Latitude 53 Contemporary Visual Culture

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“Skater” is one of Yusuke Shibata’s current works-in-progress.

Join Yusuke on May 12—the closing day of his ProjEx Room show—for a workshop at 1:00 to participate in the development of this project. (Here’s the Facebook event)

The workshop will begin with an introduction and presentation at the gallery, and then we’ll head out onto the streets of downtown Edmonton to scout locations, as Yusuke will demonstrate and discuss his techniques for producing performative video.

Gallery at Milner call for submissions

The Edmonton Public Library’s submission deadline is coming up at the end of March:

The Edmonton Public Library invites emerging artists working in any two-dimensional medium to submit proposals to show art work in the Gallery at Milner, located on the main floor of the downtown Stanley A. Milner Library. We are seeking to exhibit the works of Edmonton and area artists who have achieved consistency in style and form.

Each successful candidate will exhibit for up to four weeks during FALL 2012 through SPRING 2013.

Find out more at epl.ca.

Mayor's Arts Visioning Commission

Yesterday, the Arts Visioning Commission released its twelve recommendations. You can read a press release, as well as find the pdf report, at the link but we’ll give you a quick summary, because honestly who wants to read that stuff? Here’s how the commission describes itself:

The Mayor’s Arts Visioning Committee was created by Mayor Stephen Mandel in early 2011. The committee was asked to look beyond the City’s 10-year plan – The Art of Living – and investigate new opportunities, especially in partnerships between Edmonton’s arts and business communities to carry the plan forward. The group set itself a foundational goal: how to develop recommendations to lift Edmonton to international recognition as a city of the arts by the year 2040.

Sounds good, right? Well, here are their twelve main recommendations:

  1. The City of Edmonton acquire and convert MacEwan University’s west campus, the Centre for the Arts and Communications, into a multi-use, multicultural and City operated arts incubator.

  2. The City of Edmonton develop the former power plant site into a landmark cultural and commercial complex on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River which must include a premier Aboriginal arts and cultural celebration centre, as well as studio, exhibit and performance space for Edmonton artists.

  3. The City of Edmonton endorse, in principle, a landmark performing arts centre (PAC) downtown, and designate land for such a development in the city core.

  4. The City of Edmonton establish a capital allocation under the civic capital budget in anticipation of future opportunities to establish, enhance or acquire arts space of all types.

  5. The City of Edmonton create and sustain arts spaces within existing and future community recreation centres and other community spaces for creation, classes, exhibits and performance.

  6. Private and government partners establish an Edmonton Arts Sustainability Fund for small and mid-sized arts organizations to help finance business development.

  7. A community-lead initiative, modeled after Sports Central, be supported by the City of Edmonton to supply materials, equipment, and program support for disadavantaged and disconnected Edmontonians to pursue arts experiences.

  8. The City Manager and Edmonton Arts Council leadership develop a strategy to embed a broad vision of the arts into city planning and decision making.

  9. Embed in downtown planning a commitment to the arts, comprised of funding for public art, as well as designated spaces for artists to live, create, rehearse and perform.

  10. The City of Edmonton increase capacity for the Edmonton Arts Council to strengthen proactive outreach programs to ensure diverse communities are engaged in decisionmaking throughout the city’s arts organizations and increase participation across the city.

  11. The City of Edmonton takes a leadership role to invite a coalition of business, civic and community groups to strongly advocate for increased funding and emphasis on arts education in Edmonton schools and post-secondary institutions.

  12. The City of Edmonton and business partners increa se support and awareness of the Edmonton Arts Council’s “Artist in Residence” program to enhance in-house opportunities and collaboration for artists with local businesses.

  13. Corporate and arts community members establish a business and arts advisory committee to work with the Edmonton Arts Council to build on the 2040 arts vision and link the two communities with shared expertise, resources and ideas.

Well, wait: there’s only supposed to be twelve. Point number nine there is only present in the summary, not in the full explanations—but those explanations are full of reflection and justification for these plans, so if you are curious about the details, go have a look yourself—and tell us what you think of these visions! Will they be implemented? Are they on the right track? Leave us a comment below.

Omar Mouallem in conversation with Mack Male

Edmonton blogstar Mack Male just posted this interview with one of the editorial team at Avenue Magazine. They chatted about why Edmonton’s downtown is important, and what it takes to make young people—artists and professionals both, like Omar Mouallem himself—want to stay.

We know that this is one of the most important questions we should be asking ourselves in Edmonton—and something that we hope Latitude 53 can help to answer, too. We’re glad to have people like Omar and Mack hosting these discussions, and given that Avenue Magazine recently came on board as our local media sponsor we think they feel the same way about us!

mastermaq:

(via Media Monday Edmonton: Omar Mouallem - MasterMaq’s Blog)

“A couple of weeks ago, Omar Mouallem and I sat down at Credo Coffee on 104 Street to chat. As the Associate Editor of Avenue Edmonton magazine, Omar and I have crossed paths many times over the last couple of years. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to ask, but I wanted to learn more about him and I was certain we’d have an interesting conversation. We did.”
Another pic from Sunday’s colourful alleyways project behind 104th. heartdashbeats: My Sunday as part of a public art install through the Edmonton Arts Council. My piece is the one on the right. Details soon. So many ruined clothes and shoes. So many smiles. It’s so strange how an alley matters in terms of private property and how we worried about stepping outside our designated boundaries. It’s an alley! I’m still super sleep deprived and not making sense. Talk to ya later. Pic by Fish Griwkowsky

Another pic from Sunday’s colourful alleyways project behind 104th.

heartdashbeats:

My Sunday as part of a public art install through the Edmonton Arts Council. My piece is the one on the right. Details soon.

So many ruined clothes and shoes. So many smiles. It’s so strange how an alley matters in terms of private property and how we worried about stepping outside our designated boundaries. It’s an alley!

I’m still super sleep deprived and not making sense. Talk to ya later.

Pic by Fish Griwkowsky

mastermaq: (via Edmonton Notes for 8/28/2011 - MasterMaq’s Blog) The Alley of Light got a makeover today! That’s just one of the items in my weekly roundup of local news, events, and more. Our very own Robert Harpin was there as the paint went down on Sunday—we’re all over public art this week! Go have a look behind 103 & 104 st, just north of Jasper (very close to Latitude 53), and stay tuned for a little more about the project.

mastermaq:

(via Edmonton Notes for 8/28/2011 - MasterMaq’s Blog)

The Alley of Light got a makeover today! That’s just one of the items in my weekly roundup of local news, events, and more.

Our very own Robert Harpin was there as the paint went down on Sunday—we’re all over public art this week! Go have a look behind 103 & 104 st, just north of Jasper (very close to Latitude 53), and stay tuned for a little more about the project.

This is one of several works still on display after The Works festival this year, part of the Downtown Banners Project. We spoke to artist and Latitude 53 board member Anya Tonkonogy about the Jasper Avenue banners she created along with Tim Rechner, Nickelas Johnson, Pearl Rachinsky. She was recruited to the project by our good friend Carolyn Jervis on behalf of The Works and then-Poet-Laureate Roland Pemberton, whose verse appears on the banners and who was “instrumental” in finding artists “who he thought would compliment his poetic vision”. Tonkonogy says her greatest challenge was working within the terms of an unfinished poem: “I had a few brief chats with Rollie about where he was going with his poems, but ultimately it was an abstract idea of a theme of ‘The city vs. the city’ that I had to work with, which was a bit of a blessing and a curse! “Over the past few years I have been busy painting commissioned portraits in Edmonton. So, this idea of ‘publicly displayed work’ is slightly foreign territory for me, and was a challenge to visualize. “We were asked to submit a minimum of 20 images, …[that] fit the theme of ‘The City vs the city’. I did create 8 or so new pieces for the Banner Project specifically, but some of the Banner images displayed around Edmonton are actually from work I’ve completed in the past. The work for this project was very individual, as each artist worked independently on their pieces. It was not until the banners were hung that I got to see [the other artists’] work for this!” Anya had a little more to say about those other artists: “I only know of Tim Rechner’s abstract painting work through visiting ArtsHab galleries, and attending an artist talk at the AGA a year or so ago (where Tim discussed the paintings that came out of his collaboration at the zoo with Lucy the Elephant). I find his paintings command attention. The scale he works with, and the rhythmic/geometric qualities of his mark making are very compelling. “I am more familiar with the work of both Pearl Rachinsky and Nickelas Johnson, as we have been rolling in the same social and artistic circles in Edmonton for quite some time. I think they are both incredibly talented, and have a unique voice in the Edmonton Arts scene… I actually own a few pieces by Pearl, and look at them fondly every day! Nick and I had both had the pleasure of being involved in the National Portrait Gallery project” . Anya says she is “endlessly proud to be in such good company with these artists”. You can go to see the Banners themselves on Jasper Avenue between 97 Street and 109 Street—a perfect stroll on the way to see the latest nearby at Latitude 53.

This is one of several works still on display after The Works festival this year, part of the Downtown Banners Project. We spoke to artist and Latitude 53 board member Anya Tonkonogy about the Jasper Avenue banners she created along with Tim Rechner, Nickelas Johnson, Pearl Rachinsky. She was recruited to the project by our good friend Carolyn Jervis on behalf of The Works and then-Poet-Laureate Roland Pemberton, whose verse appears on the banners and who was “instrumental” in finding artists “who he thought would compliment his poetic vision”.

Tonkonogy says her greatest challenge was working within the terms of an unfinished poem:

“I had a few brief chats with Rollie about where he was going with his poems, but ultimately it was an abstract idea of a theme of ‘The city vs. the city’ that I had to work with, which was a bit of a blessing and a curse!

“Over the past few years I have been busy painting commissioned portraits in Edmonton. So, this idea of ‘publicly displayed work’ is slightly foreign territory for me, and was a challenge to visualize.

“We were asked to submit a minimum of 20 images, …[that] fit the theme of ‘The City vs the city’. I did create 8 or so new pieces for the Banner Project specifically, but some of the Banner images displayed around Edmonton are actually from work I’ve completed in the past. The work for this project was very individual, as each artist worked independently on their pieces. It was not until the banners were hung that I got to see [the other artists’] work for this!”

Anya had a little more to say about those other artists:

“I only know of Tim Rechner’s abstract painting work through visiting ArtsHab galleries, and attending an artist talk at the AGA a year or so ago (where Tim discussed the paintings that came out of his collaboration at the zoo with Lucy the Elephant). I find his paintings command attention. The scale he works with, and the rhythmic/geometric qualities of his mark making are very compelling.

“I am more familiar with the work of both Pearl Rachinsky and Nickelas Johnson, as we have been rolling in the same social and artistic circles in Edmonton for quite some time. I think they are both incredibly talented, and have a unique voice in the Edmonton Arts scene… I actually own a few pieces by Pearl, and look at them fondly every day! Nick and I had both had the pleasure of being involved in the National Portrait Gallery project” .

Anya says she is “endlessly proud to be in such good company with these artists”. You can go to see the Banners themselves on Jasper Avenue between 97 Street and 109 Street—a perfect stroll on the way to see the latest nearby at Latitude 53.