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“How To Survive Civilization, Or What Dada Can Still Teach Us"

A free public talk by internationally acclaimed author Hal Foster

The Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) Faculty of Art is pleased to welcome internationally acclaimed author Hal Foster as the next resident of its Nomadic Residents program, generously supported by the Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.

Widely considered one of postmodernism’s founding theorists, Foster has participated urgently in the critical and historical investigation of avant-garde art for almost thirty years, producing a body of writing that has informed the practices of many contemporary artists. He draws from a wide range of intellectual traditions to illuminate the continuities and ruptures in the avant-garde’s critiques of art and society, exposing its underlying historical and institutional frameworks while assessing its continuing relevance.

Foster’s residency is part of OCAD’s deepening engagement with the ideas that form contemporary culture’s framework. Foster’s visit as the next Nomadic Resident will provide students, faculty and the public with an important opportunity for a searching discussion of new ideas, and the chance to revisit and explore old ones.

Foster will visit OCAD from November 2 to November 6, and give a public lecture on Tuesday, November 3, at 7:30 p.m. During his residency, Foster will conduct workshops and studio-critiques with OCAD’s students and meet with OCAD’s faculty to converse about contemporary issues pertinent to artist-educators.

All are welcome; admission is free. Limited seating available; guests are advised to arrive early.