On Friday, Gig City published a preview of our two upcoming shows by Emanuel Licha and Nicole Rayburn, as well as an artist talk this Thursday at the Art Gallery of Alberta featuring local artist Dara Humniski in conversation with curator Catherine Crowston. We weren’t quite sure what to make of it. Aside from the headline, “Edmonton visual artists debut shows at Latitude 53, AGA” which gives rather the wrong impression of our two shows (Nicole Rayburn used to live here but is now based in Toronto, and Emanuel Licha hails from Montreal and works in France and internationally), the article mostly focuses on random sentences pulled from our press release, and presumably that of the AGA to try to make a point about how artists are bad at writing.

Well, while we were a bit puzzled, Dara Humniski was writing a response:

Well Ann, this is the second time you’ve taken a swipe at my credibility, so I feel inclined to comment. First by implying that a commission I received by putting forth an application to an open-call & juried selection committee had something to do with my partner (commissioned later for a different project by a different branch of the gallery), and now this causal implication that the meaning of my work is vapid or superficial.

Fluffy? Spacious? Thanks for continuing with the subtle jabs to emerging artists. I’m not sure what your agenda is with the visual art ‘coverage’ your supplying to gigcity. Shrugging your shoulders saying, “Welp! I don’t get it, Artists are pretty superficial aren’t they?” seems like a sloppy attempt at provocation to increase hits on your site, rather than thoughtful criticism or an interest in seeding a dialogue.

She goes on to talk more about her work and the role of ambiguity in her art—and to take author Ann Smart to task for her writing. You can find her full comment below the article.

Also not mentioned in the article: the time of Dara’s talk. It takes place Thursday at 6pm at the Art Gallery of Alberta, and admission is free.