MOCA will unveil Blur, an exciting site-specific project by Toronto-based textile artist Justin Ming Yong, transforming the museum’s elevators into immersive art spaces with his hand-made quilts. Yong has developed a textile practice that reinterprets traditional quilt-making—a craft passed down to him by his mother, an avid quilt-maker. This practice, rooted in centuries-old cultural traditions, explores the interplay of colour, pattern, and geometry. His works, crafted from diverse materials and layered prints, balance harmony and tension, resulting in abstract compositions that are both gestural and hard-edged.
Although his process often begins with sketches, Yong frequently deviates from these initial plans, embracing spontaneity and the unknown. His quilts evoke the multifaceted histories and functions of the medium—offering warmth and protection while serving as symbols of connection, protest, survival, and memory.
These vibrant quilts for MOCA go beyond their protective role, immersing viewers in their intricate detail while becoming part of the building’s daily life. Acting as both art and utilitarian object, they transform the elevators into spaces of unexpected comfort. In a setting where feelings of impatience, uncertainty, and fear are often present, Yong’s quilts offer moments of grounding, easing transitions from one floor—and one moment—to the next.
About the Artist
Justin Ming Yong (b.1989) is a Toronto-based artist whose quiltmaking practice explores an unconventional, modern approach to this art form. In 2023, Yong had a solo exhibition at the National Quilt Museum in Kentucky, USA and he was part of group shows at the Art Gallery of Guelph and the Plumb, Toronto. His recent press includes features in The Globe and Mail, Designlines magazine, Insight magazine by Sotheby’s, Sharp magazine, Toronto Life, and Canadian Quilter. He has been invited to host workshops with numerous quilt guilds and was a guest panelist during Toronto Design Week.