-Shui, a Taoist tradition that finds a positive balance of natural forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. There are five cardinal points with their corresponding guardians and elements for visual representation. The Southern direction is associated with summer, fire, the phoenix bird, and the colour vermilion. North, is the direction of winter, water, and the black tortoise. West is autumn, metal, and the white tiger. The centre is guarded by the yellow dragon. Finally the Eastern direction is represented by the Azure dragon, the spring season, and the element wood. The iconography that represents the East is what I have chosen to focus on for this project. The dragon’s head is facing the East of the composition and is painted in azure ink. His shape goes upwards in a bumpy path then finally circles around symbolizing “rebirth” which cannot be achieved in life without the transformative climb. The lively Greenery and blooming of flowers represents the spring. The long composition emulates the scrolls that the rice paintings would be mounted on. Then it is signed off with a “red seal” of my family's name. The work is conceived in analogue, a traditional medium of rice paper and ink that was used by elite literati painters in East Asia. Then it is scanned and manipulated digitally to hybridize the art form with more contemporary tastes. This harmonizes two parts of myself that I want to manifest into my work. The classist traditional painting that was reserved only for the “educated” and rich is now more accessible as it is in a digital form, ready to be easily shared. By merging the two mediums, I am creating a new expression that has the “essence” of mark making practiced by traditional artists but allows flexibility to adapt with other styles. By doing this, I hope to share a part of my traditions and culture with others and revive a style that I revere. Annie Chen

Liankun Sun

My final project, "Coexist and Collaborate," is based on my understanding of these two words. I am trying to using this work to express my appreciation to the medical staff who is fighting with COVID 19. I think collaboration is the best way to reach coexistence. I want to focus on the action, which is why I am using two verbs for the title. Verbs have more connection with website interactions, just from my own perspective. I explain these two words from "what," "why," and "how". I use interaction effects to present my idea more vividly. Using a website as the platform, I can present how I understand that people interact with each other. Graphic design gives me the option to leave notes, which can give my audience better user experience. We did get caught off-guard when the COVID 19 happened. It is good to focus on what we can do about it right now and make the situation getting better. I personally don't want to expend too broad because COVID is a sensitive topic now. And it can be expressed in different aspects. I don't want to be blind optimism, but a positive direction may make our lives better even a little bit. Liankun Sun

Malakai Sihvonen-Morgan

"Confinement", Video in 360 Degrees, 2020, by Malakai Sihvonen-Morgan

My project is named confinement and the reason for this is due in part due to the covid-19 crisis. I wanted to create a scene that would encapsulate what everyone is going through where they're stuck at home almost unable to move. Many people have suffered through bouts of depression and anxiety and various other ailments Associated and I really wanted to capture the self of isolation wear one is stuck in place unable to move making one feel even more isolated in this dark room. the project was done in blender 2.8 by creating a panorama and converting the resultant image into a video and injecting metadata into it to create a final render. The image itself is an 8k render which is 7680 x 4320. This newly created video then lasts for 4 minutes 33 seconds, so that the viewer could experience a truly long time without the feelings truly changing or being able to do much, a similar feeling to how those trapped at home feel during the covid-19 crisis.The timing of the piece pays homage to John cage’s 4,33. The silence of the piece adds to the isolation but also the incredulity of the entire situation. Further enhanced by the shaders and textures both real and artificially created posted throughout the piece in 360 degrees. Malakai Sihvonen-Morgan

Mendos Yawa

"9-5 (Nine to Five)", Digital Video, 2020, by Mendos Yawa

A paid position of regular employment, often used to describe boring or unfulfilling jobs is the definition of a nine to five. During this quarantine period I have been able to connect more with family, bringing about new understanding, although with such an inability to be able to leave an environment it can become stressful and home can feel like a nine to five. ‘9-5’ is a digital b-roll from a collection of readings. My work is about the documentation of digital video displaying each reading. Through visual recorded archive I can create a sense of reach, giving the viewer more of a visual representative to place in mind. This work will express b-roll shots, with a canon – t5i. ‘9-5’ is a visual representation for the viewers, the act of the spectator. The sets of readings displayed above were my nine to five, in the term that it became a regular position for me, an unpaid rutine, but rather through knowledge as a way of monotary. At times it came across as mundane, boring, repetetive, echoing the banality of a 9-5 job. When it all comes together it felt as though I was employed by the readings, these recorded expereinces of text and visual archives. Mendos Yawa

Instructor: Julius Poncelet Manapul

"Wrestling With My Gender", Instagram Photo Documentation, 2020, by Julius Poncelet Manapul

"Condiment Stains: Indigenous Filipino", Digital Animation, 2020, by Julius Poncelet Manapul

"Indigenous Filipino Face Tattoo", Stopmotion Animation, 2020, by Julius Poncelet Manapul

During this Remote/Online delivery I had taken the chance to continue my art practice and research as part of my demo and examples to guide the class. Creating an exchange of ideas and sharing my own process and knowledge prallel to show how I sustain my art practice. Throught the course these 3 sets of new work was creating during the Remote/Online class, commenting on the de-colonization of objects found from my own home, challenging the normative colonial perspectives and the embodiment of my queer personal narratives through the rearangements of perscribed objects. Julius P Manapul

Curators Note: This course had been an exciting experience for me to teach remotely online, looking at other possibilities of creating narratives and artwork that critiques the digital landscape. These sets of artists and creators, have gone through challenges during the quarantined times of this pandemic, and It had been an honor to teach these sets of creators executing through resourcefulness and encouraging them to re-think outside the confides of space, what constitute as the final product of the work, and the criticality of today's Global Digital Connectivity. I had learned as much from them throughout these process of remote/online connections, I had learned their challenges and the work that came out of those challenges to create narratives that I hope anyone can relate to in today's uncertain global issues. But at least what is certain is that artists and creators never stop creating and reflecting the world around us, giving us a sense of the now! Julius Poncelet Manapul