‘‘Power to the Corals’’ will be displayed in the main lobby of the Ottawa School of Art. A wall sculptural piece will celebrate Canada’s multicultural youth in a context of political discontent with an out-of-date political establishment.
Combining my Indian Ocean influence and my multi-ethnic background, I integrated my oceanic reefs’ research with the concept of Canadian democracy. Ottawa’s politically charged milieu is faced with a broad discontent by an increasingly multicultural Canadian youth about the politics of an ‘aging’ political establishment. ‘Power to the Corals’ critically and artistically celebrates young Canadians from different backgrounds that are disinterested in mainstream politics but are politically active, e.g. through social network mobilization, street demonstration, space occupation or art. My work is made of paper clay, plywood and wool. On a dark orange background representing a deceitful and untrustworthy political establishment, I will sculpt a set of unique coral reefs with different shapes and tones out of paper clay. The use of undersea world’s corals will celebrate the rich Canada’s multiculturalism while emphasizing the distance that exists between the political class and youth.
