The Eleventh Hour
Kendra Yee, Miao Xuan Liu, Shevon J. Lewis, Seden
Curated by Philip Leonard Ocampo
January 24 - March 8, 2025
Biblical in origin, the idiom “at the eleventh hour” imparts resolution to a critical moment, usually in desperation. Implying the stress of time, the tenacity of work, belief systems, and oral tradition, the term’s sentiments appeal to us within contemporary usage. Spanning painting, sculpture, installation and ceramics, “At the Eleventh Hour” explores the interplay between labour, uncertainty and spirituality in the context of individual / collective experiences, personal / cultural mythologies, and art making as a laborious process. What external forces can carry on the work when we’ve reached our limits? Referred to as the “deus ex machina” within ancient Greek theater, actors who played angels were lowered onto stage to solve seemingly immovable problems through divine intervention. And so emerges a collective interest in structures of storytelling, theatricality, artifice, and the hero’s journey. In addition to an exhibition, “At the Eleventh hour” doubles as a stage for 3 play-inspired public performances set to occur towards the end of the show run.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Exploring uncertainty, spirituality, labour, and baroque theatricality, angels suspend time, visiting four wayward souls at their respective points of reckoning. This production nods to the ‘Deus ex Machina’, a trope of ancient Greek theatre wherein players dressed as angels were lowered onto the stage to impart miraculous solutions to unsolvable problems. Written by Philip Leonard Ocampo, and performed by Ocampo, Miao Xuan Liu, and Abby Kettner. The characters and scenarios of this production incorporate observations from astrological chart readings conducted with the artists/curator facilitated by astrologer Jack Hawk, on December 15th, 2024. We acknowledge the generous support of the Toronto Arts Council for this project!
SHOWTIMES:
Thursday, Feb 27th, 2025: 8PM doors, 8:15PM performance
Sunday March 2nd, 2025: 2PM doors, 2:15PM performance
Tuesday March 4th, 2025: 8PM doors, 8:15PM performance
