Join our PLACEHOLDER discussion on the topic of Thresholds at Esker Foundation. This is open to the public and free of charge but registration is required. Register here.

\ 'thresh-höld : a place of entering or beginning; a level, point or value above which something is true or will take place and below which it is not or will not; a plank, stone or piece of timber that lies under a door.

At this PLACEHOLDER event, we want to explore the idea of “thresholds” in the current exhibitions as well as in the broader context of the built environment. The works on display at the Esker Foundation by both Vanessa Brown and Anna Torma live within the liminal spaces of superficially opposed concepts: conscious/unconscious, old/new, feminine/masculine, traditional/avant-garde. What are the consequences and benefits of crossing these boundaries? Where does one become the other?

Vanessa Brown’s art takes the traditionally masculine, utilitarian craft of metalworking and creates pieces that express the more delicate, subtle beauties of steel. Her experiential works aim to evoke the state of being between dreaming and awake, prolonging the hazy in-between of lost time and ambiguous realities. Anna Torma’s exhibition draws on the Hungarian textile traditions passed down to her through generations, amplifying these centuries-old practices of needlework and embroidery through the experiences and voices of her own generation to create something entirely new that is still deeply rooted in her heritage.

We want to discuss these divides and gaps, and work to understand what creates that space between, what may live there, and the role such thresholds play in our lives. Are these separations necessary? When and why should we cross these lines? Does existing in the space between present the best of both worlds, or does it simply muddy the waters and diffuse ideas that speak more strongly on their own? And how do these concepts present themselves in your daily life, in the architecture around you, or in the city’s planning?

This will be an informal discussion, and we also invite you to bring an object, reading, poem, song…anything that expresses the theme for you.  There is no required reading and participation without an object/text is welcome.