The City of St. Catharines' public art exhibits provide the opportunity to experience original art, historic photos, or cultural treasures that reflect St. Catharines' stories, creative self-expression, experiences and perspectives. Our exhibits are coordinated by the Cultural Services office with support from the Public Art Advisory Committee.
On View: Feb. 1 to Feb. 29, 2024 Second Floor of City Hall
The exhibition “Recontextualizing Black History Through Art” is a collaboration between Future Black Female, Black Owned 905, The City of St. Catharines, and the St. Catharines Downtown Association.
This exhibition aims to increase awareness of Canada’s cultural diversity through showcasing some of Niagara’s emerging and established Black artists.
“Recontextualizing Black History Through Art” is a platform for Black artists to express their unique perspectives while simultaneously increasing awareness of Black culture in our local community.
For more information visit: www.mydowntown.ca/blackhistorymonth
Moon
https://www.earthandmoon.net/visualart
A mixed media artist focused mainly on acrylic and watercolour on wood and canvas, but sometimes including other mediums. Moon also creates digital art which they print on canvas with archival ink. Their current works include themes of mixed heritage, telling Jamaican-Indigenous stories through art with the inclusion of African symbolism. They also create pieces to raise awareness of environmental issues within the Caribbean, especially in regard to our oceans and sea life. Other works aim to amplify the presence of queer Caribbean people as a way to combat the homophobia we face and change the narrative that queer Jamaicans/Caribbean people do not exist.
Teju Oladipo
Teju is a self-taught artist from Ontario who has always loved experimenting with creativity, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, began to focus on practicing their art. At this point in their art journey, Teju is exploring different art mediums and styles. While still new to the art world, Teju hope’s that their art would demonstrate the beauty and elegance of black individuals.
Jamelia Lucienbaker
Jamelia mostly specializes in portraits, with their main medium being digital art. The piece displayed during black history month is a portrait done in acrylic paint. The portrait is of Willi Smith, a famous black fashion designer in the 70s & 80s. He was the man who basically invented streetwear, a now very popular clothing style prominently seen in black communities. He was the most successful black designer of the 20th century, yet many have never heard of him.
On View: Sept. 15 to Winter 2023
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
Water - one of nature’s primal elements - plays an important role in our everyday lives.
“Waterscapes” features pieces from the City of St. Catharines Civic Art Collections. The exhibit showcases how water flows into our everyday lives. It can be seen as an important element to each displayed piece, even if unintended.
Featured Artists: Diego Chaves, Danny Custodio, Joseph Hallam, Pete Malaguti, and Melanie Pyke
On View: Sept. 22, 2023 to March 15, 2024
Third floor of City Hall
“If we judge objects merely according to concepts, then all representation of beauty is lost. Thus there can be no rule according to which anyone is to be forced to recognize anything as beautiful.” – Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Judgement (1790)
“open-ended" asked artists for nothing. By asking for nothing the exhibition invites viewers to focus on the exploratory process of creation. The exhibition will feature the artists’ imagination and ask the viewer to embrace the visual. There are endless possibilities for the ways in which open-ended art can be created and viewed, hence nothing specific can be asked. “open-ended” will bring the artists creative process to the forefront.
Featured Artists:
Emily Andrews
Kim Collins
Danny Custodio
Dillon Douglas
Mike Elliott
Karen Klucowicz
Chris Liszak
Melanie MacDonald
Kathy McBride
Laurie Morrison
Donna Szoke
Rachelle Wunderink
Some exhibits are permanent or installed on a temporary basis found throughout City buildings, parks and property, and in the community, while others are displayed on a rotating basis and can be found at: