A student standing beside their artwork at Brookfield Place.
Last month, Divina Dalí unveiled a captivating art exhibition at Brookfield Place, featuring the creative talents of students from Humberside CI, Lawrence Park CI, and Central Toronto Academy. This unique event exhibited artworks inspired by the legendary Salvador Dalí, Dante Alighieri, and the surrealism movement.
The process of integrating Dalí's influence into the students' artworks began with organized field trips and guided tours of the Divina Dali Exhibit. Following the tour, brainstorming sessions on the terrace sparked the idea for the students’ exhibition, “Artistic Aspirations.” Under the guidance of Divina Dali's director, they translated surrealism's aim to revolutionize the human experience into captivating pieces of art.
The collaboration aimed to tap into the teenage imagination and the subconscious, prompting students to explore dreams of a better future and a utopian world. The exhibition featured diverse works, including photography, graphic design, oil painting, collage/mixed media, watercolor, acrylic, and sculpture.
“Even though all of our pieces were unique and different in their own way, they fit together very nicely at the exhibit,” shared Lyla Birrell, a student at Central Toronto Academy. "As a student in grade 9, I really felt like I was part of something bigger, the work and passion put into the event really inspired me.”
The planning and execution of this grand exhibition were not without challenges, but thanks to the support of the TDSB taskforce, obstacles like transporting artworks, easels, and display boards to and from Brookfield Place were overcome.
From left to right, a group photo of Trustee Deborah Williams, Julia Celage from Humberside CI, Beckie DiLeo from Central Toronto Academy, Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, Director Karen Francis, and Ursula McDonnell from Lawrence Park CI. They are standing in front of one of the artworks at the exhibition.
Over a span of 3-4 weeks, 150 students poured their passion into this project, while the dedication of educators like Rebecca DiLeo, Julia Celaj, Ursula MacDonald, and Principal Wallace played a crucial role in the students’ exhibition's success.