Art Bank Contributes to Dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals

Awakening, an exhibition composed of Canadian artworks, toured internationally to enhance awareness of, and mobilize action on, sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Using art to put the spotlight on sustainability

Canadian-American designer Bruce Mau curated the exhibition of artworks from the Canada Council Art Bank collection, which featured artists such as Edward Burtynsky, Kim Ondaatje, Michael Snow, Norval Morrisseau and Germaine Arnaktauyok. Through the collective lens of the artworks, viewers were asked to confront the urgency of sustaining life on Earth for generations to come.

Highlighting Canadian artwork to the rest of the world

These thought-provoking pieces were made available for viewing by people around the world in places where significant debates about our world’s health and sustainability were taking place. Over a 10-month period, Awakening was presented at the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Queen’s Park, and travelled to the United Nations headquarters in New York City and Geneva. The exhibition was also on display at the World Conference Centre in Bonn during the United Nations Global Climate Conference in June 2019.