Abstract

London-based artists Karen Mirza and Brad Butler undertook a residency at the University of Toronto from September through October of 2012. This paper considers their multi-pronged approach to generating dialogues within the University in light of larger questions about the evaluative problems concerning socially motivated art. This paper argues that analyzing the project’s relationship to art institutions and the University gallery allows us to regard their work as a curatorial project rather than a purely activist one. Mirza and Butler’s work can be considered a museum-based experiment in making connections within the University, as well as between Toronto and other global movements.