Discussion with Yam Lau
Darling Foundry, Main Hall 22 August 2013, 6pm-9 pm Yam Lau offers a structural analysis on the video installation and his work at the Darling Foundry. In discussion with curator Alice Jim, he will also speak to the philosophical implications as well as poetic and literary references that inform his work. In English. The exhibition, “A World is a Model of the World” Curated by Alice Ming Wai Jim In a corner of a city centre undergoing modernization and gentrification, fraught with conflicting economic scales of living together, a means of voluntary reclusion is on offer via a Chinese scholar’s studio and an apartment residence. The video projections, Between Past and Present: Lived Moments in Beijing (2012) and Room: An Extension(2008), are set adrift on two island pavilions connected by unobstructed garden pathways that are partly imaginary and partly evoked through deliberate landscaping and the open frame armature. Yam Lau’s recent work explores the use of real-time video footage and computer-aided design software to manifest familiar spaces in varying dimensions and perspectives. The images in Room: An Extension are of the artist’s bedroom in Toronto, recomposed in virtual space according to the architectural schema that enables rotating views of the domestic quotidian from multiple angles. Between Past and Present begins as a model of a scholar’s studio that floats on a night-lit body of water. A circling pan and zoom calculatingly weaves together both the animated lattice and scenes of the sparsely-equipped atelier accessible on either end by moon gates, traditional portals into an alternative world. The sanctuary’s many screens however slowly dissolve into contemporary scenes of a busy Beijing street in midday. Overlapping sights and sounds of urban life fold and unfold until evening, when there is a quiet return to the studio. In both videos, the presence of the artist at work is subtly yet insistently captured. Throughout China’s long seventeenth century, the notion of reclusion, of self-imposed withdrawal from the world in order to provide models for others, was idealized and imagined more than achieved in actual practice. Not unlike the modern world today, everyday demands of life, work and relationships and a dynamically changing world made even aspirations to the ideal of retreat difficult to imagine. It was accordingly the ineffable dimension of the studio as a world or realm that afforded the ideal place precisely to engage in a dialogue of disengagement. However, the studio, once thought of as the exclusive purview of a privileged few, has transmogrified in modern times into a diverse range of places/locations, occupations and practices. In a manner of speaking, Lau’s private-made-public spaces in this exhibition are intended to be shared among multiple stakeholders. Studios as residencies, scholarly retreats, the home as atelier and study, DIY spatial politics, and the city itself as studio with the world as back lot, are propositioned as interrelated platforms of intellectual and creative activity. “A World is a Model of the World” may well be taken therefore as a strategic invitation to imagine an alternative world-picture – a summer retreat that is neither escape nor excuse to ride out dramatic political and social change but an act of non-compliance and reconnaissance of Being-in-the-World. (Text: Alice Ming Wai Jim) YAM LAU was born in Hong Kong. He received his MFA from the University of Alberta and is now based in Toronto where he is an associate professor of painting at York University. Lau publishes regularly on art and design and has exhibited his work widely in Canada, USA, Europe and China. He is a co-founder of the community-based art project “Donkey Institute of Contemporary Art” in Beijing, China. His work is represented by Katzman Kamen Gallery in Canada and Yuanfen New Media Art Space in Beijing. Alice Ming Wai Jim is an art historian and independent curator based in Montreal. She is currently Associate Professor of Contemporary Art in the Department of Art History at Concordia University. The artist gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Special thanks to the staff at the Darling Foundry, Alexandre David, Shane Krepakevich, Red Armstrong and Morna Gamblin Darling Foundry 745 rue Ottawa Montréal, Québec H3C 1R8 T:514.392.1554 F:514.392.0579 http://fonderiedarling.org info@fonderiedarling.org ~ French will follow.
+++ Please note that the deadline to submit papers has been extended to Friday July 19, 2013. +++ Call for Papers Cultural Convergences I: Testify September 21, 2013 Concordia University, 1515 Ste. Catherine St. W., York Auditorium, EV-1.615 The Ethnocultural Art Histories Research Group (EAHR) presents Testify, an academic conference at Concordia University in Montreal, QC. The theme, Testify, inaugurates our new annual conference series, Cultural Convergences. We invite academics, artists, professionals, and students to participate in proactive discussions about the representation of art and artists from Canada’s diverse ethnocultural communities. To testify is to attest, demonstrate, bear witness, affirm, and profess. It is from this profoundly implicated position that the conference takes its inspiration, aiming not only to provide a platform for dialogue and debate, but more importantly to unite academics, artists, and other arts professionals to produce new methodologies that challenge omissions and exclusions within the Canadian artistic milieu. Keynote Speaker: Andrea Fatona Andrea Fatona is an Assistant Professor in the Criticism and Curatorial Program at OCAD University in Toronto and is a regular contributing editor to Fuse magazine, Toronto. We look forward to her presentation, Claiming Space: Displacing the Centre. Testify invites proposals for papers that engage in new discourses and strategies, generate cross-cultural exchanges, and implement pluralistic art historical pedagogies reflective of Canada’s ethnoculturally diverse communities. Possible topics of discussion include but are not limited to:
Submission Guidelines: Please email a 200-word abstract and a 100-word biography to info@ethnoculturalarts.org by Friday, June 28,2013. All will be notified of their selection status in mid-July 2013.
Adrienne Johnson and Rajee Pana Jeji Shergill EAHR 2012-2013 Graduate Coordinators Carolina Garcia Amatos and Brittany Watson EAHR 2012-2013 Undergraduate Coordinators Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., EV.3.777 Montreal, Quebec Canada H3G 1M8 T. 1-514-848-2424, ext. 5376 E. info@ethnoculturalarts.org W. ethnoculturalarts.org FB. facebook.com/ethnoculturalart ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +++ S’il vous plaît, prenez note que la date limite pour soumettre vos travaux a été prolongé jusqu’au vendredi 19 juillet 2013. +++ Recherche de travauxConvergences culturelles 1: Testify21 septembre 2013 Université Concordia, 1515, rue Ste-Catherine O., Auditorium York, EV-1.615 EAHR présente Testify, une conférence universitaire à l’université Concordia, à Montréal, QC. Testify inaugure notre nouvelle série de conférences annuelles, Convergences culturelles. Nous invitons les universitaires, les artistes, les professionnels et les étudiants à participer à des discussions proactives sur la représentation de l’art et des artistes provenant des diverses communautés culturelles du Canada. Témoigner c’est attester, démontrer, regarder, affirmer et déclarer. C’est à partir de cette position impliquée que la conférence prend son inspiration, en visant non seulement à fournir une plateforme pour le dialogue et le débat, mais encore plus, pour unir les universitaires, artistes et autres professionnels artistiques à produire de nouvelles méthodologies qui remettent en question les omissions et les exclusions du milieu artistique canadien. Orateur principal: Andrea Fatona Andrea Fatona est assistant‐professeur au Critiscm and Curatorial Program à l’OCAD University à Toronto et contribue régulièrement en tant qu’éditeur pour le magazine Fuse de Toronto. Nous attendons avec impatience sa présentation, Claiming Space : Displacing the Center. Testify vous invite à envoyer des travaux qui suscitent de nouvelles discussions et stratégies, génèrent des échanges interculturaux et mettent en oeuvre des pédagogies d’histoire de l’art pluralistes qui reflètent les diverses communautés ethnoculturelles du Canada. Sujets de discussion possible, incluant, mais sans s’y limiter :
Directives de soumission: Envoyer un courriel de présentation 200 mots avec une biographie de 100 mots à info@ethnoculturalarts.org au plus tard le vendredi 28 juin 2013. Vous serez notifié vers la mi-juillet si vous êtes sélectionné. L’EAHR est une communauté de recherche, dirigée par des étudiants facilite les opportunités d’échange et de création dans l’examen et l’implication des questions des représentations ethniques et culturelles dans les arts visuels du Canada. Composée de diplômés, de premier cycle et d’anciens du département de l’histoire de l’art de l’université Concordia, EARH a des conférenciers parrainés, des symposiums et des projets de conservation depuis sa formation en 2011. Les activités du EAHR sont possibles grâce à l’appui du Gail and Stephen A. Jarislowsky Institute for Studies in Canadian Art. Adrienne Johnson et Rajee Pana Jeji Shergill Coordinateurs EAHR diplômés 2012-2013 Carolina Garcia Amatos et Brittany Watson Coordinateurs EAHR premier cycle 2012-2013 Université Concordia 1455, boul. de Maisonneuve O., EV.3.777 Montréal (Québec) H3G 1M8 Canada T. 1-514-848-2424, poste 5376 C. info@ethnoculturalarts.org S. ethnoculturalarts.org FB. facebook.com/ethnoculturalart
A conference on the under-representation of culturally diverse individuals in Montreal’s visual arts scene
Friday May 24, 3pm-5pm at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels): 3680, rue Jeanne-Mance, Montreal In 2005, a report submitted to the city of Montreal confirmed that there was an under-representation of ethnically diverse artists and arts organisations within professional networks, cultural institutions and venues. In response some institutions cited the lack of skilled immigrants for its industry. Where are we now and where do we go from here? What are these skills that are said to be less common among immigrants? What measures can be set up to insure a more equitable representation within our cultural organisations? How can we create a climate that will nullify invisible hiring barriers faced by immigrants? Is there a genuine interest in the contribution these individuals might bring within our institutions? Organised by articule in collaboration with Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI),this conference will serve to reflect on this necessary question, to advance ideas and to share exemplary practices so that Montreal’s cultural sector might more accurately reflect the city’s population. Three speakers, three perspectives Charmaine Nelson, Ph.D is an ssociate professor of Art History at McGill University and the author of Racism eh? A Critical Inter-Disciplinary Anthology of Race and Racism in Canada Yves Alavo is a Montreal municipal public servant and the co-author of a 2005 report to the Montreal task force on cultural diversity that confirmed the under-representation of minorities in the city’s cultural sector. Karen Tam is an artists whose installation work focuses on constructions of seemingly opposing cultures. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of London’s Goldsmith Centre for cultural studies. For more details click here RSVP on facebook here For further information contact Lotfi Gouigah at outreach@articule.org or (514) 842-9686 EAHR Interview: “Crisis of Narrative”
On the occasion of our exhibition “Crisis of Narrative”, the selected artists Adrian Gorea, Aditi Ohri, Stephanie Raudsepp, Solafa Rawas and Alisi Telengut were interviewed on their artistic developments and practices. ADRIAN GOREA EAHR: How did you come up with the idea for this piece? A.G: For this drawing, I was inspired by my iPod screen, specifically by the volume bar. Other visual elements came intuitively while listening Byzantine chants and Looney Tunes cartoons simultaneously. EAHR: What are you trying to communicate with your art? AG: In my work, which comprises different media (from drawing, wood-panel painting to new media), I explore the secrets of the iconic image regarding the relationship between body and desire. I aim to build a relationship with the image that allows me to maintain a sort of monastic lifestyle in contemporary Canadian society. In this particular drawing, I communicate the clash between a religious and Western narrative: the pop culture icons and religious figures. EAHR: What do you see as the strengths of your piece, visually or conceptually? AG: My drawing skill which led me to materialize the images that I see in my mind. Also, the composition of the drawing challenges the viewer conceptually at different levels, in the sense that he/she can think of many connections between the drawn elements and various visual aspects of contemporary society. EAHR: Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? AG: I would like to explore the medium of performance as a continuation of the stories that I depict in my drawings. EAHR: What’s next on the horizon? AG: I am currently producing a new series of 8 wood-panel paintings (icons) by applying the Orthodox tradition of icon painting with tempera and gold leaf on large-scale wood panels. In combination with the icons, I am working on a single-channel video entitledPortrait of an Icon Maker that visually documents my process of making an icon from the research to cutting and shaping of the wood panel, making glue & egg tempera and so on. ADITI OHRI EAHR: How did you come up with the idea for this piece? A.O: I wanted to display the process of forming identity, as well as engage in the process of learning something about myself that I had until recently neglected. I am also interested in subverting the language of multiculturalism in Canada to get at the racism that it perpetrates. EAHR: What are you trying to communicate with your art? A.O: I am trying to tangibly articulate an internal process. So I suppose, some sense of subjective experience at this point. I am also trying to articulate my subject position in Canadian society and in the world at large. I think art is an excellent tool to position one’s self in global superstructures. EAHR: What do you see as the strengths of your piece, visually or conceptually? AO: Saris are beautiful objects and are aesthetically pleasing, on a visual level. Conceptually, this piece is the first in a longer series in which I develop a character that is an exaggerated version of an Indian air hostess and in some way shape or form “welcomes” white people to India… hopefully this will expose some harsh truths about the contemporary Canadian political landscape through humour… at this point, I am unsure how humorous this work is, but it is certainly meant to be sort of funny. EAHR: Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? AO: Fibres! EAHR: What’s next on the horizon? AO: Next year I am taking my first fibres class and I plan to make Indian garlands out of old saris and colourful fabric, like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Flowers_for_a_wedding.JPG/220px-Flowers_for_a_wedding.JPG STEPHANIE RAUDSEPP EAHR: How did you come up with the idea for this piece? SR: As an undergraduate student at Concordia, I took a class called The Packaging of Contemporary Art with Dr. Alice Ming Wai Jim where we discussed the art world as a series of people, institutions and ideas located within a self-sustaining and exclusive network. I believe in accessibility of knowledge for all. The [Blank] Exhibition Catalogue came as a fully-formed solution and reaction to this exclusivity. In that same course, we discussed artists who applied institutional critique, principles of consumerism, marketing and display strategies to their artworks. One example is Ron Terada’s subversion of institutional sponsorship, the exhibition space and related didactic material in his aptly named exhibition Catalogue. I liked his use of the exhibition catalogue as the site of an exhibition. I wondered how else an exhibition catalogue could be used. I sought to transform the exhibition catalogue into an artwork itself while also keeping true to its categorization as an educational and commercial object. Another item that served as inspiration for this piece is the idea of the do-it-yourself kit whereby higher-end or inaccessible ideas, such as fine art, are made accessible through hands-on learning and creation with easy-to-follow instructions. Examples include how-to books by Klutz, that I grew up with and enjoyed, and Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull as a do-it-yourself kit sold online at iartistlondon.com. EAHR: What are you trying to communicate with your art? SR: Playing on the form and intent of the traditional exhibition catalogue, I sought to bridge the gap between the art world and the public with a do-it-yourself exhibition catalogue where the user would temporarily step into the shoes of the curator. The book as a form is fraught with historical connotations. Bookbinding and book works are not usually named as artistic media. Do exhibition catalogues need to be secondary to the artworks in an exhibition? I think not. Through a variety of essays, The [Blank] Exhibition Catalogue reveals the historical importance of the exhibition catalogue and essential aspects of curating an exhibition catalogue. The [Blank] Exhibition Catalogue encourages the user to think about the book in social, cultural and historical contexts while participating in artistic creation. The [Blank] Exhibition Catalogue reflects the idea of simultaneous knowledge transfer and the traditional historic power of the art world and institution in generating, perpetuating and promoting certain types of knowledge without and within this world, while also promoting self-reflection and understanding through creative pursuits. EAHR: What do you see as the strengths of your piece, visually or conceptually? SR: The main strength is interactivity. I think education through creation is essential to deeper understanding. The [Blank] Exhibition Catalogue was created to be easily reproducible, circulated, and publishable. The intent is for it to be sold as either an artist book, a do-it-yourself kit or an educational publication to be found in a variety of bookstores. Its ease of reproduction makes the art world accessible to more people. EAHR: Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? SR: I’m fascinated and intimidated by digital recordings: either video, audio or both. Both sound and moving images are inherently engaging and are not easily ignored in an exhibition setting. I’m curious about audio and video, but I fear I will bombard the viewer with excess stimuli. I like when a user can experience my art at his or her own pace, so I want to incorporate that aspect into my works. EAHR: What’s next on the horizon? SR: I’ve recently been working with thread, not only as a material for binding hand-sewn books, but as a medium. I have used a sewing machine to write in thread on paper: to create an absence of words and leave their traces on the page. SOLAFA RAWAS EAHR: How did you come up with the idea for this piece? SR: I have always wanted to work with sand; it just was something I knew at some level challenged me. I am fascinated by the sand and the potentials it holds. Sand is very immediate and expressive medium and it is in itself, I find very inspirational. I use myself and my personal experience as the subject of investigation and it is where most of my ideas come from. EAHR: What are you trying to communicate with your art? SR: The self-reflective method I am using in my art allows me to be attentive to my own cultural and social makeup and gain a cultural understanding of myself in relation to others, I hope that through the mini narrative presentations that are embedded in the work it opens up conversations, propel questions and evoke emotional responses. EAHR: What do you see as the strengths of your piece, visually or conceptually? SR: As an artist and as a viewer I feel that both are important aspects that need to exist in artwork to be complex and satisfying. I try to have both present equally in my work; supporting and complementing each other. EAHR: Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? SR: I love working with sand and I would like to pursue it further and pushed it harder and challenge its potential transformation even more. EAHR: What’s next on the horizon? SR: I am currently preparing for upcoming shows in Montreal: April 12th, MFA gallery, VA building, Concordia University March 23- April 6th, Ultramodern, MFA group exhibition , Art Mur gallery ALISI TELENGUT EAHR: How did you come up with the idea for this piece? AT: I grew up under the influences of my grandparents who lived as Mongolian nomads and they told me lots of stories and legends about nomadic life. Since this particular life style is gradually disappearing, I want to record the nomadic traditions with animation as my medium. EAHR: What are you trying to communicate with your art? AT: Tengri is a Turkic word, which refers not only the holy, blue sky, but also the primary deity of nature that has been worshipped by Mongolic and Turkic peoples. It compromises Shamanism, Animism and other spiritual practices that connect people, spirits and nature together. It is an ultimate belief and reverence for nature and spiritual world. I believe that we need to preserve and spread shamanic wisdom for the sake of our environment. I also found it interesting to see my culture from a global angle. EAHR: What do you see as the strengths of your piece, visually or conceptually? AT: In terms of the visual, the technique of Tengri is unique. It was painted frame by frame mainly with oil pastel on one piece of paper and it was shot on a still camera. The movement was created by adding and removing colors frame by frame. I have been exploring how to animate with the straight-ahead under camera technique for almost three years. It was very difficult and time consuming, but I became confident with the technique when I made Tengri. EAHR: Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet? AT: I’m interested in experimenting animation with different painting materials, though some of them are not suitable for under camera animation. EAHR: What’s next on the horizon? AT: I’m working on one short animated film that is about a story of a camel. I’m using a very similar technique for this film. It’ll be complete in April 2013.
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