Public Art Ottawa: Holding Pattern
December 17, 2021 - February 11, 2022
Unable to complete its trip, an airplane caught in a holding pattern is forced into a state of suspended progress, circling in a holding pattern while waiting for clearance to land. Following another year of multiple lockdowns and social interruptions, this state of delay, and the unsettling feeling that arises from it, will resonate with many. However upsetting, this delay can also give us time to slow down and reflect.
In working through COVID-19 restrictions, lockdowns, and interruptions, the 68 artists taking part in Holding Pattern use their artistic practices to explore this time of isolation, disruption, and reflection through ever-shifting perspectives on society, identity, and mental health. The artworks on display invite us to look at moments of suspended progress not as unsettling interruptions but rather as opportunities to reflect where we can develop a wider perspective and understanding of the world that surrounds us.
