This workshop with Zahra Komeylian explores a place of meeting between the clay, body, and breath. Through the medium of clay, participants are invited into an embodied reflection on being in relation with the collective and the ground, cultivating spaces for support and anchoring during times of change and shift. How can we be anchored while in flux? This session involves breathwork, contemplative sculpting, a walk along the shoreline, and a group building activity. No prior experience working with clay is necessary – bring a beginner’s mind.
Event Notes: Participants are asked to arrive on time and bring clothes to work in. As there will be an outdoor component by the lakeshore, warm layers are also encouraged.
Accessibility: Workshop activities include walking to the lakeshore and working with clay on the floor. We are committed to supporting the accessibility needs of all interested participants, and invite those interested to share their needs – including the need for an accessible workplace – through the workshop registration form or by email: PPL@torontobiennial.org.
Image credit: Zahra Komeylian, ground, breath, moisture, cusp, 2019. Photo: Cierra Frances.
Bio
Zahra Komeylian (born in Tokyo, Japan; lives in Toronto, ON, Canada) is a ceramics artist, educator, and social justice advocate. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Psychology in Education from Columbia University, New York City and has written and presented on the intersection of contemplative claywork and from an anti-oppressive practice and therapeutic lens. Komeylian’s interdisciplinary art practice encompasses process-based engagement with ceramic sculpture, installation, video, and performance art.