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Culture Days will return September 20 – October 13, 2024.

  • Patrick Li, Fortune Cities, 2020, Concept Rendering

Fortune Room

In-person

Design Fibre & textile arts Visual arts
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Date and time

Location

Preston Gallery (Idea Exchange)

435 King Street East

City of Cambridge, ON

Access

Free.

Offered in English.

About

Monday to Saturday 12:00pm to 6:00pm - Closed Monday, October 12 for Thanksgiving

"A wonderful memory: after a tasty meal from the local Chinese restaurant, the servers always brought me a cookie to complete the meal. This sweet delight was such a treat not only because it tasted great, but there was that wee slip of paper—my fortune." –Patrick Li

For three years, Patrick Li collected cookie fortunes left behind by diners at Chinese restaurants in communities across the country. Here, Li gives those found fortunes new life by returning them to their original purpose, and invites us to pause and revisit these words, some of which may be familiar from our own experiences of excitedly breaking open a cookie to reveal our fortune and lucky numbers.

Alongside these works, the exhibition presents two new installations that focus on the cookie and its origins. Like the reclaimed fortunes, the words and phrases the artist hand-printed on each cookie are hopeful, humorous, and sometimes surprising, and may seem particularly resonant in the present moment.

Li’s careful, labour-intensive processes draw our attention to small, quickly-forgotten or consumed objects, reminding us of the importance of individual actions and the power of the collective.

Visitor occupancy for gallery viewing is limited to ensure 2-metre physical distancing can be maintained at all times. When you visit us, you will be required to wear a face covering which covers your nose, mouth, and chin, as required under Region of Waterloo By-law 20-035.

Links

Organizer

Cambridge Art Galleries | Idea Exchange

Public art galleries presenting contemporary art and design from two locations in the city of Cambridge, Ontario: Queen's Square Gallery and Preston Gallery.

Contact

Cambridge Art Galleries

gallery@ideaexchange.org

519-621-0460