Garfield Morgan | Cloth & Conscience: Transforming Clothes Into Voices of Change

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Garfield Morgan, “Consumerism’s Shadow (inspired by Gregory Escande photo),” 2024

used clothing, used tarpaulin, acrylic, yarn (courtesy of the artist)

Opening Reception: Friday October 18^th, 7 -10 pm

Harcourt House Artist Run Centre proudly presents the groundbreaking work of a Jamaica-born, USA-educated, and Edmonton-based multi-disciplinary artist Garfield Morgan, in the multi-media exhibition set to both challenge and inspire. The exhibition Cloth & Conscience: Transforming Clothes Into Voices of Change – which culminates Garfield’s 2023-24 Artist-In-Residence Program at Harcourt House Artist Run Centre – shines a light on pressing global issues through the innovative medium of second-hand clothing.

Garfield employs a unique artistic approach by transforming discarded garments into compelling two and three-dimensional art and installation. This exhibit is a powerful critique of global consumerism and an exploration of socio-economic disparities, bringing fresh perspectives to critical dialogues surrounding exploitation, inequality, and human resilience.

An aspect of the show is a poignant reflection on the Rana Plaza disaster of April 2013 that occurred in Bangladesh, which tragedy starkly revealed the perilous conditions faced by garment workers in the Global South.

In leveraging these second-hand clothes, Garfield invites us to view clothing not merely as utility but as a powerful testimony to human struggle and resilience. The pieces challenge societal norms and illuminate the often-unseen suffering stitched into the very fabric of our everyday apparel.

Inspired by the transformative works of artists like El Anatsui and Ibrahim Mahama, and the Arte Povera movement, Morgan’s art transcends the materials’ former lives, standing as testaments to our interconnectedness and the social cost of unrestrained consumption. Each garment piece in this collection is carefully curated to communicate untold stories of exploitation and environmental degradation, while also sparking critical reflections on how we can forge a more conscious and just future.

Garfield Morgan offers us art that doesn’t just decorate space but challenges the mind and stirs the senses. In the end, Garfield’s multi-media exhibition compels the viewers to engage with works that turn waste into wonder and provoke meaningful conversations about our role in the global tapestry of consumerism and social justice.