Their practice focuses on the interactive nature of art, staging performances and re-enactments of a participatory nature. Their goal is to examine the function of art in society and explore the potential ways the artistic process can be used to build community and heal conflict.

MacCormack will be working with the women from Kingston’s Isabel MacNeil House on a project that will result in the creation of an animated video. One of the issues her residency/exhibition addresses is the controversial decision to close the Isabel McNeill House, the only minimum security facility in Canada for federally sentenced women.

On Sunday August 12th, Jessica will collaborate with interested participants on a workshop/project focusing on ideas of ‘The Institution’ (what are individual’s relationships to institutions, what is the city of Kingston’s relationship to institutions, etc.). The workshop will begin at 11am, and will initially be devoted to group discussion and brainstorming. This will carry over into a potluck lunch. The session after lunch will be devoted to the creation of a collaborative project, whether that be a performative intervention, video or painting, etc. The nature of the project will be determined by those involved, and will ultimately influence the form and the direction of the exhibition. Please bring something for the potluck, as well as any materials and ideas you may have for the collaborative project!

In the Artel gallery, MacCormack will present ​Isabel’s Antidote​, an exhibition showcasing collaborative projects based on the stories and concerns surrounding the Isabel McNeill House through engagement with the women involved and with the broader Kingston community.