LOOK! – On the Dual Nature of Perception

Co-Curated by Olivia Brewin, Kennedy Cardenas, Connor Choy, Hannah Emmerson, Chelsea Rose Farinaro, Tayla Grainger, Gabi Guevara, Vivina Juarez, Eugene Kim, Anna Ledbetter, Sweet Lou Mader Dauk, Mya Mannoni, Bella Ocana, Arianna Patterson, Nicola Trojovsky, Sloan Watson 

LOOK! – On the Dual Nature of Perception is a socially aware exploration of the theme of perception, both in formal and conceptual terms.

Our perception lets us consciously recognize the environment, processing external information received through our senses. But perception is also influenced by our internal cognitive processes, including attention, memory, and expectation, which can lead to biased perceptions that differ from reality, being influenced by our beliefs and attitudes towards something.

A group of the works in the exhibition primarily play with one's perception of pictorial space and depth, texture, patterning, and the nature of representation. Others challenge ideas of power, talking about inequality, oppression, and social justice. The work challenges viewers' assumptions about the world around them, presenting alternate meanings and questioning the reliability of our own senses which have been conditioned to see the world through a particular lens. This exhibition is a thought-provoking and engaging exploration of the complex relationship between perception and reality, demonstrating the vital role that art plays in promoting social justice and challenging dominant narratives.