Exhibits

St. Catharines City Hall, Third Floor 

Soft Walls

On View: June 17 to July 22, 2021
Third Floor City Hall, 50 Church St.

Virtual Opening Reception: Friday, June 18, 7 p.m.
View the opening on the City of St. Catharines YouTube page

In-Person Viewing Appointments:
Available Dates: Wednesday mornings July 7, 14 and 21 and Thursday afternoons, July 8, 15 and 22. 
Appointments are 20 minutes in length and will only accommodate 1 visitor per appointment due to COVID restrictions. The exhibit is located on the 3rd floor of City Hall. Please use the James St. entrance.

You can book an appointment online. Select “Soft Walls – Exhibit Viewing” in the services dropdown box. 

The hallways of City Hall lead us from busy streets to busy meeting rooms and offices. This exhibition imagines that they also offer visitors a restful transitional space.

Paintings using soft floral and figurative patterns that are both complex and soothing create a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere. Inspired by decorative art practices, they are intended to suggest a meditative and carefree environment and are accompanied by soft-spoken fragments of text. In a place where important, at times difficult decisions are made and where city life is shaped, the “Soft Walls” in the hallway invite visitors to enjoy a quiet, introspective moment while letting their eyes linger on delicate structures and engaging colour associations.

Presented by Studies in Arts and Culture, and Visual Arts, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts, Brock University. Curated By: Catherine Paryare and Shawn Serfas.

Participating Artists: Hannah Holmes and Lindsay Liboiron.
Written Works: Alicia Armacinski, Janelle Barretto, Alyssa Campbell, Sarah Cecchini, Iris Ciu, Justin Co, David Figueroa, Malcolm Gear, Giuliana Gervasio, Clive Green, Dominik Hekiert, Jim Kershaw, Kiera King, Kalista Mackisey, Maria Maletta, Emma McLachlan, Maya Meyerman, Ariana Mota, Quinn O’Brien, Sarah Pastore, Tony Payment, Vanessa Pereira, Emily Purkis, Jessie Richard, Jessica Smith, Jamie Tomao-Martin, Charlotte Vann, Blake Wilson and Simon Xu.

 St. Catharines City Hall, Citizens First, Second Floor

Abstract City Hall, currently on display at City Hall on the second floor, was created during a Willow Arts Community Workshop which was delivered by instructor Mark Roe -- Artist and member of Willow Arts Community. 

Willow Arts Community is a not-for-profit arts organization that supports the creative goals of aspiring, emerging, and established artists with lived experience  of mental health/addictions.  

Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions, at this time, this piece is only available for viewing to those with an appointment with Citizens First. 

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Currently Closed to the Public

Centennial Gardens

When Centennial Gardens was unveiled in 1967 it included commemorative plaques representing the 12 provinces and territories of the time. These plaques were installed on a concrete wall that surrounds the Doug Cranmer Totem Pole. The original plaques disappeared years ago but distinct blank rectangles remain. These spaces now provide an opportunity for public art exhibits.

Current Exhibit

This exhibit of historic photos celebrates the vibrant history of the former Town of Merritton, now a neighbourhood within St. Catharines. 

"No matter how far they may wander, no matter how high up the ladder of success they climb, there is still no place like home." Hugh J. Main, former owner of Main Drug Store, from the book Merritton Centennial 1874-1974

For More Information

Contact Cultural Services Staff:

email: culture@stcatharines.ca

call: 905.688.5601 x 5244

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