Ligatures Talk Series #4

Jay Wall is a creative director dedicated to inclusive cities. With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of graphic design and social change, he was the founder of design studio RallyRally. Now at O2 Planning and Design, Jay leads the creation of communication strategies, visual identities, and education materials that support public participation in shaping communities. His work has been recognized with the RGD UltraBold Award—honouring designers making a positive impact in the design community and beyond—as well as several So(cial) Good Design Awards. Jay is also a design educator at George Brown Polytechnic, a dad, and a cyclist. More: jaywall.com

Sean Martindale is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary artist and designer based in Canada. His interventions activate public spaces to encourage engagement, and often focus on ecological and social issues. His playful works suggest alternate possibilities for existing spaces, infrastructures, and materials found in urban environments. Frequently, Martindale uses non-traditional art media such as post-consumer waste and live plants. His wider practice includes large scale community-based projects and collaborations with organizations dedicated to addressing concerns such as climate change, human rights, and accessibility in public space from Neurodiverse/Deaf/Disabled perspectives.
Martindale’s work has garnered awards and support such as the Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts (TFVA) prestigious Artist Prize, and the Ontario Arts Council’s Chalmers Arts Fellowship. He was profiled for the first episode of the CBC’s Great Minds of Design, his Decennial Hancock Lecture was broadcast by TVO for their Big Ideas series, and his work has since continued to make appearances on TV, radio, and film, and in publications around the world. In 2018, Martindale was Harbourfront Centre’s inaugural Visual Artist-in-Residence. In 2018 and 2019, Martindale and his collaborator JP King were also the first Artists-in-Residence with the City of Toronto in partnership with Toronto Solid Waste Management Services.
seanmartindale.com @seanmartindale.art / #seanmartindale