Winter Waiting
Save
Jan 24
–
Feb 02 2025
exhibition in-person
See Details
Free
Jan 29, 2025
7:00pm – 9:00pm
RSVP
[email protected]
44 Ossington Avenue, Toronto
Jan 24Fri 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 25Sat 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 26Sun 11:00am – 5:00pm
Jan 27Mon 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 28Tue 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 29Wed 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 30Thu 11:00am – 7:00pm
Jan 31Fri 11:00am – 7:00pm
Feb 01Sat 11:00am – 7:00pm
Feb 02Sun 11:00am – 5:00pm

Unmet expectations.

Disappointment.

Loss.

Depression.

Feeling stuck.

Difficult emotions and ongoing struggles with mental health often leave us barren and depleted, like skeletal winter trees. Sometimes it feels like hope faded as the leaves fell to the ground.

How do we hold onto hope when there are no signs of life around us?

This exhibition is an extended meditation on waiting without giving in to despair. If you look for signs of new life in the depths of winter, you won’t find many. But the wonder of trees is that they aren’t actually dead – just waiting for the right conditions and resources to bloom again.

This work offers pain and disappointment room to breathe by inhabiting the long, wintery space before visible spring life emerges. Sometimes we are not ok — but maybe we can move through despair towards a more resilient hope.

The window installation for this project was woven with damaged denim products from the DUER Toronto store. Visit the exhibition during store opening hours, or join one of the companion events that encourage deeper engagement with the discipline of hope in hard times.

A collaboration between textile artist Ruth Wickremesooriya and Canadian performance denim brand DUER.

Ruth Wickremesooriya is a multidisciplinary artist exploring themes of brokenness, hope and transformation. Compelled by a desire to reimagine waste and interrogate ongoing struggles with depression and anxiety, artworks are handwoven using discarded textiles, and inevitable studio waste gathered for new works. The process itself affirms that we all hold inherent value and feelings of brokenness never have the final word.

www.makingruth.com

DUER creates performance denim and lifestyle apparel with a focus on natural materials. They are committed to longevity, versatility and adventure — all in a single pair of pants.

duer.ca

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DUER x DesignTO Exclusive Artist Reception
Wednesday, January 29, 7-9pm
Tickets: $10

Join us at DUER Ossington for a special evening celebrating creativity and exploring transformative design. As part of the DesignTO Festival, this one-night event highlights artist Ruth Wickremesooriya and her solo exhibition, ‘Winter Waiting’.

Take part in a live Q&A with Ruth, explore the exhibition, and discover DUER’s new Stretch Canvas collection—crafted for the perfect balance of comfort and utility. Enjoy drinks and canapés as you connect with fellow design enthusiasts.

100% of proceeds will support DesignTO Youth. Spots are limited, so secure your tickets today.

Purchase Reception Tickets

Participants

Ruth Wickremesooriya, DUER Team

Accessibility

Who should visitors contact with questions regarding accessibility?
Shannon Forbes
[email protected]
Can people get to the venue using accessible transit?
Yes
Detail of abstract woven fabric art showing navy blue shapes in a pale blue cloth, small fringe and leather patch for the artist’s signature.
Detail of Waiting in the Dark #4 ‘but the scent of spring rises here.’ - handwoven using discarded, unravelled denim. Image credit: LF Documentation.
Piece of abstract woven fabric art showing navy blue shapes in a pale blue cloth. The weaving is mounted in a pale wooden frame with a brown leather patch for the artist’s signature at bottom right.
Waiting in the Dark #10 ‘I've wasted so much time’ - handwoven using discarded, unravelled denim. Image credit: LF Documentation.
Detail of abstract woven fabric art showing navy blue shapes in a pale blue cloth.
Detail of Waiting in the Dark #10 ‘I've wasted so much time’ - handwoven using discarded, unravelled denim. Image credit: LF Documentation.
Tall piece of abstract woven fabric art showing navy blue shapes that swirl on a beige background. The frame is surrounded by shards of broken ceramics.
Fragments Series #9 Struggle/Love - handwoven using discarded denim. Image credit: Leann Parker.
A set of three tall pieces of abstract woven fabric art showing navy blue shapes that flow like a wave on a beige background.
Fragments Series left to right: #3 Faulty/Value, #1 Stuck/Repetition, #2 Doubt/Mistakes - handwoven using discarded denim. Image credit: Leann Parker.