Surveillant Subjectivities: Youth Cultures, Art, and Affect
Are you between the ages of 14-18?
Have you been affected by surveillance?
Interested in participating in a youth-led project in an arts environment?
Join researchers Dina Georgis (University of Toronto) and Sara Matthews (Wilfrid Laurier University) in a series of activities in response to “Special Works School,” an upcoming art exhibition at Gallery TPW.
This program is free of charge and participants will each receive $50 per session.
Program Dates: February 10, 17, 24; from 10am-12pm
Project Description:
This research project, led by Dr. Dina Georgis (University of Toronto) and Sara Matthews (Wilfrid Laurier University), explores the ways in which youth in the Toronto region experience surveillance as an embodied aspect of their every day lives. The research is funded via a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Research-Creation grant. Using contemporary art as a method for provoking conversations about the experience of surveillance, we invite youth participants (14—18) to take part in a series of three workshops, of 2 hours in length, to be held at Gallery TPW in February 2018. Our research collaborators on the project—the artistic duo Bambitchell—have been commissioned to produce original artwork that responds to the theme of surveillance. Youth participants will interact with the exhibition during the workshops at the gallery. Youth can expect to engage in theatre-based interpretive dialogue exercises, and in discussion-based conversation about the artwork. They may be invited to create textual and visual responses to the exhibit. Exact dates for the workshops will be determined in conversation with our youth participants and their legal guardians. Participants may attend one or all three workshops and may cease participation at any time. They will be compensated $50 for each workshop that they attend, paid in cash at the end of the workshop.
Youth leaders (adults between the ages of 20—26), who have been trained by the researchers, and have previous experience with facilitating participatory activities with youth, will lead the participants in a creative interpretive and discussion-based engagement with topics raised by the youth during their encounter with the exhibit. Before participants agree to join the workshops, their legal guardians (if participants are under 18 years of age) must read and sign an informed consent document that outlines the details of the project and how participant anonymity will be protected. For more information about the project and to obtain a consent form, please email the project leaders at surveillantsubjectivities@gmail.com.
What youth participants will be asked to do:
The youth participants (aged 14—18) will be asked to participate in workshops to be held at Gallery TPW in Toronto on three separate Saturday dates: February 10, 17, 24. Participants may join all three, or just one or two of the meetings. Workshops have been developed by the research team and community youth leaders. During these workshops, youth will be asked to respond to the gallery exhibit and participate in the production of creative outputs, including but not limited to verbal and written contributions. Workshops will be supervised by 3 Youth Leaders, and a Gallery TPW staff member will be on site at all times.
