In response to the Government of Ontario’s emergency province-wide lockdown, the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington (VAC) will be closed until further notice.
Postponed until further notice
Hiba Abdallah: 100 years then and hereafter
Curated by Sandy Saad Smith
January 10 - March 7, 2021
Image: Hiba Abdallah, Capsule #001, 2020, mixed media.
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100 years then and hereafter is an exhibition of new works by Canadian artist Hiba Abdallah. Inspired by her excavation of Clarington’s historic archives, Abdallah looks back 100 years into the municipality’s documented history, finding diary entries, political documents, and newspaper headlines with uncanny similarities to the present moment. With her findings as the grounds for the exhibition, she examines social and political cycles, while exploring ways to disrupt the archival process when looking to the future.
The exhibition brings together text works based on archival headlines and tools that have been altered from their historic context to offer different imagined purposes. In collaboration with filmmaker Alyssa Bistonath, Abdallah proposes alternative archival practices, and invites community members to contribute to future historical records adding to a more complex narrative of our times. 100 years then and hereafter invites us to think about the ways in which history is recorded, repeated, and remembered. The exhibition looks at the past, present, and future from a critical standpoint through Abdallah's thoughtful exploration of Clarington’s documented history. |
Before visiting the VAC, please read our guidelines to learn more about the protocols we are asking our visitors to follow to keep everyone safe and comfortable.
Exhibition Programming
January 10, 2021 - Messages to the Future
In conjunction with the opening of 100 years then and hereafter, the VAC is launching access to members of the public both in the gallery and online to write messages to the future and contribute to a new historical record project created by Hiba Abdallah. The messages will be collected at the end of the exhibition and placed in buried time capsules.
Date TBA - Burial of Time Capsules
Slated to take place when the grounds at the VAC have thawed, and dependent on COVID-19 guidelines, a burial ceremony will be held to place Abdallah’s time capsules beneath the VAC. The capsules will contain repurposed archival tools, a video proposing alternative archival practices produced with filmmaker, Alyssa Bistonath, and the public’s messages to the future.
Biography
Hiba Abdallah is an artist and cultural organizer who frequently works with others. Her practice explores the structural legacies and futures of cities by researching the intersections of collaboration, communication, and disagreement as productive frameworks for re-imagining public agency. She lives and works in Toronto.
Further resources
In conjunction with the opening of 100 years then and hereafter, the VAC is launching access to members of the public both in the gallery and online to write messages to the future and contribute to a new historical record project created by Hiba Abdallah. The messages will be collected at the end of the exhibition and placed in buried time capsules.
Date TBA - Burial of Time Capsules
Slated to take place when the grounds at the VAC have thawed, and dependent on COVID-19 guidelines, a burial ceremony will be held to place Abdallah’s time capsules beneath the VAC. The capsules will contain repurposed archival tools, a video proposing alternative archival practices produced with filmmaker, Alyssa Bistonath, and the public’s messages to the future.
Biography
Hiba Abdallah is an artist and cultural organizer who frequently works with others. Her practice explores the structural legacies and futures of cities by researching the intersections of collaboration, communication, and disagreement as productive frameworks for re-imagining public agency. She lives and works in Toronto.
Further resources
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