Holly Ward
April 23 to July 17, 2022
Fluid States is an exhibition of new work by interdisciplinary artist Holly Ward. This timely, thought-provoking project deploys a series of creative practices aimed towards developing a deeper understanding of water, and our connection to it.
This installation is centered around a large-scale drawing on fabric, created using a ‘floating ink’ technique in which drops of ink are manipulated on the surface of water. Ward collected the water used in this process from Heffley Creek/Tk’emlúps (Secwepemc territory), which is a watershed connected to the Thompson River. At the time, the waterway was being drilled under by Coastal Gas Link, who are the proprietors of the TMX pipeline. Other works in this exhibition include ceramic sculpture and video footage shot along the Heffley-Louis Creek, North Thompson, and Fraser Rivers.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Holly Ward
She/Her
Holly Ward is an Interdisciplinary Artist working with sculpture, multi-media installation, architecture, video and drawing. Stemming from research of various visionary practices such as utopian philosophy, science fiction literature, Visionary Architecture, counter-cultural practices and urban planning, her work investigates the use-value of form and signification in the social context. More recently, Ward’s practice seeks to develop artistic engagements with non-human entities and systems in a future-oriented practice focused on sustainability and holistic adaptation to rapidly changing natural and cultural contexts.
Over the past decade, Ward has been developing The Pavilion (in collaboration with artist Kevin Schmidt), a land-based artist’s facility located in remote Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory.
Ward acknowledges her relationship to the land as shaped by her settler ancestry, and her presence on Indigenous territories as an uninvited guest.
Ward has exhibited in Canada, Germany, Chile, England, Mexico, the US, Norway and South Korea. Her work has been collected by the Vancouver Art Gallery, Fogo Island Arts, Scotiabank, and Simon Fraser University. Ward is Assistant Professor in Visual Arts at York University, Tkaronto/Toronto, ON where she teaches across Drawing, Sculpture and Interdisciplinary Practice at both the Graduate and Undergraduate levels.
http://hollywardpavilion.blogspot.com/
DIGITAL CATALOGUE
This digital publication features an essay by author Caitlin Jones who situates Fluid States within Ward’s larger art practice.
It is available in two formats. PDF and EPUB. Just Click to download.
VIDEO
Join exhibiting artist Holly Ward for an artist talk and presentation about her installation Fluid States. Here, Ward shares stories and slides that reveal more about sourcing materials, her artistic process, and guiding Fluid States from concept to creation. Fluid States explores our relationship with water, economies, and other underlying themes. It is on view until July 17.Holly Ward works with sculpture, multi-media installation, architecture, video, and drawing. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is part of collections in notable institutions across Canada. Ward is Assistant Professor in Visual Arts at York University. Ward acknowledges her relationship to the land as shaped by her settler ancestry, and her presence on Indigenous territories as an uninvited guest.
IMAGES
