DesignTO Tours: Material Memory

This walking tour invites you to explore artworks that reflect ongoing dialogues between artist, object, and environment. Moving through the neighbourhood, you’ll encounter works that have been added to and layered over time and across generations, highlighting how material practice becomes a vessel for memory, care, and interconnection.

The tour starts at ‘Hope and Healing Canada - A Journey Towards Decolonization and Reconciliation’ (with Tracey-Mae Chambers) located at 40 St. Clair Avenue West, followed by ‘Connections’ (with Cherie Leung) located at 55 St. Clair Avenue West, and ‘Close Your Eyes, Heal in a Parallel World’ (with Firouzeh Saremifar) located at 95 St Clair Avenue West, all within a short walking distance of each other.

Following the tour, attendees are encouraged to visit the other artworks in the neighbourhood, including ‘Beneath One Sky’ (2. St Clair Avenue West), 'Nature's Frequency’ (30 St. Clair West), ‘Many Colours, One Sky’ (1521 Yonge Street), and ‘STRATA’ (1521 Yonge Street).

SPEAKERS

Tracey-Mae Chambers has created over 180 site-specific red fibre art installations across Canada since July 2021, including residential school sites, museums, and galleries, to address decolonization and reconciliation. Tracey-Mae deliberately places her art in venues that often promote a colonial viewpoint, disrupting the dominant narrative. Her installations compel viewers to critically consider whose stories are being told and who holds the power to tell them, encouraging a more inclusive understanding of history. The installations are crafted from red wool, silk, and cotton yarn, using traditional techniques. The colour red is chosen for its complex symbolism: representing the violence and injustice of blood and historical slurs, as well as positive emotions like passion, power, and courage. This mirrors the intricate dialogue surrounding decolonization and reconciliation.

Cherie Leung is a multi-media storyteller who works in textiles, crafting material, and found objects. She uses techniques like sewing, quilting and embroidery to create works that intersect painting, textiles, and sculpture. Cherie holds a degree in Psychology & Criminology (Hons. BSc.) and an MA in Legal Studies. She completed her BFA in Drawing and Painting from the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU) in 2025 and was the recipient of the prestigious Drawing and Painting Medal of that year. Cherie currently works and lives in London, UK while undertaking a Masters in Textiles at the Royal College of Art.

Firouzeh Saremi Far is a visual artist based in Toronto, Canada. Her artistic practice is an ongoing exploration of the intersections between human experience and environmental influences, reflecting different themes of identity, transformation, and resilience. Drawing inspiration from the emotional intensity of Expressionism and the limitless forms of Abstract Art, her works seek to invoke a dialogue on human matters.

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'DesignTO Tours: Material Memory' is organized by DesignTO, and supported by the Yonge + St. Clair BIA. The DesignTO Festival is supported by the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto.

About DesignTO

DesignTO is a charitable arts organization celebrating 16 years of designing a sustainable, just, and joyful future. From January 23-February 1, 2026, the DesignTO Festival features 100+ free events and exhibitions across Toronto, showcasing hundreds of artists and designers. As Canada’s largest annual design festival, DesignTO has welcomed over 1 million attendees, reached 2.6 billion people through media, supported 7,000+ artists and designers, and generated $159 million in tourism impact since 2011.