Wedge Lecture
Featuring Stephen Burks in conversation with Tura Cousins Wilson and Shane Laptiste
Presented by Luminato Festival Toronto and Wedge Curatorial Projects
PRESENTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
The Show
What role can design play in a world marked by climate crisis, displacement, and inequality?
Join award-winning designer Stephen Burks in conversation with acclaimed architects Shane Laptiste and Tura Cousins Wilson of SOCA (Studio of Contemporary Architecture) as they explore how art, architecture, and design can challenge dominant narratives, reclaim identity, and imagine new futures.
Burks’ work bridges global traditions and contemporary design, integrating handcraft and cultural heritage into collaborations with leading international brands. His last local appearance—Man Made Toronto (2012), presented by Wedge Curatorial Projects following its debut at the Studio Museum in Harlem—marked a milestone moment. His return builds on the legacy of 2024’s inaugural Wedge Lecture with Thelma Golden.
Laptiste and Cousins Wilson bring a bold, justice-driven approach to urban design. As recipients of the 2023 Canadian Council for the Arts Prix de Rome in Architecture, their practice rethinks the built environment: who it's for, how it's made, and how it can serve more people, more equitably.
Presented by Wedge Curatorial Projects (WCP), a Toronto-based non-profit that has championed Black artistic practices since 1997. Under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth Montague, WCP has become a vital platform for exploring Diasporic narratives and representation through exhibitions, lectures, and collaborative arts programming.
Part of The Wedge Lecture series, this powerful conversation invites new ways of thinking about space, culture, and design’s role in social change. Whether you’re an artist, designer, architect, or a curious thinker—this is a conversation not to miss.
