HOLD FAST 2024: Art Crawl

Saturday, August 24, 2024

2024 Featured Artists // Workshop and Programs

FEATURED ARTISTS PROJECTS

1. HARBOURSIDE PARK (2pm), EASTERN EDGE STUDIO (3:30-6pm)

CO-CREATING HOMELAND by SARAH KHRAISHI & BECK MACLEOD // 2-6pm
Tatreez has been used by Palestinian women for centuries to adorn their traditional robe, or “thobe” (ثوب), and uses cross-stitched designs to depict the flora, fauna and landscapes of Palestine. After the Nakba, the expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland in 1948, embroidery as an artform has evolved to reflect Palestinians’ political aspirations, and is done all over Palestine and in the diaspora.
Through their project, Sarah and Beck have collaborated with community members to stitch a tapestry, depicting both local scenes and historical Palestinian imagery. Sarah and Beck will march with their tapestry in the Palestine Action YYT March at 2pm starting at Harbourside Park. After the march they will be set up in Eastern Edge Studio where the community can come and continue to work on the piece.

2. ROCKET BAKERY: 294 Water Street

LOST CURLEW by D’ARCY WILSON // 2-6pm
Flocks of Northern Curlews have not arrived on Newfoundland’s shores in generations, and the bird has not been sighted anywhere in almost fifty years. There is a single specimen of this lost bird within the Rooms’ Natural History Division; however, the 19th century body of the bird was preserved with arsenic so that it is toxic to hold. The bird is now sensitive to the light, and remains encapsulated within a metal storage locker, to keep safe. In the video installation Lost Curlew viewers are invited to meet this now solitary bird, and to watch over him while he sleeps.

3. GARAGE: 2 Clift’s – Baird’s Cove

WHAT ARE WE by MARK BATH, ROBIN PETERS & MATT SAMMS // 3-6pm
“What are We” is a multimedia performance that integrates music, contemporary dance and animation. Mark Bath, Robin Peters and Matt Samms invite audiences to a party in the middle of the afternoon. With lighting and projection installations, a live DJ set and dancing, the trio attempts to harness that joyful abandon and cathartic release akin to sweating it out on the dancefloor

4. BANNERMAN PARK: Military Road

UNDERLAY by BRENDA MABEL REID // 2-6pm
“Underlay” is a large-scale modular quilt exploring gender queerness and public space. Through quilt-architectural forms, it questions labels of “women’s work” and who architectural space is for. The quilt consists of 53x 4ft hexagonal blocks made of waterproof construction-grade materials. St. John’s is invited to take a nap. Not only is napping fun, but taking up space is a political act! This project carves out some public space for rest, joy, and community—a space for everyone. This installation is part of a national tour. “Underlay,” will be experienced in Saint John, NB, Saint John’s, NL, and Kitchener, ON, this summer.

5. EASTERN EDGE: 72 Harbour Drive

HOLD FAST MURAL by MELISSA TREMBLETT // 2-6pm

POP-UP PROJECTS

6. EASTERN EDGE: 72 Harbour Drive

EASTERN EDGE + HOLD FAST INFO STATION AND MERCH // 2-6pm
Stop by the EE+HF table for all of your merch needs! Pick up a festival pamphlet and art crawl map, talk to the EE board about how you can get involved, and ask all and any EE/HF-related questions here!

EXPLORE EXPRESSION THROUGH ZINES! with TRANS SUPPORT NL // 2-6pm
Join us for an interactive pop-up workshop where your creativity becomes a catalyst for community connection! Inspired by the question “What do you want to share?”, we invite you to explore a diverse array of art materials on a postcard-sized canvas of heavy paper. You can choose to have your work become part of a collaborative piece! No experience necessary, all materials will be provided.

BANNER PAINTING WITH NEIGHBOURS UNITED// 2-6pm
Join Neighbours United to learn about sustainable future for NL, while drawing and painting on a big banner in the EE parking lot!

SCREENING IN A VAN by NICKEL FILM FEST // 2-6pm
Come watch some short films in the cinemobile!!!

CLOSING RECEPTION by ST MICHAEL’S PRINTSHOP // 5-7pm
Join SMP for the closing reception of the annual Members’ Exhibition! Check out what all of our favourite local printmakers have been up to over the past year. SMP is located just upstairs from EE, through the red door!

7. FIRST LIGHT: Cochrane Street United Church

CRANKY by SYLVAN HAMBURGER// 12-4pm Friday, 12-6pm Saturday
LIVE SOUND PERFORMANCE by NEW AOELIAN QUARTET// 5pm Saturday
Cranky presents an installation of printed textiles, sound and a leaky old punt at the First Light Centre for Performance and Creativity. Working with the mono-printed impressions of the decaying wooden boat, the installation reimagines the traditional vessel—its textures, form and history—as a strange and ever-shifting spectacle. The New Aeolian Quartet with respond to the immense printed textiles with a site-specific performance at 5pm on Saturday, August 24.

8. PEDESTRIAN MALL: Various locations along Water Street

NL PIPE BAND // 1:45pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: moving throughout the street
Join the NL Pipe Band for a parade through the Downtown Pedestrian Mall to launch the start of the Art Crawl!

SQUIGGLE ART TABLE by ASSOCIATION FOR THE ARTS IN MOUNT PEARL // 2-6pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of Newfoundland Weavery
Tiny Art! Weird Squiggles! Big Fun! With our Squiggle Art table, AAMP (a.k.a. Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl) is helping you bypass the blank page and jump right into your creativity. We’ll bring an array of pre-squiggled paper and all you have to do is select the most intriguing line and turn it into…something. A mountain? An alien? A plate of spaghetti? It’s *your* creation, you can turn it into whatever you want!

TYING NAUTICAL KNOTS, by ADMIRALTY HOUSE MUSEUM // 2-4pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of Newfoundland Weavery
Join Admiralty House Communications Museum and learn a skill that has been practiced for thousands of years: knot tying! Come try your hand at tying various historical knots. Feeling confident and creative? Show off your new nautical knot skills and make a bracelet or keychain with us! Instructions and materials will be provided. We hope to see you there!

LIVE SKETCHING by NIKITA SACHDEVA // 2-6pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of Newfoundland Weavery
Come get your portrait drawn live on the spot!! Capture the moment, and take home an original artwork!

OLD TIME MUSIC WITH FRIENDS by CHRISTIAN DAUBLE //3-5pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of rainbow fence (next to NLCU)
Join Christian Dauble and friends as they share tunes and songs from the Old-Time music tradition. The predecessor to bluegrass, old-time is a genre of North American folk music often played for dance, which features fiddle, banjo, guitar, and more. Bring an instrument to learn a tune and jam, or simply listen as we share this wonderful music tradition.

HAMMOCK HEIDI by HEIDI LUBY // 2-6pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of Atlantic Place
Hammock Heidi is a fun, aerial performance that aims to create an exciting and engaging environment! With silly themes, music, and dynamic movement – you might be inspired to find yourself swinging around and flying through the air! Performances will be ongoing from 2-6pm with start times on the half-hour (2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30).

SUSTAINABLE FASHION WALK by OUR CONSCIOUS CATWALK // 3-4:30
PEDESTRIAN MALL: starting at the West end of Water Street, moving towards the Craft Council
A group of designers who make wear and live sustainably, showcase their work.

9. LAWNYA VANYA: 4 Clift-Baird’s Cove

FILMS ON THE GO by ST. JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL // 2-6pm
To celebrate the Year of the Arts, our 2024 lineup is a selection of stellar local short films by Brianna Russell, Mallory Clarke, Nicola Hawkins, Holly Andersen, Heather Campbell, and Stacy Gardner.Through personal storytelling, these six films explore how the past informs the people we become, and how our perspectives can shift–over time or in a single moment.

HOLD FAST DOCUMENTARY by NIFCO

10. CRAFT COUNCIL: 155 Water Street

NL HERITAGE CRAFT DEMOS // 2-5pm
. Spoon Carving // 2-4:30pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of the Craft Council of NL

POP-UP PROPAGANDA PRESS with JENNIFER MORGAN// 10-4pm
PEDESTRIAN MALL: in front of the Craft Council of NL

11. JOHNNY RUTH WINDOW: 183 Water Street

INSTALLATION by BRUNO VINHAS // 2-6pm

12. ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST: 16 Church Hill

WHAT IS CLASSICAL CROSSOVER? INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TO GET LOST IN by IAN FOSTER // 2,3,4pm.
A set of original classical crossover music, fusing prepared pianos with electronic and percussive elements.

13. ALT HOTEL: 125 Water St. [ HOTEL PATIO ]

DANCE by SHWETA MOHAN // 4:30-5pm
Experience the elegance and vibrancy of Bharatnatyam with Sai Nrityadhee School of Bharatnatyam team’s captivating pop-up performance. Witness intricate choreography and expressive storytelling that bring this traditional Indian dance form to life. Join us for a mesmerizing cultural journey celebrating the rich heritage of India through its National classical dance.