Dwelling.
The works in this exhibition were created from a place of desire to control outcomes that I had no control over. They speak to moments in life when the unknown, the inconvenient or the difficult come up against notions of security, health, and self-determination. Protector (Sunrise) and Protector (Moonrise) are two large owl forms created with reflective devices used to deterbirds from damaging wooden structures. I became obsessed with them when I experienced birds pecking at my house in the early morning, loosing sleep. The idealism of living close to nature is often ruptured by its inconveniences; another creature’s search for a peaceful home was interrupting my own. These unruly external forces were mirrored by a lack of control over my own body, as I navigated the complexity of fertility treatments. In IVF checkers, a game board with IVF medication vials shows a parallel between the treatment process and the poetics and logic of the game: the path to live birth is much like skipping a stone on water, trying to get as far as possible while up against time and physical limits. For Pouch, a large gourd acts as a symbolic womb, carrying a single grain of rice within. On December 18, 2025, my water broke.
About the Artist
Julie Oh’s work is centered on the emotional and conceptual power of objects, often drawing on both industrial and personal items to playfully examine notions of labor, mortality, purpose and faith. She holds an MFA from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a BFA from the University of Saskatchewan. Recent solo and two person exhibitions of her work include 출생 (Live Birth) (2025) at Pilseungsa, Seoul; Icecreampowerpinkyswearlater? (2024) at C’cap, Winnipeg; Tides (2023-24) at YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Toronto and Neutral Ground, Regina; Sesame, open yourself (2022) at Kenderdine Art Gallery, Saskatoon; and lines (2018) at Remai Modern, Saskatoon. Her work has been the subject of articles and reviews in Public Parking, Peripheral Review and BlackFlash magazine. She lives and works in Maberly, Newfoundland and Labrador.
We gratefully acknowledge the support from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for supporting our operational programming.