March 28-29, 2025
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, Ottawa
Featuring 50+ artists and publishers, programming, and more in Canada’s capital.
INFORMATION
Possible Worlds is pleased to present Object//Project Art Book Fair, a new multiday gathering in Canada’s capital which celebrates diverse and boundary-pushing artists’ publishing.
Object//Project Art Book Fair (OPABF) 2025 takes place March 28-29 at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, Carleton University’s arts, learning and performance venue in downtown Ottawa.
This inaugural edition of OPABF will spotlight the vibrant Canadian art publishing scene.
Free and open to the public, our goal is to bring together artists, publishers, curators, collectors, educators, cultural workers and the community-at-large to connect, critically reflect, share knowledge and be inspired.
Fair visitors will have the opportunity to discover the work of some of the most exciting artists and publishers in Canada, including:
Free and open to the public, our goal is to bring together artists, publishers, curators, collectors, educators, cultural workers and the community-at-large to connect, critically reflect, share knowledge and be inspired.
Fair visitors will have the opportunity to discover the work of some of the most exciting artists and publishers in Canada, including:
- 50+ exhibitors in multiple rooms, from Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and beyond;
- A dynamic lineup of talks, workshops and artists’ projects focused on the theme of cultural memory and documentation;
- Electronic and experimental music performances and DJ sets across two floors; and
- Offsite programming with partners across the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
VISIT
Object//Project Art Book Fair is committed to creating an accessible and safe environment for all visitors, participants, and fair team members.
Location
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, Ottawa
290 Lisgar Street (main entrance)
355 Cooper Street (municipal address)
CDCC is Carleton University’s arts, performance and learning Centre in downtown Ottawa. Read more here about the Centre and its history.
290 Lisgar Street (main entrance)
355 Cooper Street (municipal address)
CDCC is Carleton University’s arts, performance and learning Centre in downtown Ottawa. Read more here about the Centre and its history.
Fair Hours
March 28, 2025: Opening Night
6-9 PM // Exhibitors
6-10 PM // Music Performances
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
6-9 PM // Exhibitors
6-10 PM // Music Performances
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
March 29, 2025: Art Book Fair
12-6 PM // Exhibitors + Artist Programming
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
12-6 PM // Exhibitors + Artist Programming
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
March 29, 2025: After Party
7-11 PM // Ten Toes, 837 Somerset Street West
7-11 PM // Ten Toes, 837 Somerset Street West
Entry and Ticket Fees
Object//Project and associated off-site programming are free to attend and welcome to all. To ensure a safe and enjoyable environment,
visitor crowd flow will be regulated at the entrance.
This inaugural edition of the fair is being powered by volunteers, partnerships, and a desire for a new kind of cultural gathering in Ottawa. As a 100% community-funded event, we welcome donations of pay what you can (PWYC) entry fees in advance of the event or upon entry via Eventbrite or PayPal. All donations go towards the costs of the fair. Those who donate $20 or more will receive a limited edition Books Saved Me Risograph print.
This inaugural edition of the fair is being powered by volunteers, partnerships, and a desire for a new kind of cultural gathering in Ottawa. As a 100% community-funded event, we welcome donations of pay what you can (PWYC) entry fees in advance of the event or upon entry via Eventbrite or PayPal. All donations go towards the costs of the fair. Those who donate $20 or more will receive a limited edition Books Saved Me Risograph print.
Getting to CDCC/Parking
Public Transit
CDCC is a 10-minute walk from Parliament station and a 15-minute walk from Rideau Centre/Arts Court. Buses #6, 7, and 11 run along Bank Street. Plan your travel to and from other Ottawa destinations by using the OC Transport travel planner.
Bicycle
Use one of the various City of Ottawa or CDCC bike racks available at and around the venue.
Driving
There is a paid parking lot on the north side of the building. Parking is limited in this lot and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Overflow parking (paid, street or otherwise) available nearby along Cooper, Lisgar and O’Connor Streets. Two accessible parking spots are located on the south/west corner of the lot.
Visit CDCC’s website for more info.
CDCC is a 10-minute walk from Parliament station and a 15-minute walk from Rideau Centre/Arts Court. Buses #6, 7, and 11 run along Bank Street. Plan your travel to and from other Ottawa destinations by using the OC Transport travel planner.
Bicycle
Use one of the various City of Ottawa or CDCC bike racks available at and around the venue.
Driving
There is a paid parking lot on the north side of the building. Parking is limited in this lot and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Overflow parking (paid, street or otherwise) available nearby along Cooper, Lisgar and O’Connor Streets. Two accessible parking spots are located on the south/west corner of the lot.
Visit CDCC’s website for more info.
Location Accessibility
The main accessible entrance and ramp is at 290 Lisgar Street on the north side of the building. A second emergency exit and accessible ramp is located at 355 Cooper Street on the south side of the building.
There is elevator access to all four levels of the building.
Please call ahead to 613-520-4401 to make any inquiries about accessibility in the building.
There is elevator access to all four levels of the building.
Please call ahead to 613-520-4401 to make any inquiries about accessibility in the building.
Low Stimulation/ Chillout Room
The Library room at CDCC will be available March 29 from 12-6 PM for those individuals looking for a quiet and comfortable environment, or want to take a break from the fair. Room capacity is 9 people.
Service Animals
CDCC welcomes guests and their service animals. Guests with service animals are requested to check in with the front desk staff upon arrival to the building. Unfortunately, no other pets or animals are authorized in the building.
Scent-Free Environment
Visitors and fair participants are encouraged to wear or use non-scented products while at the fair.
Gender Inclusive Washrooms
Gender inclusive washrooms are available throughout CDCC.
- 1101 (single-stall): basement level, inside stairwell E.
- 1105 (single-stall, accessible): basement level, right next to Fellowship Hall.
- 2116 (single-stall, accessible): ground floor, across from Woodside Hall.
- 3107 (single-stall): 2nd floor, across the hall from the elevator.
- 3108 (single-stall): 2nd floor, across the hall from the elevator.
- 3110 (single-stall): 2nd floor, to the right of the elevator.
- 3111 (single-stall): 2nd floor, to the right of the elevator.
- 3112 (single-stall, accessible): 2nd floor, to the right of the elevator.
Visitor Health and Safety
Face masks are strongly encouraged to be worn throughout the event. Free masks will be available at the fair entrance while supplies last.
Before attending the event, we encourage you to do a self-assessment of your health. In case you are experiencing flu symptoms, please stay home.
CDCC continues to encourage safety with: hand sanitization stations, increased fresh air circulation schedules, and MERV13 filters in all air handling units.
Before attending the event, we encourage you to do a self-assessment of your health. In case you are experiencing flu symptoms, please stay home.
CDCC continues to encourage safety with: hand sanitization stations, increased fresh air circulation schedules, and MERV13 filters in all air handling units.
Documentation
Object//Project will be documented by authorized photographers. Photos and videos of the event may be shared publicy e.g. on our websites, social media. Artist-led dialogues may also be recorded and shared.
EXHIBITORS
A diverse lineup of 50+ Canadian artists, publishers, and arts and community organizations will be convening in the nation’s capital. Books, zines, catalogues, printed ephemera, as well as digital, performative or other experimental forms of publication, will be on view.
Alicia's Klassic Kool Shoppe (Toronto, ON)
Amy Vaillancourt (Wakefield, QC)
Art Metropole (Toronto, ON)
Bird Lips Zine (Ottawa, ON)
Bookburner Press (Ottawa, ON)
CBBAG (Ottawa, ON)
Chaos Collective (Ottawa, ON)
Colour Code (Toronto, ON)
Copy Shop Books (Lunenburg, NS)
Émilie KLEMM (Ottawa, ON)
Emily Neufeld (Ottawa, ON)
Esse arts + opinions (Montréal, QC)
Ethel Milford (Montréal, QC)
Feels (Toronto, ON)
Gabi Benitez (Gatineau, QC)
Gart Darley (Toronto, ON)
Gia-Waihan (Toronto, ON)
Good Golly Zines (Ottawa, ON)
habi habi po (Toronto, ON)
James Hewitt (Ottawa, ON)
Jessica Bebenek Studio (Montréal, QC)
Keenan Poloncsak (Montréal, QC)
L'abricot / Grilled Cheese Magazine (Montréal, QC)
Late Bloomer Press (Ottawa, ON)
Laughing Radish (Ottawa, ON)
Lilith’s Eye (Montréal, QC)
Amy Vaillancourt (Wakefield, QC)
Art Metropole (Toronto, ON)
Bird Lips Zine (Ottawa, ON)
Bookburner Press (Ottawa, ON)
CBBAG (Ottawa, ON)
Chaos Collective (Ottawa, ON)
Colour Code (Toronto, ON)
Copy Shop Books (Lunenburg, NS)
Émilie KLEMM (Ottawa, ON)
Emily Neufeld (Ottawa, ON)
Esse arts + opinions (Montréal, QC)
Ethel Milford (Montréal, QC)
Feels (Toronto, ON)
Gabi Benitez (Gatineau, QC)
Gart Darley (Toronto, ON)
Gia-Waihan (Toronto, ON)
Good Golly Zines (Ottawa, ON)
habi habi po (Toronto, ON)
James Hewitt (Ottawa, ON)
Jessica Bebenek Studio (Montréal, QC)
Keenan Poloncsak (Montréal, QC)
L'abricot / Grilled Cheese Magazine (Montréal, QC)
Late Bloomer Press (Ottawa, ON)
Laughing Radish (Ottawa, ON)
Lilith’s Eye (Montréal, QC)
Linh VH Nguyen
(Ottawa, ON)
Mille Putois (Dunham, QC)
Mitch Lohmeier (Toronto, ON)
Noeuds Éditions (Montréal, QC)
Noka Palm Trees (Montréal, QC)
Nosy Mag (Ottawa, ON)
Nothing New (Ottawa, ON)
O Underworld! Press (Havelock, ON)
O. Dennis (Ottawa, ON)
Ottawa Trans Library
PATINAPATINA (Toronto, ON)
Phantomtits (Ottawa , ON)
Philip Rose (Ottawa, ON)
photoED magazine (Toronto, ON)
Possible Worlds (Ottawa, ON)
Reflex Editions (Toronto, ON)
Reid Urchison (Montréal, QC)
roylu (Gatineau, QC)
Sebastien Sunstrum (Montréal, QC)
Shop Cold Pizza (Ottawa, ON)
SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre (Ottawa, ON)
Susan Mills Artist Books (Saskatoon, SK)
Tales from Behind the Counter (Ottawa, ON)
TEL # (Montréal, QC)
Wardah Malik (Toronto, ON)
Wyrdsmyth Press(Ottawa, ON)
Mille Putois (Dunham, QC)
Mitch Lohmeier (Toronto, ON)
Noeuds Éditions (Montréal, QC)
Noka Palm Trees (Montréal, QC)
Nosy Mag (Ottawa, ON)
Nothing New (Ottawa, ON)
O Underworld! Press (Havelock, ON)
O. Dennis (Ottawa, ON)
Ottawa Trans Library
PATINAPATINA (Toronto, ON)
Phantomtits (Ottawa , ON)
Philip Rose (Ottawa, ON)
photoED magazine (Toronto, ON)
Possible Worlds (Ottawa, ON)
Reflex Editions (Toronto, ON)
Reid Urchison (Montréal, QC)
roylu (Gatineau, QC)
Sebastien Sunstrum (Montréal, QC)
Shop Cold Pizza (Ottawa, ON)
SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre (Ottawa, ON)
Susan Mills Artist Books (Saskatoon, SK)
Tales from Behind the Counter (Ottawa, ON)
TEL # (Montréal, QC)
Wardah Malik (Toronto, ON)
Wyrdsmyth Press(Ottawa, ON)
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
Fair visitors will have the opportunity to engage with a dynamic line-up of free talks, performances and artists’ projects throughout the site. The program also includes an Opening Night celebration as well as offsite programs at partnering institutions in downtown Ottawa and surrounding neighbourhoods.
MARCH 28, 2025
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
The official kick-off event of Object//Project Art Book Fair and first opportunity to visit the Fair!
The evening will feature special music performances and the launch of new fundraising artist editions.
The evening will feature special music performances and the launch of new fundraising artist editions.
6:30 PM textcurious
7:15 PM AnumaLei
8:00 PM Transmit
8:45 PM Daggers Every Breath
9:15 PM Dimitri Georgaras
MARCH 29, 2025
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
Artist-Led Dialogues, Jean Teron Room
12:15-12:25 PM
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
Carmel Whittle, No Borders Art Festival
Carmel Whittle, No Borders Art Festival
Indigenous artist and founder of No Borders Art Festival, Carmel Whittle, will offer a land acknowledgement to welcome attendees and artists to the inaugural Object//Project Art Book Fair.
12:30-1 PM
//Talk//
Echoes from this Land: Visioning and Revisiting Truth & Reconciliation
Carmel Whittle, No Borders Art Festival
Echoes from this Land: Visioning and Revisiting Truth & Reconciliation
Carmel Whittle, No Borders Art Festival
Join Carmel Whittle for a talk on the project Echoes from This Land: Visioning and Revisiting the Truth & Reconciliation 94 Recommendations.
Artists and creators from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of different backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities, incomes, nationhood, and nationality came together to openly discuss and better understand the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report and the 94 Calls to Action. They were then encouraged to share their understandings of their chosen Call through their own lenses and lived experiences, and to visually interpret the Call in the form of print editions. Carmel will speak to how the project was conceived, project collaborators from across the country, and hopes for the project.
An exhibition featuring some of these prints from creators across Canada will be on display at OPABF.
echoesfromthisland.ca
echoesfromthisland.ca
Carmel Whittle is an Irish, Mik’maw, 2SQI visual artist, musician, songwriter, storyteller, educator, activist and independent filmmaker.
Her work as a cultural community artist and Indigenous liaison supports her striving and thriving in decolonized community arts, and she has animated discussion groups specific to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls To Action. Her community projects include the Indigenous Grassroots Circle, OPIRG Ottawa, and McMaster University through the research project, Echoes from this Land. Carmel’s commitment to supporting the growth of more inclusive communities is exemplified in her leadership of the No Borders Art Festival (NBAF), an annual celebration of art and culture that brings together people from various backgrounds to share, learn, and create together.
nobordersartfestival.com
nobordersartfestival.com
1:15-2:15 PM
//Workshop//
Memory Workers Lab: Preserving Your Personal and Community History
Ben Compton, Everyone Archives
Memory Workers Lab: Preserving Your Personal and Community History
Ben Compton, Everyone Archives
This workshop will dive into the practice of documenting, archiving, and sharing the stories that you hold closest. What does it mean to preserve history? What tools can help you store and organize your precious photos, journals, and objects for safekeeping? What are some first steps when taking on an archiving project? Participants are encouraged to bring items from their personal collections and connect around the shared experience of doing 'memory work'.
Ben Compton is founder and director of Everyone Archives, an organization supporting people in preserving their history through archiving workshops and resources. Ben is an archivist and artist studying Film + Photo Preservation and Collections Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. His projects often explore the shared histories of music, performance, and film. Ben has previously worked for the Canadian Film Institute and the Canada Council for the Arts. He currently sits on the Programming Committee at Debaser, an Ottawa-based music and arts presenter.
everyonearchives.ca
Ben Compton is founder and director of Everyone Archives, an organization supporting people in preserving their history through archiving workshops and resources. Ben is an archivist and artist studying Film + Photo Preservation and Collections Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. His projects often explore the shared histories of music, performance, and film. Ben has previously worked for the Canadian Film Institute and the Canada Council for the Arts. He currently sits on the Programming Committee at Debaser, an Ottawa-based music and arts presenter.
everyonearchives.ca
2:30-2:50 PM
//Talk//
Community and Preserving Textile Practices Through Zines
Maria Patricia Abuel, habihabi po
Community and Preserving Textile Practices Through Zines
Maria Patricia Abuel, habihabi po
Maria Patricia Abuel of Toronto-based Filipino/a/x artist collective habihabipo will discuss the making of their zine maghabi magkatabi (meaning “weave side by side” in Tagalog), a research-creation project with the purpose of co-creating and sharing historical material and embodied knowledge about sustainable Philippine textile and weaving practices.
habi habi po is a non-profit collective of Toronto-based Filipino/a/x artists focusing on building community through traditional textile art practices to preserve Philippine cultural heritage and revive ancestral connections.
Maria Patricia Abuel (she/they) is a Toronto/Tkarón:to based Filipinx interdisciplinary artist, community worker, arts and culture educator, and administrator. She obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts, Studio Specialist Degree at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Patricia has extensive experience with arts organizations and collectives across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including the KAPISANAN Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture, Workman Arts, Images Festival, and East End Arts. They are also a workshop facilitator for elementary and high schools in the GTA to teach students about Filipino arts and culture. Abuel has exhibited at various galleries including Art Museum, Artspace, Xpace Cultural Centre, and Gallery 1313 with an upcoming exhibition at Gallery 101 in Ottawa.
Maria Patricia Abuel (she/they) is a Toronto/Tkarón:to based Filipinx interdisciplinary artist, community worker, arts and culture educator, and administrator. She obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts, Studio Specialist Degree at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Patricia has extensive experience with arts organizations and collectives across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including the KAPISANAN Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture, Workman Arts, Images Festival, and East End Arts. They are also a workshop facilitator for elementary and high schools in the GTA to teach students about Filipino arts and culture. Abuel has exhibited at various galleries including Art Museum, Artspace, Xpace Cultural Centre, and Gallery 1313 with an upcoming exhibition at Gallery 101 in Ottawa.
3-3:40 PM
//Talk//
Sustaining A Risograph Small Press in Canada
Jesjit Gill and Jenny Gitman, Colour Code
Sustaining A Risograph Small Press in Canada
Jesjit Gill and Jenny Gitman, Colour Code
Colour Code will explore the precarity of being an artist-printer and trace the evolution of Risograph printing in art and comics since the 2010s. They’ll also discuss the importance of a Canada-wide Risograph community and other resources for anyone interested in starting a Risograph-based small press.
Artists and small presses that include Risograph printing in their practice, or those wishing to include it, may also wish to share their experiences as part of the discussion.
Jesjit Gill (b. Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada, 1985) is a visual artist and printmaker based in Toronto, ON. He graduated with a BFA from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2010. In his art practice he uses print as a medium to wed photographic collage and hand drawn elements that are arranged into dream-like scenes inspired by science fiction and surrealist art. His journey began in the late 2000s with gig posters and flyer art, which continue to influence his work with their sense of ephemerality and urgency.
Jenny Gitman (b. Kyiv, Ukraine, 1984). Jenny is a printmaker and musician who studied Psychology at York University but felt uncertain about pursuing that path. After working in the corporate world, she left to pursue music with the internationally touring experimental punk outfit New Fries. While performing and managing Colour Code, Jenny returned to the field of psychology, becoming a Registered Psychotherapist in 2023.
Together, Jesjit and Jenny are parents to a lively toddler and balance many roles. Through Colour Code, they provide artist-friendly printing services and operate as a small press, publishing limited-edition artist books, zines, and prints. Colour Code has showcased work at art book fairs across North America, as well as international events like Fiera Plana (São Paulo, Brazil), Miss Read (Berlin, Germany), I Never Read (Basel, Switzerland), and Magical Riso (Maastricht, Netherlands). They also host Risograph workshops at their studio and co-organize Zine Dream, an annual small press fair founded by Jesjit in 2007.
colourcodeprinting.com
Artists and small presses that include Risograph printing in their practice, or those wishing to include it, may also wish to share their experiences as part of the discussion.
Jesjit Gill (b. Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada, 1985) is a visual artist and printmaker based in Toronto, ON. He graduated with a BFA from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2010. In his art practice he uses print as a medium to wed photographic collage and hand drawn elements that are arranged into dream-like scenes inspired by science fiction and surrealist art. His journey began in the late 2000s with gig posters and flyer art, which continue to influence his work with their sense of ephemerality and urgency.
Jenny Gitman (b. Kyiv, Ukraine, 1984). Jenny is a printmaker and musician who studied Psychology at York University but felt uncertain about pursuing that path. After working in the corporate world, she left to pursue music with the internationally touring experimental punk outfit New Fries. While performing and managing Colour Code, Jenny returned to the field of psychology, becoming a Registered Psychotherapist in 2023.
Together, Jesjit and Jenny are parents to a lively toddler and balance many roles. Through Colour Code, they provide artist-friendly printing services and operate as a small press, publishing limited-edition artist books, zines, and prints. Colour Code has showcased work at art book fairs across North America, as well as international events like Fiera Plana (São Paulo, Brazil), Miss Read (Berlin, Germany), I Never Read (Basel, Switzerland), and Magical Riso (Maastricht, Netherlands). They also host Risograph workshops at their studio and co-organize Zine Dream, an annual small press fair founded by Jesjit in 2007.
colourcodeprinting.com
3:50-
4:40
PM
4:40
PM
//Panel//
Libraries as Sites of Resistance and Creation
Facilitator: Cara Tierney
Panelists:
Libraries as Sites of Resistance and Creation
Facilitator: Cara Tierney
Panelists:
- Alice Holland, Ottawa Trans Library
- Alicia Nauta
This panel explores the relationship between libraries, books, access and expression. How can libraries expand personal and collective narratives towards liberation and creation? How can libraries function as safe spaces for intellectual freedom? Ottawa Trans Library will discuss how libraries may be used as safe spaces for collective organizing and the preservation of counternarratives, particularly for marginalized individuals. Artist-publisher Alicia Nauta will discuss how in her individual practice, libraries act as sites of knowledge and artistic creation, in ways that push the boundaries of traditional research-creation processes.
Alicia Nauta is an artist based in Tkaronto/Toronto. She collaborates frequently with other artists, writers and musicians, and publishes under her imprint Alicia's Klassic Kool Shoppe. Much of her work serves as speculative windows to explore possible worlds; drawing inspiration from the natural world, dreams, myth, ancient history and sci fi. Her collages are created from an archive of photocopied images from books found in thrift stores and libraries. The collages are translated to screenprint and risograph in the form of prints, books, textiles, and other multiples. Alicia is a co-organizer of a long running zine and small press fair, Zine Dream, in Toronto.
alicianauta.com
Alice Holland is a trans mom and librarian originally raised in California, but now based in Ottawa. She discovered her passion for librarianship after more than a decade of writing software. Now she devotes much of her time to supporting the gender diverse community at the Ottawa Trans Library where she started the zine workshops and special collection. She also edits and publishes the Ottawa Trans Library’s community art zine The DragonFlyer.
Ottawa Trans Library
The Ottawa Trans Library houses a collection of books by trans authors, as well as historical, important and interesting works on trans issues and people. In addition to the lending collection, there is a free library of books unrelated to trans issues. OTL is also a social space, with reading stations and tables for studying or socializing. Oppressed people have always needed spaces where they can be safe, gather, meet new people and talk. Come enjoy a free coffee, browse the collection, or just swing by to say hello!
ottawatranslibrary.ca
Cara Tierney is a Scottish/Irish/Italian/white/settler, trans*, creative and community builder raised in Tio’tiake|Montreal, whose work sits at the intersection of art and education. Currently a professor at the University of Ottawa, Tierney has taught at Algonquin College, the National Gallery of Canada, and has designed and delivered arts and arts-based anti-oppression workshops on unceded Algonquin land, the area surrounding so-called Ottawa, since 2004. Globally minded, locally-rooted, Tierney approaches their work as an endless series of opportunities to bridge creativity and knowledge-sharing in the service of social transformation.
www.caratierney.com
Alicia Nauta is an artist based in Tkaronto/Toronto. She collaborates frequently with other artists, writers and musicians, and publishes under her imprint Alicia's Klassic Kool Shoppe. Much of her work serves as speculative windows to explore possible worlds; drawing inspiration from the natural world, dreams, myth, ancient history and sci fi. Her collages are created from an archive of photocopied images from books found in thrift stores and libraries. The collages are translated to screenprint and risograph in the form of prints, books, textiles, and other multiples. Alicia is a co-organizer of a long running zine and small press fair, Zine Dream, in Toronto.
alicianauta.com
Alice Holland is a trans mom and librarian originally raised in California, but now based in Ottawa. She discovered her passion for librarianship after more than a decade of writing software. Now she devotes much of her time to supporting the gender diverse community at the Ottawa Trans Library where she started the zine workshops and special collection. She also edits and publishes the Ottawa Trans Library’s community art zine The DragonFlyer.
Ottawa Trans Library
The Ottawa Trans Library houses a collection of books by trans authors, as well as historical, important and interesting works on trans issues and people. In addition to the lending collection, there is a free library of books unrelated to trans issues. OTL is also a social space, with reading stations and tables for studying or socializing. Oppressed people have always needed spaces where they can be safe, gather, meet new people and talk. Come enjoy a free coffee, browse the collection, or just swing by to say hello!
ottawatranslibrary.ca
Cara Tierney is a Scottish/Irish/Italian/white/settler, trans*, creative and community builder raised in Tio’tiake|Montreal, whose work sits at the intersection of art and education. Currently a professor at the University of Ottawa, Tierney has taught at Algonquin College, the National Gallery of Canada, and has designed and delivered arts and arts-based anti-oppression workshops on unceded Algonquin land, the area surrounding so-called Ottawa, since 2004. Globally minded, locally-rooted, Tierney approaches their work as an endless series of opportunities to bridge creativity and knowledge-sharing in the service of social transformation.
www.caratierney.com
4:50-
5:40
PM
5:40
PM
//Panel//
From Counternarratives to Collections: Making Artists’ Publications Public in Canada
Facilitator: Jason St-Laurent, SAW
Panelists:
From Counternarratives to Collections: Making Artists’ Publications Public in Canada
Facilitator: Jason St-Laurent, SAW
Panelists:
- Tess Davey, Art Metropole
- Louis Rastelli, ARCMTL
What is the role of Canadian arts organizations in championing artists’ publications to the public? Join Tess Davey from Art Metropole and Louis Rastelli from ARCMTL in a discussion about their efforts towards the recognition and celebration of Canadian artists’ books, zines and multiples in the public realm. From creating platforms to promote and preserve local independent culture, to building new audiences and communities, to developing partnerships with provincial and federal cultural institutions to grow institutional collections, panelists will discuss these various initiatives, their current organizational projects, and what might be next.
Tess Davey is a designer and archivist based in Toronto, ON, where she is the Communications & Library Services Manager at Art Metropole. She holds an honours BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has recently been involved in projects such as Ever Archive: The Publications and Publication Projects of Hans Ulrich Obrist at the Serralves Foundation, and Joseph Grigely: In What Way Wham? (White Noise and Other Works, 1996-2023) at MASS MoCA. Davey has worked with collections such as the Art Metropole Archive, Michael Snow Studio, the Hans Ulrich Obrist Publication Archive, and the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection.
artmetropole.com
Louis Rastelli is co-founder and current director of ARCMTL, a non-profit organization with a dual mandate of promoting and preserving the work of independent artists. ARCMTL maintains a large publicly accessible archive centre and also organizes the Expozine and Volume MTL fairs, a printed art festival and operates the Distroboto network of art vending machines. Samples of work from all artists taking part in its art promotion activities are added to the organization's archives on an ongoing basis.
arcmtl.org
Jason St-Laurent is an artist and curator who studied fine arts at the Université de Moncton and the University of Toronto. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Canada, the United States, South Africa, Romania and Finland, notably at the Western Front in Vancouver, VertexList in New York City, the South African National Gallery Annex and MUU in Helsinki. As a curator, St-Laurent has presented more than 50 projects in Canada, South Africa, Finland and Estonia, including SCATALOGUE: 30 Years of Crap in Contemporary Art at Galerie SAW Gallery, Voices in Transit at the Cape Town Central Train Station in South Africa, and Videogram International Media Art Exchange as programmer for SAW Video. He has been the curator at SAW since 2012.
saw-centre.com
Exhibitor Projects
12-6 PM
Parlour
//Exhibition// Echoes from this Land
Artists and creators from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of different backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities, incomes, nationhood, and nationality came together to openly discuss and better understand the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report and the 94 Calls to Action. They were then encouraged to share their understandings of their chosen Call through their own lenses and lived experiences, and to visually interpret the Call in the form of print editions, such as linocuts, woodcuts, stone and plate lithography, etching, photo-etching, 3D printing, collagraph, screen printing, digital media, performance, or hand/digitally altered art creation and production.
echoesfromthisland.ca
echoesfromthisland.ca
1-4 PM
Parlour
Parlour
//Drop-In Workshop//
Make Your Own Zines
In collaboration with
Make Your Own Zines
In collaboration with
- Tales
from Behind the Counter
- Ottawa Trans Library
Join local zinesters Becca Yates and Kiran Niet, alongside team members from the Ottawa Trans Library for some casual zinemaking at OPABF. Drop by the zinemaking table at any time. Creative prompts will be provided. No experience necessary, all materials provided.
Ottawa Trans Library
The Ottawa Trans Library houses a collection of books by trans authors, as well as historical, important and interesting works on trans issues and people. In addition to the lending collection, there is a free library of books unrelated to trans issues. OTL is also a social space, with reading stations and tables for studying or socializing. Oppressed people have always needed spaces where they can be safe, gather, meet new people and talk. Come enjoy a free coffee, browse the collection, or just swing by to say hello!
ottawatranslibrary.ca
Tales from Behind the Counter
Co-created by Becca Yates (she/they) and Kiran Niet (he/they), TBC is a zine dedicated to building solidarity and community in Ottawa. TBC includes interviews with community members, writing, poetry, and visual art created by Becca and Kiran, as well as donated by collaborators and friends. We believe that creativity and joy are at the heart of social change, so each issue is sold by donation.
instagram.com/tbczine
The Ottawa Trans Library houses a collection of books by trans authors, as well as historical, important and interesting works on trans issues and people. In addition to the lending collection, there is a free library of books unrelated to trans issues. OTL is also a social space, with reading stations and tables for studying or socializing. Oppressed people have always needed spaces where they can be safe, gather, meet new people and talk. Come enjoy a free coffee, browse the collection, or just swing by to say hello!
ottawatranslibrary.ca
Tales from Behind the Counter
Co-created by Becca Yates (she/they) and Kiran Niet (he/they), TBC is a zine dedicated to building solidarity and community in Ottawa. TBC includes interviews with community members, writing, poetry, and visual art created by Becca and Kiran, as well as donated by collaborators and friends. We believe that creativity and joy are at the heart of social change, so each issue is sold by donation.
instagram.com/tbczine
1-4 PM
Parlour
Parlour
//Performance//
die psychokinetische perfopopart therapie
roylu
die psychokinetische perfopopart therapie
roylu
die psychokinetische perfopopart therapie is a book; a workbook, to be exact, to be used with a participative performance art project of the same title. The participative action is between two
persons, details of which are initiated and mediated by the workbook, whose content facilitates
the same. While the book and the interaction it encourages uses the word ‘therapie’, the work
explicit disavows any claim to having any therapeutic outcomes accepted as such by the canadian
psychokinetische perfopopart-therapie association.
roylu. is a multidisciplinary artist from the Philippines. upon arrival in Gatineau, Québec. He became active with the performance art group, faitmaison. shortly thereafter, nominated for best performance artist at the Ottawa Golden Cherry Awards and received a Dennis Tourbin emerging artist grant for a performance with the symposium international d’art contemporain de Baie St-Paul. With his works he endeavors to offer an opportunity for viewers to experience themselves moving from being mere spectators to being active observers and even, themselves, creators.
roylu. is a multidisciplinary artist from the Philippines. upon arrival in Gatineau, Québec. He became active with the performance art group, faitmaison. shortly thereafter, nominated for best performance artist at the Ottawa Golden Cherry Awards and received a Dennis Tourbin emerging artist grant for a performance with the symposium international d’art contemporain de Baie St-Paul. With his works he endeavors to offer an opportunity for viewers to experience themselves moving from being mere spectators to being active observers and even, themselves, creators.
7-11 PM
Ten Toes Coffee House & Laundry
837 Somerset Street West
Ten Toes Coffee House & Laundry
837 Somerset Street West
OPABF After Party
Exhibitors, performers, speakers, volunteers and fair visitors are invited to celebrate the end of the fair. Limited capacity.
OFFSITE PROGRAMMING
Exhibition: Archives by Artists
March 12-April 12, 2025
//Vernissage//
March 12, 2025
5PM
galerie UQO
Pavillon Lucien-Brault
101, rue Saint-Jean-Bosco Entrée portes 6 & 17 Local A-0115
March 12-April 12, 2025
//Vernissage//
March 12, 2025
5PM
galerie UQO
Pavillon Lucien-Brault
101, rue Saint-Jean-Bosco Entrée portes 6 & 17 Local A-0115
Institutions commonly act as the repository for documents, images and archives. What happens when artists assume that role, and turn the archive into a creative medium? Archives by Artists presents a diverse range of strategies used by artists to explore and imaginatively reconceive the archive. Their works contain items typically found in an archive, such as photos, postcards, letters, maps and clippings, but also unconventional items such as smells and sounds. These eclectic archives illuminate the artists' own art and practice, reflect upon their community and social network, revisit historical events, examine timely themes about memory and preservation, as well as question the nature and dynamics of the archive itself.
At Galerie UQO, each vitrine reveals a different aspect of artist-based archives, and incorporates media such as artists' multiples, books, newspapers, card decks, prints and unique artworks. These works appropriate the look and feel of the archive to make it a capacious platform for reflection, expression and critique. The exhibition's roster includes Canadian and international artists, with works from the 1960s to today: Ioannis Anastasiou and Majka Dokudowicz, Aiden Bettine, Joseph Beuys, Christian Boltanski, Nick Cave and Bob Faust, Amanda Chestnut, William N. Copley, Dora García, Ilya Kabakov, Joseph Kosuth, Kiran Kumār, Lefevre Jean Claude, Kiwi Menrath, Charlotte Moorman, Tammy Nguyen, Sophie Nys, Jürgen O. Olbrich, Carlos Soto Román, Dieter Roth, Vicky Sabourin, Vilma Samulionytė, Camille Turner and Yaniya Lee, Danh Vō, and Laurie Young.
At Galerie UQO, each vitrine reveals a different aspect of artist-based archives, and incorporates media such as artists' multiples, books, newspapers, card decks, prints and unique artworks. These works appropriate the look and feel of the archive to make it a capacious platform for reflection, expression and critique. The exhibition's roster includes Canadian and international artists, with works from the 1960s to today: Ioannis Anastasiou and Majka Dokudowicz, Aiden Bettine, Joseph Beuys, Christian Boltanski, Nick Cave and Bob Faust, Amanda Chestnut, William N. Copley, Dora García, Ilya Kabakov, Joseph Kosuth, Kiran Kumār, Lefevre Jean Claude, Kiwi Menrath, Charlotte Moorman, Tammy Nguyen, Sophie Nys, Jürgen O. Olbrich, Carlos Soto Román, Dieter Roth, Vicky Sabourin, Vilma Samulionytė, Camille Turner and Yaniya Lee, Danh Vō, and Laurie Young.
March 20, 2025
6-8 PM
6-8 PM
Ottawa Public Library
Rosemount Branch
18 Rosemount Avenue
Rosemount Branch
18 Rosemount Avenue
//Meetup//
Zine Club with Possible Worlds
In collaboration with Ottawa Public Library
Zine Club with Possible Worlds
In collaboration with Ottawa Public Library
At the March 2025 Zine Club, join Possible Worlds Co-Director Melanie Yugo and and local zinesters Kiran Niet and Becca Yates of Tales from Behind the Counter to meet up, share and collaborate on zines.
Possible Worlds is partnering with the Ottawa Public Library, Rosemount Branch to present Zine Club, a series of meetups/workshops focused on zines, storytelling, sharing and documenting.
Each session will feature a theme and zine artist, and creative prompts to create a one-sheet zine as the basis for a future zine project.
Participants are also encouraged to bring zines from their collection for inspiration and discussion.
Capacity at the Rosemount Branch is limited, so those interested are encouraged to register in advance.
Possible Worlds is partnering with the Ottawa Public Library, Rosemount Branch to present Zine Club, a series of meetups/workshops focused on zines, storytelling, sharing and documenting.
Each session will feature a theme and zine artist, and creative prompts to create a one-sheet zine as the basis for a future zine project.
Participants are also encouraged to bring zines from their collection for inspiration and discussion.
Capacity at the Rosemount Branch is limited, so those interested are encouraged to register in advance.
March 28, 2025
10 AM start
10 AM start
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Drive
380 Sussex Drive
//Tour// In collaboration with Art Metropole
Art Metropole Collection
With Dominique Taylor, Head of Reference Services, Library, Archives and Research Fellowships Program
Art Metropole Collection
With Dominique Taylor, Head of Reference Services, Library, Archives and Research Fellowships Program
One of the first artist-run centres in Canada, Art Metropole is part of the international network of parallel galleries committed to conceptual art. The art work (artists' books, audio tapes, videotapes, and multiples) produced and documentation about this movement was collected, catalogued, and preserved by Art Metropole, exhibited there, loaned for exhibition to other organizations, and made available to researchers. The Art Metropole Collection, including the General Idea Collection, was donated to the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives by Jay A. Smith, Toronto, 1999.
March 28, 2025
1 PM start
2 PM start
1 PM start
2 PM start
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Drive
380 Sussex Drive
//Tour//
Conservation Labs Tour
Prints, Drawings & Photography
With Ainsley Walton, Senior Conservator
Conservation Labs Tour
Prints, Drawings & Photography
With Ainsley Walton, Senior Conservator
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how artwork is conserved at the NGC, with a focus on print, drawings and photography and current projects focusing on books and archival material.
March 30, 2025
1-5 PM
1-5 PM
Arts Court
2 Daly Avenue
//Exhibition Tour//
Bucko Art Machine, SAW Gallery, 1-2 PM
With Jason St-Laurent, Curator
//Exhibition Tour//
Grotto, Ottawa Art Gallery, 2-3 PM
With Caro Stewart, Curator
Bucko Art Machine, SAW Gallery, 1-2 PM
With Jason St-Laurent, Curator
//Exhibition Tour//
Grotto, Ottawa Art Gallery, 2-3 PM
With Caro Stewart, Curator
//Studio Visit//
Possible Worlds, 2-5 PM
With Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier, Co-Directors
Possible Worlds, 2-5 PM
With Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier, Co-Directors
Bucko Art Machine
Chris Binkowski, widely known as Bucko, is a celebrated artist, writer, composer, performer and activist who defies convention and constantly reshapes the artistic landscape in Ottawa and beyond. This immersive exhibition highlights his multifaceted career, showcasing acrylic and digital paintings, video art, soundscapes, music and costumes, alongside his collaborative works. Living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Bucko explores inventive ways to create art and music despite limited mobility, utilizing digital technologies and adaptive instruments to bring his vibrant ideas to life.
Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection
Grotto showcases a selection of artworks generously donated by Bill Staubi to the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) in 2024. This exhibition pays homage to Staubi’s unwavering support for queer artists and his deep-rooted commitment to Ottawa’s vibrant contemporary art scene.
Staubi’s journey as an art collector began in 1978 with a modest purchase of five artworks from a grad school residence show. This initial spark ignited a lifelong passion for the arts and he developed an expansive collection reflecting his unique tastes, experiences, and perspectives.
Over the last four decades, Staubi has consistently championed emerging artists and the queer community of Ottawa, solidifying his status as a beloved figure in the arts landscape.
Possible Worlds
Stop by Possible Worlds, presenter of Object//Project Art Book Fair. Part studio, part shop, part programming space, chat with co-founders and co-directors Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier. Possible Worlds celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025.
Chris Binkowski, widely known as Bucko, is a celebrated artist, writer, composer, performer and activist who defies convention and constantly reshapes the artistic landscape in Ottawa and beyond. This immersive exhibition highlights his multifaceted career, showcasing acrylic and digital paintings, video art, soundscapes, music and costumes, alongside his collaborative works. Living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Bucko explores inventive ways to create art and music despite limited mobility, utilizing digital technologies and adaptive instruments to bring his vibrant ideas to life.
Grotto: The Bill Staubi Collection
Grotto showcases a selection of artworks generously donated by Bill Staubi to the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) in 2024. This exhibition pays homage to Staubi’s unwavering support for queer artists and his deep-rooted commitment to Ottawa’s vibrant contemporary art scene.
Staubi’s journey as an art collector began in 1978 with a modest purchase of five artworks from a grad school residence show. This initial spark ignited a lifelong passion for the arts and he developed an expansive collection reflecting his unique tastes, experiences, and perspectives.
Over the last four decades, Staubi has consistently championed emerging artists and the queer community of Ottawa, solidifying his status as a beloved figure in the arts landscape.
Possible Worlds
Stop by Possible Worlds, presenter of Object//Project Art Book Fair. Part studio, part shop, part programming space, chat with co-founders and co-directors Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier. Possible Worlds celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025.
SUPPORT
The inaugural Object//Project Art Book Fair is powered by volunteers, partnerships, and a desire for a new kind of cultural gathering in Ottawa. As a 100% community-funded event, consider purchasing an artist edition or make a donation towards your entry.
Entry Fee Donations
As a 100% community-funded event, we welcome donations of pay-what-you-can (PWYC) entry fees via Eventbrite or PayPal. Every little bit helps!
Those who donate $20 or more will receive a limited edition Books Saved Me Risograph print.
Fundraising Editions
We are pleased to present four new editions to benefit the 2025 Object//Project Art Book Fair by artists James Hewitt and Melanie Yugo.
Call for Volunteers
Volunteering at OPABF 2025 is an opportunity to meet inspiring exhibitors, artists and other community members while being part of a collaborative and creative team.
ABOUT
Set against the backdrop of Canada’s capital city, OPABF pays particular attention to art publishing as an act of “making public”, as well as a medium for responding to today’s challenging social, cultural and political landscape.
Launched in 2025 by Possible Worlds, Object//Project Art Book Fair (OPABF) is a new multi-day gathering in Ottawa
which celebrates diverse and boundary-pushing artists’ publishing.
OPABF offers fair visitors the unique opportunity to discover the work of forward-thinking artists and publishers, and engage with a dynamic program that explores art publishing at its fullest.
OPABF aims to be a vital platform for exhibitors and programs that is rooted in knowledge sharing, community and expression. We believe in the power of publishing to amplify and connect underrepresented and emerging voices, as a democratic discipline that transcends physical spaces and time, and as a catalyst to reshape longstanding narratives and worldviews.
Land Acknowledgement
We humbly acknowledge that Possible Worlds is located on unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation.
@objectprojectartbookfair
#OPABF2025
objectprojectartbookfair@gmail.com
objectprojectartbookfair.com
possibleworldsshop.com
@objectprojectartbookfair
#OPABF2025
objectprojectartbookfair@gmail.com
objectprojectartbookfair.com
possibleworldsshop.com
Programming Partners and Supporters
Special Thanks
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mara Brown and the entire dedicated staff at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, Kelly Sirett and staff at the Ottawa Public Library-Rosemount Branch, Ainsley Walton and Dominique Taylor at the National Gallery of Canada, Blair Swann and Tess Davey at Art Metropole, Ottawa Art Gallery staff, Jason St-Laurent of SAW, Kiran Niet and Becca Yates of tbczines, Alice Holland and the Ottawa Trans Library, Louis Rastelli of ARCMTL, Andrew Hill of the Halifax Art Book Fair , and artists James Hewitt and Alexandra Finkeldey for their generous contributions to the fair.
Possible Worlds is an independent platform specializing in graphic art, electronic music and publishing. Based in Ottawa, we present and produce works and programming that amplify the voices of underrepresented, emerging and experimental artists from Canada and internationally. Through our outreach arm, we operate a physical studio and shop, as well as design community-driven art and music programming at different sites in Ottawa and beyond. Possible Worlds celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025.
Object//Project Art Book Fair 2025 Team
Fair Directors
Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier
Team Leads (Day of Fair)
Alex Brovkin, Jason Dai, Simone (Coco) Finken, Joe Gibson-King, Matt Pygott + our fabulous volunteers
Melanie Yugo and Jason Pelletier
Team Leads (Day of Fair)
Alex Brovkin, Jason Dai, Simone (Coco) Finken, Joe Gibson-King, Matt Pygott + our fabulous volunteers