Latitude 53 Contemporary Visual Culture

We know that you’ve already got lots to look forward to,...

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:58:00 -0700

We know that you’ve already got lots to look forward to, with the Parka Patio coming up in only two weeks (yes really—better get those tickets), but we’re very pleased to be announcing all kinds of details about our next two shows today. Check out the details on Unstable Natures, up March 2 and Anusawaree (Monuments) by Korapin Chaotakoongite which opening on Feburary 24.

Advance tickets for Parka Patio available online at...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:35:50 -0700

Advance tickets for Parka Patio available online at www.latitude53.org/parka and at the gallery for $12.

Latitude 53 members can get advance tickets in person at a discount—come down and visit us!

Striking a pose - Essay by Marie-Hélène Leblanc

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:35:01 -0700

Striking a pose - Essay by Marie-Hélène Leblanc:

If you haven’t been into the gallery and picked up your own hard copy, check out curator Marie-Hélène Leblanc’s short essay about Emanuel Licha’s work on our website in English and French:

We are constantly bombarded with images of conflict—and this work provides a perspective on the role of images of conflicts, but also on image production systems and information (real or fictional) transmitted by the flow of war images. If we are not present, how can we be certain about the pictures we receive?

Some photos courtesy of McCauley Community on Facebook of...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:29:06 -0700

Some photos courtesy of McCauley Community on Facebook of artists Will Truchon, Barry Collier, and Steven Chung working on their ice sculptures on Saturday before Dancing Under the Winter Stars. See the full album

We had a great time out at the rink—thanks to everyone who came out and shared our hot chocolate and good times!

Emanuel Licha in the National Post

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:42:08 -0700

Emanuel Licha in the National Post:

Leah Sandals talked to Emanuel Licha about his show Striking a Pose in today’s National Post:

Q What started your War Tourist series?

A In 2004, I was living in Sarajevo and documenting a bombed house. A car arrived and one woman and two men stepped out. The men were journalists and started taking photographs. They stayed five minutes, then the woman handed me her business card, and I saw that she was a tourist guide. I was pretty naive then, because I didn’t know there were tourists of war-torn areas, and that there have been for centuries. That night, I decided to abandon my projects. I felt concerned by the war, but obviously, being Canadian and never having been under a bomb attack, I felt it wasn’t legitimate for me to speak about. But the next morning, I called the woman, and that became the first video in the series. It was like, “OK … I’ll be a tourist.” Finding the idea of the “war tourist” was, to me, an answer to this problem of legitimacy, a ridiculous way for me to address my own situation vis-à-vis wars.

Read the full article and then come on down to Latitude 53 (or PAVED Arts in Saskatoon) to see for yourself.

Lace up your skates! We’re looking forward to Dancing...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:12:13 -0700

Lace up your skates! We’re looking forward to Dancing Under The Winter Stars on Saturday. McCauley community league has skates to rent on-site if you don’t have your own. Take a look at the Facebook event and invite your friends!

Creative Commons shared image from mikeroach on Flickr

Curator Marie-Hélène Leblanc gave an informal talk at Latitude...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:55:14 -0700

Curator Marie-Hélène Leblanc gave an informal talk at Latitude 53 for the opening of Striking a Pose by Emanuel Licha. Here are some highlights, where she speaks about the works “War Tourist” and “How Do We Know What We Know”.

Striking a Pose runs from January 13–February 11.

Dancing Under The Winter Stars What are you doing this...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:57:00 -0700

Dancing Under The Winter Stars

What are you doing this Saturday? Why not join us at McCauley Community rink (96 St and 107 A Ave) between 5 and 10 pm for a free all-ages skating party with DJs D Pro, Campos and Alistair Henning.

It’s part of Frostival, the McCauley festival of winter activities, and we’ve also got a team of artists out in the neighborhood that afternoon to work on ice sculptures:

Location One: East side of 97 Street adjacent to the Chinese Zodiac Public Art piece outside the parking lot of Lucky 97 Foods;

Location Two: The north east corner of 95 Street and 108 Avenue (Giovanni Caboto Park), just across the street from Sorentino’s

Location Three: Directly west of the McCauley Skating rink on the north side of 107A Avenue.

Here’s what Executive Director Todd Janes says about the event:

The event is inspired from my childhood and our community outside rink when we would skate in the evenings with friends and just have fun while hit songs flowed over the crappy outside winter speakers. We are hopeful that a lot of kids and some families will come out and then teens from the hood later and it would be great to have you as part of the event called - Dancing Under the Winter Stars.

Art in Vending Machines 2.0

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:50:05 -0700

Since my initial post on art in vending machines, I’ve been looking into how the phenomena manifests itself in Canada. While there seems to be no overarching or nationally cohesive counterpart to the Art-O-Mat I encountered in Las Vegas, there are a myriad of interesting projects abound. Today, I’m going to share some of them with you (aren’t you lucky!).

The Teenie Weenie Zine Machine.

The Teenie Weenie Zine Machine!

A friend of mind, the very talented Jamie Q, makes zines. Really great ones. I first met Jamie in 2009 at a time when I was doing a lot of research on artists books. Jamie is “really into small press” and so, in August 2011, she launched the Teenie Weenie Zine Machine - essentially converting a bubble style vending machine into a portable “bookstore” to buy very small artist publications.

In addition to operating the TWZM, Jamie also curates the contents by inviting artists to participate in the project. Some are friends or people that she’s worked with before, some are local artists, and others are artists whose work she enjoys or follows. While many of the artists send in completed books, Jamie often works in collaboration with participants by helping them produce their final products. In exchange for their participation, each artist gets a package that contains works by some of the other participants. As Jamie says this lends the project “a mail-art aspect,” which finds its origins alongside the artists books of the sixties and seventies.

TWZM - works found in the second round of the project

There have been 21 artists who have participated so far. Round one contained the work of: Kiarra Albina, Marc Bell, Emily Gorda (who makes these incredible miniature pop-up books), James Kirkpatrick, Lucky’s Collaborative Drawing Party (sent by Jo Cook), Luke Ramsey, Sarah Scope, Peter Thompson, Billy Bert Young, Jason McLean, and Jamie Q. Round Two featured a completely different lineup and the work of: Amy Lockhart, Jenny Lin & Eloisa Aquino (B&D Press), Momoko Allard, Kim Kielhofner, Sonja Ahlers, Jesse Jacobs, Ryan Dodgson, Chris von Szombathy, and Edie Fake.

The machine is one-of-a-kind and came from a friend of Jamie’s, Jason McLean, who is an artist in his own right (more to come on him and his projects in another post!). Because it’s a bubble style machine, you never know which book you’ll get when you put in your $2 coin. I think the element of chance would mean that I would be feeding A LOT of twonies into the machine just to see what else was inside…

Book lovers abound!

Usually the bubble machine lives at the City Lights bookshop in London, Ontario, thought it has been known to travel around to zine fairs. As with Art-O-Mat, one of the great things about art in vending machines, aside from affordability, is the exposure it brings to the work of the participating artists. The practices of each varies greatly - for some books and zines is the focus, while for others, these miniatures are a fun project that compliments their overall body of work. Jamie has provided links to each artist’s website, and I really encourage you to check them out - the work is diverse and fantastic!

This particular project of Jamie’s is has only been spreading the love of small press for a year and a half. Right now, the plan is to keep on operating the machine as long there are bubbles to fill and artists to participate!
Distroboto

When I started actively looking into art vending machine projects in Canada, Jamie Q suggested I take a look at Montreal’s Distroboto.

One of Distroboto’s 11 vending machines

Distroboto has been around since 2001, and not only offers artworks and books through their refurbished cigarette machines, but music as well. Each work is sold accepted on commission - Distroboto charges a mere $2 for the works they offer and give $1.75 back to the artist for each sale. This makes their project unique from all other vending machine initiatives discussed in this post. It also means that they are a little more rigorous in their submission process, requiring that artists submit a prototype, which is then judged suitable for inclusion or not. The 25 cents from each work they keep contributes to the maintenance of the machines, website and promotion.

Which will you have the pleasure of taking home?

They have 11 operational machines dispersed throughout Montreal, and a solitary one in Poitiers, France. To date, Distroboto has featured the work of over 750 artists and has sold an impressive 50,000+ works of art!! This not for profit group also promotes and sells the work of local and emerging artists at zine fairs and what I glean is a little shop, which doubles as their base of operations. Accessibility is at the core of their endeavour - their aim is to bring the public into contact with these artists and their works and by keeping the cost of the works low and available in multiple locations, their numbers speak to the success of their efforts.

These guys are up to some incredible things. I definitely recommend paying their website a visit where you can click through links and see each vending machine in operation.
Art Hive, by Suzie Smith and Angela Forget

The Art Hive (photo from Suzie Smith’s website)

Inspired and encouraged by Distroboto, Suzie Smith and Angela Forget transformed their own cigarette vending machine into “Art Hive” in 2006 - a gallery as a showcase and sampler for “emerging and established artists working in a variety of media.” Art Hive can be found in the Black Sheep Diner in Winnipeg, and is currently being run by Forget.
Ashland Institute for Button Technology

The Ashland Institute for Button Technology is another bubble style vending machine project established in 200 by Trap/door, an artist run centre in Lethbridge, and sells 1” artist-designed buttons. Twice a year artists are invited to submit button proposals to Trap/door for “exhibition” in this alternative venue. As stated on their website, “each exhibition in the Ashland Institute will run for at least one month, or until the majority of the buttons are sold.” Buttons that don’t sell are retained for the Trap/door archive, or are sold on another occasion.

Frater Tham’s (Darcy Logan) contribution to the Ashland Institute for Button Technology

Solo or group exhibitions are possible in the Ashland Institute, and each exhibition contains 200 buttons (250 are created in total, and the artist recieves 50 in lieu of artist fees). This bubble machine accepts $1 coins and has proved to be a “significant source” of alternative revenue for programming offered by Trap/door.

As with Jamie Q’s bubbles, that play off of mail-art and its circumvention of mainstream galleries, by producing multiples, Trap/door’s initiative participates in a similar history. The Ashland Institute can be found in public places in downtown Lethbridge, including coffee shops and pubs, rather than in galleries or gift shops where one might expect to find these kinds of items.

These different attempts at making art more broadly accessible is not a new phenomena, but what I do think is different is how they are designed to deliberately engage with the average person, rather than engaging or exchanging artist to artist. In addition, there is this wonderful element of play in each of these projects, and a sense of nostalgia. I remember being a kid and putting money into vending machines outside the drugstore, hoping for something really great, but never knowing exactly what would come out. There’s something wonderful about that feeling. I also find that overall, the works submitted for these different vending machine initiatives are themselves quite playful, and I think that’s part of the draw. Besides, when an lilliputian artwork, zine or button costs less that the price of a coffee, soda or candy bar, how can you resist putting in your money and turning the knob just to see what comes out!!

Of hurricanes and pollination – Vue Weekly

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:20:05 -0700

Of hurricanes and pollination – Vue Weekly:

In “How Do We Know What We Know?” Licha does a brilliant job of opening up questions about journalism of such horrors through coverage of the recent political unrest in Syria. His film reveals the production behind a “real” live conflict, jumping between American news footage and video that records its production from the otherwise hidden windy hillside in Turkey. As the American production team leaves, a member of the local camera team asks a telling question: “How will it be when they’re gone?” Licha punctuates this question by showing how journalism makes an event real, alluding to the invisibility of stories that aren’t told in front of the camera.

Carolyn Jervis writes on our two new shows for this week’s Vue Weekly.

So how do we know what we know about war? That’s a central...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:55:00 -0700

So how do we know what we know about war? That’s a central question raised by Montreal- and Paris-based artist Emanuel Licha in his two-part exhibition “Striking a Pose” at Latitude 53 in Edmonton and PAVED Arts in Saskatoon. The exhibition (which is curated by Marie-Hélène Leblanc and will also show at Musée régional de Rimouski later this year) takes a wide-ranging look at the way conflict is staged and the effect of this blurring of fact and fiction—not only on official reports and histories, but also on collective memory.

Today Byrne McLaughlin of Canadian Art takes a look at Striking a Pose.

Seeking contemporary artists in Boyle Street-McCauley

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:20:05 -0700

After some of our special projects last year, like In/stall/ed, we’re planning to continue our collaborations in the Boyle-McCauley neighborhood. Here’s our latest call for our next project with McCauley Revitalization:

Latitude 53 creates sites for the intersection of contemporary art and ideas in Alberta.

We are seeking contemporary artists living in the Boyle Street – McCauley area for future projects.

Help us get to know you better by sending us up to five images of your art (digital images, jpegs at least 300 dpi), an artist statement, and some information about you—this could include an artistic resume or biography. Latitude 53 is interested in ethnocultural artists that reflect the diversity of our nation as well.

Please send to todd.janes@latitude53.org or via mail to: Latitude 53, 10248 – 106 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1H7

Sound interesting? Get in touch.

Our friends at Edmonton Arts Council are also taking submissions for two public art projects in east downtown with an eye to emerging artists. Take a look.

Parka Patio party tickets available now at...

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:40:06 -0700

Parka Patio party tickets available now at www.latitude53.org/parka for $12.

Discounted tickets for Latitude 53 members will be available next week at the gallery.

What is performance?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:20:05 -0700

What is performance?:

On Facebook, Margaret Dragu left us this intriguing question:

I ask this question every few years — of myself and of you.
I do this because my answers and your answers are always different, engaging, inspiring…

QUESTION: what is performance?
What specifically makes it different from existing practices like theatre, agit-prop, etc. ???

You can post your answer on my facebook page—just go to Margaret Dragu—or—you can email me at ladragu@yahoo.co.uk

Merci, thank you, gracias, vielen dunke, mulska meska …

While you’re thinking, remember that our Visualeyez Call for Proposals is open until April 27th.

Our new main space show Striking a Pose by Emanuel Licha is a...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:28:00 -0700

Our new main space show Striking a Pose by Emanuel Licha is a joint project between Latitude 53, PAVED Arts in Saskatchewan, and the Musée Régional De Rimouski in Quebec, put together by curator Marie-Hélène Leblanc. Licha is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.

This week the show is also opening at PAVED—but it’s not the same as ours. At Latitude 53 we’ve got two video works up, the five-part “War Tourist” and the new “How Do We Know What We Know”. Paved is going to be showing two other works: “R For Real” and “Mirages” are a continuation of the project begun in “War Tourist” but with a twist. Where the War Tourist previously visited the sites of actual conflict, separated from the violence by time and tour guides, in what Leblanc describes as a safe space. In the newer works, the tourist (who also takes on the guise of a journalist, a role further explored in “How Do We Know…”) still seeks out safe spaces to view conflict, but paradoxically ones that let him get much closer—constructed sets for training riot police in france, and a hollywood-built model Iraq in a Californian desert. The videos find the edges of these simulated conflict spaces, and so imply their own edges as video, again themes taken up again in “How Do We Know What We Know”.

The two halves of the show will be united later this year in Rimouski, Quebec.

We videotaped Marie-Hélène Leblanc speaking informally about the work at our opening on Friday, and we’ll have some highlights later this week on the blog—but if you happen to be in Saskatoon on Friday, be sure to catch her at the opening at PAVED arts at 7:00. Find out more about the works and the show there at pavedarts.ca.

Thank You, Todd Janes

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:57:18 -0700

My time as Writer-in-Residence is just over half way through, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I began this residency about a week after having given the oral defense of my master’s thesis, and only a couple of days after formally submitting the written component to the University. What drew me to the project initially was how I could potentially write about whatever interested me; how it enabled me to keep writing about visual arts and culture but with a different voice; and the opportunity to write about and engage with accessible community based arts initiatives.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered is the writing. Not the actual putting words to paper, but choosing what to write about and then making decisions about how to write. After spending the past 10+ years writing academic papers where the topic is usually dictated by the course, the transition to writing about whatever I’d like is not so easy. I can write seventy-five words, five hundred words, a thousand words on just about any given topic, but the freedom of choice is something with which I find myself struggling. In addition, figuring out who I’m writing for is just as difficult. Of course I’m not writing for an academic audience, but I suspect most people who visit blogs via artist-run centres (and the like) know their way around the content of my posts.

Yet as per the position, I have the freedom to write about anything I want, in the style and length of my choosing. I can write brief, topical entries, or a through examination of something theoretical. I can use colloquialisms. No one from Latitude has ever asked me to write about a particular topic, or about an exhibition in one of their galleries, or to promote the programming they offer. Even this post, which extols the virtues of Latitude’s Writer-in-Residence program, was something that I chose and wrote without needing to consult anyone about. Though unfamiliar to me, I am learning to embrace this freedom. My own experiences, as well as those shared with me by others, speak to this uncommon feature of paid work and the unlikelihood of it happening again soon.

The recognition that this is my halfway point has me evaluating what I had set out to accomplish, what I have done, and what I would still like to do in my remaining residency. This process has led to some revelations, both expected and unexpected. I have some projects and collaborations in store for the near future, which will be revealed as they come to fruition. What I can say with certainty is that I’m grateful for the opportunities afforded to me by Latitude 53 and Todd Janes (the executive director), which couldn’t of have been better timed. The openness with which my ideas have been welcomed and encouraged is exciting.

Most importantly, the reading, reflecting and writing that I have been doing as part of this residency have led me to contemplate more broadly about what my next steps will be, both as a writer and beyond. I’m definitely in the period of reflection and transition that accompanies post graduate work. While I’m not looking for a destination, so far this residency has afforded me the luxury of time and play, which have helped me to discover more about what I want in life. And for that, I am sincere when I say Thank You, Todd Janes.

Preview Striking a Pose yourself

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:40:06 -0700

Preview Striking a Pose yourself:

At wartourist.net Emanuel Licha has posted excerpts from each part of “War Tourist”, a five-part video installation that makes up the largest part of Striking a Pose, so you can whet your appetite for the show—opening tonight and up in the gallery until February 11.

Janice Ryan previews Striking a Pose

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:20:06 -0700

Janice Ryan previews Striking a Pose:

Artist Emanuel Licha (emanuel-licha.com) was living in Sarajevo when he witnessed a car stop in front of a demolished home. Out poured a guide with a group of tourists who furiously snapped photos before heading off to the next viewing spot. The incident sparked the idea for War Tourist, a series of videos shot from the point of view of a tourist seeking postwar conflicts and disasters.

Opening today in Latitude 53’s Main Space, an installation of five 20-minute films shot between 2004 and 2008 will transport you from Sarajevo to Chornobyl, Auschwitz, New Orleans (after hurricane Katrina) and the suburbs of Paris (site of the 2005 civil unrest).

In each location, Licha presented himself as a tourist, hired a guide and asked to see the “worst destruction” and “most dangerous” part of the city.

In the Edmonton Journal today, Janice Ryan talks to artist Emanuel Licha about his show, Striking a Pose—opening tonight with a curator’s talk at 6:00 and a reception following.

Emanuel Licha and Nicole Rayburn We’re hard at work in...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:58:49 -0700

Emanuel Licha and Nicole Rayburn

We’re hard at work in the gallery today getting everything set for tomorrow’s opening. We hope you’ll join us—curator Marie-Hélène Leblanc will talk about Emanuel Licha’s Striking a Pose at 6:00, and we’ll be hosting our usual opening reception from 7.

Look for a couple of last-minute previews here tomorrow.

The Parka Patio Party is coming. If you’ve seen our...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:45:00 -0700

The Parka Patio Party is coming.

If you’ve seen our winter newsletter you will have gotten the first hints—we’re planning a brand-new party for February, the successor to our long-running 53 Ways to Leave Your Lover. It’s an idea we’ve been talking about on and off for the last few years, following the success of our Summer Rooftop Patio Series. A winter patio!

Mark your calendars: on Saturday February 18, we’ll have a heated winter patio with cold and warm cocktails, DJs, food, and decor by Elemental Interiors. Inside, we’ll have a silent art auction, more DJs, and winter-themed installation environments by some local artists.

Tickets will be available soon for $12 at www.latitude53.org/parka. Be sure you know where your mittens are, and look forward to more information soon.