Ontario Science Centre and Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto partner to profile artists

Idea Projects program nurtures artists interested in and inspired by science and technology

TORONTO, Sept. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - Art and science intertwine in Idea Projects, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a modern art museum and a science centre. Through the Akin Studio Program at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA), the year-long Ontario Science Centre program offers three-month studio residencies for artists who explore science and technology through the lens of art.

"Partnering with MOCA allows us to cultivate the creative synergies between science and art and foster meaningful dialogue between scientists, artists and the public," said Maurice Bitran, PhD, CEO and Chief Science Officer, Ontario Science Centre. "In bringing different thinkers together, Idea Projects highlights the potential power for scientific and artistic inquiry to change our cultural and societal landscapes."

In providing studio space for artists to develop their work, Idea Projects creates a forum for the collaborative exchange of ideas and methods among artists, scientists and MOCA visitors through public programs such as open studio events. Upon completion, art projects will be displayed at the Ontario Science Centre to extend their reach and impact. Elaine Whittaker and Jude Abu Zaineh, the first artists-in-residence chosen jointly by the Science Centre and MOCA, took up residence at MOCA on September 15, 2018.

"Like scientists, contemporary artists ask hard questions and provoke audiences to think and imagine in different ways," said Heidi Reitmaier, Executive Director and CEO, MOCA. "Our mould-breaking collaboration with the Ontario Science Centre unites two forms of inquiry and two ways of knowing ? art and science ? with Idea Projects, creating a framework for experimentation and bringing together a range of people, ideas and cultural themes."

An independent steering committee comprising artists, scientists and academics submitted candidates for consideration. During their residency, artists will plan, create, revise and share their respective large-scale artworks, allowing visitors access to the creative process during open studio events. Residencies include patronage from the Science Centre and MOCA, including mobilizing interdisciplinary support and forging relationships with external collaborators in cultural, scientific research and innovation fields.

The Ontario Science Centre has a long history of working with artists who are interested in and inspired by science. In addition to art in its permanent collection, the Science Centre regularly showcases artwork that explores the intersections of science, technology and art on a temporary basis.

Recent exhibitions have included Cultural Collisions, DEEP BLUE, Inner Spaces, Portraits of Resilience: Teens Take On Climate Change and Tech Art Fair.

About the Ontario Science Centre
Guided by a mission to inspire passion for the human adventure of discovery, the Ontario Science Centre strives to be a global leader in lifelong learning; a vital link in Ontario's education and innovation ecosystems; and a convener of public dialogue about technology, science and society. An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Centre relies on funding from the province, as well as donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations who share the Centre's vision to contribute to a more curious, creative and resilient world. Learn more at OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

About the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada
MOCA Toronto reopens in its new 55,000 square foot home in the Junction Triangle on September 22, 2018. Under the leadership of Executive Director and CEO, Heidi Reitmaier, the new MOCA Toronto is a place of conversation, exchange and exploration where visitors of all ages and backgrounds can be part of a global creative moment.

MOCA welcomes visitors to three phases of exhibitions a year, featuring work from Canadian and world-recognized artists that explore the themes of our time. Located on Sterling Road, in the culturally rich Junction Triangle community, the museum is housed on the first five floors of the historic Tower Automotive Building, a former aluminum factory known for its unique architecture.

The evolution of the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada is made possible through a unique alliance with Castlepoint Greybrook Sterling Inc., public sector funders, private donors, members, sponsors and a network of cross-sectoral partners. For more information on MOCA Toronto, visit moca.ca.

About Elaine Whittaker
Elaine Whittaker is internationally acclaimed for her work that focuses on the place of sciences, particularly biology, as art practice. As the global environment becomes more fragile, she considers how causes and fear of infectious diseases develop and express themselves in culture. Elaine looks forward to presenting a new large installation at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto while concurrently exhibiting a project at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. For more information, please visit ElaineWhittaker.ca.

About Jude Abu Zaineh
Jude Abu Zaineh, a Palestinian-Canadian bioartist, explores the use of biotechnology with an interest in video dissecting meanings of culture. Rooted in religious visual ornamentation of the Middle-East, her esthetic deeply penetrates western culture, inviting questions about contemporary global displacements and diasporas. Jude is an MFA candidate and research assistant at the Incubator Lab at the University of Windsor. She has just completed an artist residency at Cultivamos Cultura in Portugal and will exhibit at the Festival Art & Science Trans-disciplinary and Trans-national (FACTT) 2018 in New York City and Mexico. For more information, please visit Judeaz.com.

SOURCE Ontario Science Centre