Speculative Futures

A hands-on artist workshop to explore speculative fiction by imagining possible futures and creating objects inspired by their ideas.

What might the future look like? What might we carry with us into it? In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore speculative fiction by imagining possible futures and creating objects inspired by their ideas. Bring a speculation—a question, hypothesis, or idea about what the future might hold—and using colourful paper, a paper shredder, glue, tape, and paper and pre-made papier-mâché forms, transform your idea into a unique futuristic object. Participants will take their creations home at the end of the workshop.

Throughout the making process, artist Sylvia Nickerson will share the inspiration behind the life-size flecked figures in her work Dark Mirrors, currently on display at HPL’s Westdale branch. She will also discuss how these figures became a starting point for imagining her speculative-fiction graphic novel, Dark Mirrors.

Come ready to imagine, make, and speculate about the future!