The CA319W Curatorial Collective presents a new online exhibition drawn from the quotidian. Members of our collective, each furnished with the finest two-dollar coin money can buy, embarked on a 15-minute journey of discovery, purchasing an object from a nearby Dollarama to produce an exhibition that speaks to our contemporary condition.
The CA319W Curatorial Collective presents a new online exhibition drawn from the quotidian. Members of our collective, each furnished with the finest two-dollar coin money can buy, embarked on a 15-minute journey of discovery, purchasing an object from a nearby Dollarama to produce an exhibition that speaks to our contemporary condition.
Set to Go - Hair tie
7-3056362. Made in China
6cm x 17cm x 1cm
Made in China, for the selling price of CAD$ 2 for 40 black hair ties, gives the consumer cost of each individual hair tie to be 5 cents. This price accounts for the rent of the store (Dollarama), salary of manager and sales associates, cost price of product, shipping and a profit. Although Dollarama does sell some items at a loss from time to time, we can assume that the manufacturing cost is less than $2 which reduces as the volume of production increases. The sheer inexpensive nature of a product like this, makes it use-and-throw. We buy these items in bulk and do not bother making sure we do not lose them. Most of these products end up in landfills, often being shipped back to Asia as waste. It does not make economic sense to even try to recycle these products when purchasing them is so cheap. Our relationship to these items and how we use them is directly linked to their monetary value. Stores like Dollarama make money by using a high-volume, low-margin model featuring direct, low-cost sourcing from Asia.
Akhil J Narayanan
Bowlfull Instant Noodles, Chicken Flavour
11 cm (height) × 9.5 cm (diameter)
Net weight: 65 g
This object is a cup of instant noodles called “Bowlfull, Chicken Flavour.” Inside the cup are dried wheat noodles and powdered seasoning that imitates the taste of chicken soup. Instant noodles are made by steaming, frying, and drying wheat noodles so they can be stored for a long time. The cup is made of lightweight paper and plastic, and functions both as packaging and as a temporary bowl for eating. The main use value of this is convenience. To prepare the meal, the user only needs to add boiling water and wait for 3 minutes. Because it is small, cheap, easy to prepare and carry, this kind of food is popular among students and young people. However, the nutrition label shows that the whole cup contains about 43% sodium, which suggests that it is not a very healthy meal. As a cultural object, instant noodles reflect the lifestyle of many young people today. In a fast-paced society, students and workers often do not have enough time to cook full meals. As a result, quick and convenient foods like instant noodles have become a common solution. This cup of noodles shows how modern consumer culture often values speed and efficiency, even when the food itself may not be very nutritious. It turns simple ingredients like wheat into a product that can be stored for a long time and eaten quickly.
Yi Lui
Trombones
Object: Package of paper clips (200 pieces)
Trombones is a sealed package of steel paper clips measuring approximately 14.4 cm (h) × 12.2 cm (w) × 3 cm (d). Each clip is made by bending thin steel wire into a looping form through automated industrial machines, producing hundreds of identical pieces. Manufactured in China and distributed by Dollarama, the object reflects the global networks behind everyday consumer goods. Designed to temporarily hold papers together without damaging them, the paper clip is a small but essential tool used in offices, schools, and everyday organization. Viewed together inside the transparent packaging, the repeated forms create a small metallic composition. Beyond its practical function, the paper clip’s simple looping form has inspired jewelry designs, where similar shapes appear in bracelets, necklaces, and earrings produced by high-end fashion brands. This contrast shows how a simple everyday form can be transformed into a luxury item, where branding and price give the object a sense of status and social value.
Jennifer Xu
?Sprite Bottle!
Message in a sprite bottle.
2.1cm x 4.4cm
Up the highest streams of British Columbia’s Norrish Creek, you’ll feel the presence of the water sprite.
We have no pictures of these creatures, though they leave behind little trinkets. The message inside can only be read underwater and upside down. We do not know what the sprites use them for. Sadly due to society’s refusal of the sprite’s existence (and so little evidence of how these found artifacts are made), this object is worth nothing.
Grace Hamilton
The Simulacrum of Luxury: Biskwi Sandwich Biscuits
11 × 19 × 8 cm
This package of Biskwi sandwich biscuits resembles a well-known chocolate cookie brand, "Oreo". The biscuits consist of two dark cocoa-flavored wafers with a layer of sweet cream filling in between. Unlike the crisp texture of the original product they imitate, these biscuits are softer and slightly chalky, with a sweetness that feels more synthetic than rich.
Produced through large-scale industrial manufacturing, the biscuits likely rely on inexpensive ingredients such as palm oil and processed cocoa powder. Their long shelf life and low price point make them suitable for mass distribution in discount stores and global supply chains.
With a retail price of $1.75, the object’s primary use is simple: it provides a cheap and accessible snack. It offers calories and convenience, especially for consumers looking for the most affordable option available. At the same time, the packaging closely imitates the visual language of a well-known brand, suggesting a familiar treat even when the taste and texture differ noticeably.
As an everyday object, the Biskwi biscuit reflects a particular aspect of 21st-century consumer culture. It shows how discount markets reproduce the appearance of popular products while offering a more affordable alternative. In this way, the object reveals a society where the image of consumption is widely shared, even when the quality of what is consumed varies significantly.
Curatorial note: The visual similarity between this package and its famous counterpart is not accidental. It demonstrates how branding, imitation, and affordability intersect in contemporary mass consumption.
Sally Mao
Shooting on a budget
The cap gun is a small (14 cm length across, 10 cm tall) plastic toy gun, modeled after a Western pistol. It has an orange cap on the muzzle (to signify that it's fake) and a brown grip, that has a textured blob to make it appear as though it's fabric. Every other part of the gun is black. The only text on the toy is "Detective Special" on one side, and "MADE IN CHINA" on the other.
The cap gun is from the company MonToy, which is a brand essentially exclusive to Dollarama, but there isn't much more information on where the company is situated, or how their products are made. However, the brand has faced several recalls from various toys within Canada. The only signifier of where this toy is made is through the "MADE IN CHINA" label.
The cap gun is a pretty useless toy, especially because it doesn't include any caps, making it essentially unusable. This item speaks to how violence is so ingrained within society, and how accessible it is to pick something up that is inherently violent. The juxtaposition between a weapon and a toy for children is quite prevalent, especially since this item was found in a dollar store for $1.50, once again, making violence appear to be extremely accessible. If a child were to get their hands on this, would they be able to differentiate the distinction between a real gun, and this toy one?
Iliana Rennie
Iliana Rennie
Smith, A. (1776/2007). An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations.
I chose a ballpoint pen, about 7 inches in size. Obviously, its purpose is writing. It's made of plastic and metal, with a smooth surface and a rubber grip. Simply press the tip of the pen, and the lead pops out for writing.
According to the information on the packaging, this ballpoint pen is made in China and is not sold on a large scale in the market; instead, it is positioned as a stationery item sold directly in the dollar market. The outer packaging of the ballpoint pen features a minimalist design, mainly composed of single-color cardboard in white and gray. Apart from the cardboard back panel, the product uses a transparent plastic shell so that customers can see the pen in its entirety. Visually, this design maintains a sense of simplicity and efficiency.
The number of pens is even, and they are fixed vertically in the packaging. The overall packaging design maintains a smooth texture, which enhances the credibility of the "smooth writing" slogan described on the packaging.
This ballpoint pen originated in China. In ancient China, people used writing brushes, which required fox tail hair for the brush tip and jade for the body and needed to be dipped in ink. Western medieval fountain pens, while beautifully crafted, also required maintenance and ink refills. Now, both types of pens are no longer used for everyday writing but are collected. I believe the cultural significance of this ballpoint pen lies in its embodiment of modern society's visual reality. Compared to the past, the appearance, price, and ease of use of everyday pens have moved towards utilitarianism, embracing minimalism. The ultimate value of modern tools will be defined by efficiency.
Beyond its visual appeal, this pen reminds me of the global market economy effect mentioned by Adam Smith in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Driven by the market, CA319 students in Canada can now purchase ballpoint pens from China in local Dolorama. Analyzing it in more detail, the pen's materials―the rubber might come from Africa, the metal might from Myanmar, and the logistics system from the United States―ultimately combine to achieve an incredibly low price of 1.5 Canadian dollars. This is a manifestation of market economics, and although I'm not an economics student, it's still interesting to draw inspiration from it.
Kexiang Wang
Kexiang Wang
Pepsi cola, Aluminum can, Found in Dollarama
6.6cm x 12.3cm x 6.6cm
Label states "Proudly bottled in Canada." Materials sourced internationally. Product owned by US company PepsiCo. Health warning label for sugar content.
Provides 150 calories, 42g carbohydrates, 41g sugars, 35mg sodium, and sticky teeth.
A leveraging of nationalistic fervor by US companies for capitalistic gain. Evidence of an economy that prioritizes empty foodstuffs which sap health, but are cheaply made and profitable.
Price of this can: 0.63CADPrice of water at same store: 1.55CAD
Vivian Esmae McPherson
The Elixir of Eternal Summer (with Pulp)
7.9 cm diameter x 25.4 cm height
The Elixir of Eternal Summer was created by the ancient Fruitopicishian druids that once resided off the coast of Quebeshalhalla. The Fruitopicishian druids were known to be ha The elixir is primarily made with the blood of Manguoose Monster: a once winged creature that resided only in the Quebeshalhalla tropical canopy.The elixir is a girthy, tall flask that stands 25.4 cm tall. The flask has an embedded pattern of six rectangular columns that line the base of the flask, each column is a slender rectangle with a frosted glass texture that rides up the flask's siding. This type of pattern is a singular artistic mark of the Fruitopicishian druid craftsmanship. A glossy leather piece wraps around the top of the flask, with ancient inscribed Fruitopicishian text that has roughly been translated to being a Fruitopicishian fairytale about how the clan's mighty chief druid slayed the first Manguoose Monster, thus creating the origin of the elixir. An emerald encrusted cap sits at the top, which shows the value contained in the bottle. The flask contains a litre of glimmering, gold liquid that reflects a soft sunshine glow.The Manguoose Monster’s amber-like blood is revered by the Fruitopicishians as it has the ability to grant the feeling of eternal “summer”, which has been described in ancient texts as the feeling of being absolutely joyful and refreshed on a nice sunny day. The blood is combined with other ingredients such as carboxymethylian dragon scales and cartonium pixie dust as well to stabilize its magical properties to be digestible to humans. The Fruitopicishians honed their craft in making the Elixir of Eternal Summer and would sell it to neighboring lands like the mighty Kingdom of Ontrohan.The production of the elixir stopped when the Great War of Dollarama occurred as Quebeshalhalla was invaded by the Artificialons. The Artificialons burned down the tropical forest and hunted down the last of the Manguoose Monsters to extinction. After the Great War, the Fruitopicishian population diminished, and the few who survived migrated to other places in search of low skilled work. The remaining elixirs that survived the War are now deemed highly valuable and to this day continue to circulate within the dark magic market. The high value for this elixir is due to how the Great War had polluted the sky into becoming a thick, impenetrable toxic fog for eternity, which made many deprived of the beauty of the sun and vitamin c. The remaining elixirs are sold at incredibly high prices by powerful witch dealers, specifically from the town of Torontovia. The Elixir of Eternal Summer is a reminder to a society of the cultural history of the Fruitopicishians and the once existence of the legendary Manguoose Monster.
Ella Tani