Iron Identity
Jun 11
Aug 14 2021
exhibition in-person
See Details
1106 Queen Street West, Toronto
Jan 22Fri Closed
Jan 23Sat Closed
Jan 24Sun Closed
Jan 25Mon Closed
Jan 26Tue Closed
Jan 27Wed Closed
Jan 28Thu Closed
Jan 29Fri Closed
Jan 30Sat Closed
Jan 31Sun Closed

As per the provincial government’s announcement to begin Phase 1 of reopening, Craft Ontario will open to limited visitors beginning Friday, June 11, 2021.

We are accepting appointment bookings for up to two visitors onsite at a time during our operating hours, Tues – Sat, 12 noon – 6:00pm. Please book your date and time here: https://bit.ly/Craft-Ontario-Book-Appointment

‘Iron Identity’ is a solo exhibition of work by Toronto-based contemporary jeweller Alex Kinsley Vey.

“Hamilton, my hometown on the shore of Lake Ontario, has traditionally been a steel producing centre. Despite the industry having died down in recent decades, its industrial activity is still apparent. ‘Iron Identity’ references my time growing up there, and the impact this place had on me.

Brooches, rings and neckpieces evoke and commemorate this identity through the use of oxides, coarse finishing, and sturdy construction. I use colours associated with industrial machinery and abandoned sites – bright colours that contrast signs of rust and deterioration. Transporting this aesthetic to the body allows it to be worn close, displayed with pride, and given reverence as a jewellery object.

The places and structures I reference directly influenced the culture of Hamilton. These former steel mills, manufacturing facilities, and factories provided good, working class jobs, and were once economic symbols announcing the prosperity of the city. Now that we have moved into a post-industrial economy, these places look dirty and out of place. I grew up around the last of these industrial sites when the flame of industry was already diminished. I feel compelled to record the physical and emotional identity of this city in order to come to a better understanding of my own identity.”

– Alex Kinsley Vey

 

Alex Kinsley Vey is from Hamilton, Ontario, where he received jewellery training from his parents. Moving to Toronto in 2010, Alex studied jewellery at George Brown College, receiving an Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Arts in 2013.

Alex has shown work in Canada, Europe, and the United States. He has been a member of Craft Ontario since 2012, Klimt02 since 2017, and was accepted into Harbourfront Centre’s Artist-in-Residence program in 2015. He is currently a member at Jewel Envy in Toronto’s west-end.

Alex is a sessional instructor at OCAD University in Toronto, and has previously taught at George Brown College in Toronto, and NSCAD University in Halifax.

www.kinsleyveydesigns.com

Participants

Alex Kinsley Vey, Robyn Wilcox (curator)

Acknowledgements

Accessibility

Who should visitors contact with questions regarding accessibility?
Robyn Wilcox
Is this venue accessible by wheelchair or similar mobility devices? This includes access to washrooms and all aspects of programming/events.
Yes
Are designated parking spots for persons with disabilities close to the entrance of the building?
Yes
Can people get to the venue using accessible transit?
Yes