ARTBLOCK to transform former Oshawa bus terminal during 2024 Convergence Festival

The former GO Bus Terminal in downtown Oshawa will be transformed into an interactive art display during the Convergence Festival next month, with local artists turning the urban landscape into a canvas of creativity.

ARTBLOCK is a co-presentation of the City of Oshawa and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and is part of the city’s centennial celebrations during the Convergence Music and Art Festival, which will take over the downtown September 21.

The art installation promises to be a highlight of the festival, bringing in artists and art enthusiasts in an immersive celebration of visual and interactive art forms. Seven notable artists have signed on to create the public art exhibition Points of Connection, which will merge work by locally connected artists and considers how we as a community flourish through connections.

“Oshawa has always been a city connecting people and ideas, and ARTBLOCK’s ‘Points of Connection’ exhibit captures that spirit perfectly,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “Reimagining our former GO Bus Terminal into a vibrant public art space shows how our community continues to grow and connect in new ways.”

The featured artists include:

• Andil Gosine: Professor of Environmental Arts and Justice at York University, Gosine explores themes of love, sex, and law through his art. His upcoming exhibition, Nature’s Wild, will open at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington, DC in the Summer of 2025. Gosine is also the 2024 Beinecke Fellow at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. Instagram: @andil.gosine Website
• Brigitte Sampogna: An interdisciplinary artist from Whitby, Sampogna’s work spans photography, video, installation, and sewing. Her art often uses translucent materials to uncover vulnerability in everyday objects, reflecting on human experiences. Instagram: @brigittesamp Website
• Christina Leslie: A lens-based artist from Toronto, Leslie’s work delves into themes of decolonization, identity, and immigration. Her art has been showcased globally, and she is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto. Instagram: @clesliephotography Website
• LeuWebb Projects: This creative union between artists Christine Leu and Alan Webb explores public art through storytelling and critical discourse, enhancing the experience of place. Instagram: @LeuWebb Website
• Malik McKoy: An emerging multidisciplinary artist, McKoy blends painting and digital media to reflect on the every day through a vibrant and playful lens. His work explores how we present virtual identities online. Instagram: @maalikmckoy Website
• Susan Campbell: Interdisciplinary artist Susan Campbell focuses on the urban landscape’s design dynamics, using physical mapping practices to interpret development’s intensification. Website

Each of the participating artists included in the presentation of ARTBLOCK has connections to Oshawa and Durham Region, either as current or past residents, demonstrating the diversity of artists that share this one point of connection.

The Convergence Music and Art Festival, now in its second year, celebrates creativity and culture through a diverse lineup of music, art, and performances across downtown Oshawa.

Headlining musical acts this year include rising music star TALK! and Oshawa indie pop legend Dizzy (both JUNO Award winners), the Anti-Queens and an eclectic lineup of other performers; a Nerd Alley, Street Food Alley and a Punk Rock Flea Market; a charity ball hockey tournament, cosplay competition and a day-long appearance by the Living Room Community Art Studio; a Family Zone; and other initiatives for fans of all ages of music, art and pop culture.

ARTBLOCK will be a central component of this year’s festival, highlighting the City and the art gallery’s commitment to supporting the arts and fostering cultural innovation.

Convergence will happen from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, while ARTBLOCK will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information about ARTBLOCK and the Convergence Music and Art Festival, visit www.convergenceoshawa.com or contact [email protected].