The Learning Zone

Original hand-silkscreened bandana’s created by Graduate student Mary (Mack) Tremonte is the latest exhibition to be hosted at the Learning Zone.

Amusing, colourful animal prints take on a playful approach to the notions of animal sexualities, Queer theory and Canadian identity yet also allowing the viewer to make their own interpretation of the animal imagery; otter, bear, elk and beaver.

Currently on until February 10th

If you haven’t checked out External Space yet, the video exhibition space we host in cooperation with XPACE Cultural Centre, now’s a good time because last week a new piece was installed: o i’m lisa, by Lisa Folkerson. Here’s what XPACE has to say about it:

o i’m lisa is a conjoined video about “Lisa”. It features the artist’s best friend and sister styled as the artist’s avatar in an attempt to embody and present an accurate portrait of the artist. o i’m lisa reflects on the value of self or existing as a person in the experience of other people. The video is rendered through the essential memories and details of the artist’s intimate relationships.

O i’m lisa is the fourth video we’ve had in External Space, and the third in a series curated by Jennifer Simaitis, OCADU grad. About the series, Simaitis writes that in celebration of emerging Canadian artists, she has gathered together a collection of “unassuming, documentary-type videos” in which the artists “embrace and execute trivial or absurd tasks through repetition and humour.” In o i’m lisa, two similarly-costumed women portray the same person although, in fact, neither are the person being portrayed. The effect is ambiguous, “comically self-deprecating,” and at once “relatable but abstract.”

Come in for the full story, or just stand back and enjoy: O i’m lisa will be on-screen in the Learning Zone until February 12th!

Welcome back! Have you heard? 2013 is the time, and LZ is the place!

This year the Learning Zone is better than ever as we join Campus Life in offering the P.O.D. Program (a.k.a. Peer Mentors on Demand). The P.O.D. is an informal weekly drop-in where OCADU students can meet to discuss community-building events and projects. Last semester saw zine workshops, intro to time management, gingerbread houses, and more, and this semester’s bound to be even greater. Four different groups will meet at different times throughout the week, so find the group that works for you and come on by!

Not sure what the Learning Zone’s all about? Our flexible studio/study space is a great place to meet and get some work done, and with our zine collection, equipment for loan, poster exhibitions, plate station, grOCAD Window Farm, graphics software, scanners, XPACE video installation, wireless printing (and the list goes on), we have something for everyone. Just downstairs from the Dorothy H. Hoover library, you can access all of the library’s online resources from right inside the Learning Zone, and even get personalized research support from Marta, the LZ librarian.

If you haven’t visited us yet, the time is now!