Is design the place for social and political commentary, and, fun? It was in the Souvenir Shop at the Come Up To My Room show. Curated by Motherbrand, the shop was the place for the work of some talented students from the Ontario College of Art & Design. Of all the rooms at CUTMR, I spent the most time there. I also smiled the most there. There was so much to choose from; Your Own Piece Of The Gardiner, a highly polished pendant attached to a necklace, the pendant made of concrete from the crumbling local highway, Timbit donut pins, a common high-calorie Canadian staple, Group of Seven baseball T-Shirts made with puff paint, famous Canadian art puffed to perfection, Canadian Prairies snowglobes, a disappearing icon, Endangered Structures souvenir pillows depicting architecture in danger (ie., an igloo), Murdered City tiles, tiles with images of a city in disrepair and more...

Your Own Piece Of The Gardiner, a highly polished pendant attached to a necklace, the pendant made of concrete from the crumbling local highway (left) and Timbit donut pins, a common high-calorie Canadian staple.



Group of Seven baseball T-Shirts made with puff paint, famous Canadian art puffed to perfection.



Canadian Prairies snowglobes, a disappearing icon.



Endangered Structures souvenir pillows depicting architecture in danger (ie., an igloo).



Murdered City tiles, tiles with images of a city in disrepair.



Tacky plush toys re-assembled. Disassembled and reassembled, each of these plush toys is made of different elements, an arm from one, a head from another, to make unique and memorable Canadian souvenirs.