The Creative School showcases the latest in creative research and innovation at RUBIX 2024
The Creative School commemorated RUBIX’s ninth anniversary this year, showcasing the latest in creative research and scholarly conversations. The annual exhibition, symposium, and showcase event celebrates the scholarly, research, and creative (SRC) activities spanning the fields of media, design, and creative industries, aimed at exploring, innovating, and influencing our world.
Chris E. Vargas delivers keynote address on queer and transgender culture. Image courtesy of Ziad Mekky
This year, the event kicked off with a keynote address by Chris E. Vargas, founder and executive director of the Museum of Transgender Hirstory and Art (MOTHA) (external link) and an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the ways queer and trans people negotiate spaces for themselves within historical and popular culture. Vargas showcased his book Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects, featuring artwork, archival materials, historical texts and images that hold significance in narrating the history of transgender communities. He then explained his experience establishing MOTHA and the many ways it’s impacting and inspiring aspiring Trans artists and visionaries today. Bringing years of expertise in art, media, and culture, Vargas offered a distinctive viewpoint at the intersection of research and advocacy to the audience.
Executive Director of MOTHA, the Museum of Transgender Hirstory & Art, Chris E. Vargas
TMU's Vice President of Research and Innovation, Steven Liss, along with Dean Charles Falzon and Associate Dean Natalie Alvarez from The Creative School, delivered remarks emphasizing RUBIX's significant impact since its inception in 2015 in stimulating multi-directional conversations and collaborations on creative research and innovation.
Dean Charles Falzon addresses the audience in The Catalyst
Associate Dean Dr. Natalie Alvarez addresses the audience in The Catalyst
An evening of innovation and exploration
A total of 13 SRC installations were on display for guests to explore in The Catalyst. The exhibits ranged from multidisciplinary media, interactive gaming and robotic-sculpted forms to artificial intelligence (AI), art creations and scholarly journals. Event participants had the opportunity to engage in conversations with the faculty members and graduate students showcasing their work and learn more about their research and creative processes.
To conclude the evening, 13 individuals presented their SRC Pecha Kuchas - a storytelling format in which a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds of commentary each. Researchers from across the faculty shared their projects on various new topics including AI-based queer research methodology, storytelling through theatre performance, creativity pedagogy, sustainability in packaging, designing on diverse bodies, Black bio artists in academia, and more. The range of topics heavily demonstrated the distinct and vibrant culture of scholarly research and creative activities at The Creative School.
Image courtesy of Ziad Mekky
Image courtesy of Ziad Mekky
The event also celebrated the creation of RUBIX: The Journal, a multimedia peer-reviewed journal that strives to cultivate ongoing, multi-directional conversations beyond traditional publication boundaries. The journal will welcome submissions encompassing scholarly, practice-based, and non-textual formats, including text-based works, images, audio, and video presentations.
To read more about scholarly research and abstracts for individual projects, visit the RUBIX website.
The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University
The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.