ARTBLOCK to transform former Oshawa Bus Terminal during Convergence Festival

The City of Oshawa and the Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery are inviting the public to explore ARTBLOCK, an art exhibition that will transform the former Oshawa Bus Terminal into an interactive art display during the Convergence Music & Art Festival next month on September 21.

Local artists are turning the urban landscape into a canvas of creativity during ARTBLOCK and will feature the public art exhibition ‘Points of Connection’ at the bus terminal, which brings together works by locally connected artists in a space that once served as a hub of movement and community..

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, a professor of Environmental Arts and Justice at York University with art that explores themes of love, sex, and law.
• Brigitte Sampogna, an interdisciplinary artist from Whitby with work spanning photography, video, installation and sewing.
• Christina Leslie, a lens-based artist from Toronto who delves into themes of decolonization, identity, and immigration.
• LeuWebb Projects, a creative union between artists Christine Leu and Alan Webb exploring public art through storytelling and critical discourse.
• Malik McKoy, an emerging multidisciplinary artist who blends painting and digital media to reflect on the every day through a vibrant and playful lens.
• Susan Campbell an interdisciplinary artist who focuses on the urban landscape’s design dynamics, using physical mapping practices to interpret development’s intensification.

In addition to the Points of Connection exhibition, ARTBLOCK will include a variety of art displays by local artists and hands-on activities for festival-goers of all ages on Prince Street.

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 other festival events, visit Oshawa.ca/ArtsEvents.