An AWE-some Experience
Written by Karm Vijaykumar Joshi, Marketing Intern at AWE
Hi folks! My name is Karm, and I am a student at the University of Windsor. The Windsor-Essex region is filled with all kinds of great places. One of them is Art Windsor-Essex, which is just a 5-minute bus ride away from UWindsor. On a nice Friday afternoon, I decided to visit AWE to check out their new art exhibition: Waawiiatanong Forever, Love Languages, and Jordan Sook: The Closest I’ve Felt to God.
As I stepped inside the gallery, the peaceful and comforting atmosphere made me feel welcomed instantly. I started with Love Languages and somehow felt a connection. The first piece I saw was “Love me…,” a chorus of 10 violins and a cute little pillow with the words “love me” embroidered on it. The pillow is meant to be hugged, allowing you to feel the 35 different voices saying “love me” in various languages. To me, it felt like childhood, when I used to grab a pillow and sleep with my head on my dad’s lap. He would express his love in different ways, and I feel that is what “Love Languages” is all about. There were several other pieces describing how love can be expressed in many ways. There are different love languages, and I believe that is so true based on the personality of the person expressing love.
Next, I explored “The Closest I’ve Felt to God” by Jordan Sook. It was very moving as it talked about the history of the Underground Railroad and the people affected by it. One piece of art was an advertisement board made to look like it was from 1829, displaying a public auction of slaves. When I read more about the exhibition, I found that the water body placed in the middle of the room signifies the distance between people who were enslaved and freedom. This piece describes the history so politely yet moves you deeply.
After that, I explored Waawiiatanong Forever, a beautiful exhibition featuring photos of women and two-spirit folks. A very powerful aspect was that the photos were taken in front of streets named after the Indigenous community throughout the Windsor-Essex region. It reminds us of a very important fact: this land is theirs, and we are just guests. We should always be grateful for that.
The best part about visiting all the exhibitions was that I could dive into the experience with my headphones on, thanks to the digital guides available. It made me feel more connected to the art. I believe it’s not just the art pieces but also the vibe at AWE. The way they have preserved the sense of diversity and belonging is exceptional. A very significant thing, which is easy to miss, was the pop-up market featuring items from the Urban Art Market themed around Windsor-Essex. Everything was locally made and handcrafted.
Overall, after a long time, all my senses were active because I could feel the art present there. I believe everyone should visit AWE and create their own memories because this experience was so personal that I wouldn’t be able to describe it in words. You have to be here to feel it!
