Fish Griwkowsky snapped this picture of artist Lindsey Bond at work in the ProjEx Room for his preview of her show, opening Saturday. He talked with her about the realities of the Remand Centre and the politics of making art about real life:
As much as we might be drawn to the romance of the colourful notes, Bond is also keenly aware of the sharp politics of the situation. People behind bars are often there for a legitimate reason. The 27-year-old, who trained at the Alberta College of Art and Design and Emily Carr University, says: “When I was starting the project and getting more acquainted with the community, there was a point I had to step back and say, ‘Whoa, this is a big can of worms. There’s a lot going on here, and a lot of it’s not good.’ You can’t just sugar-coat and romanticize the situation. There are illegal, really terrible things. But I wanted to keep going with the project to start a dialogue about that community, first and foremost.”
The artist brings up the recently passed Bill C-10, which will result in longer prison sentences, for which the provinces are financially on the hook. “These large prisons are being built, but nothing’s really being done about the core of the problem. Maybe I can’t deal with or address those larger issues — killing and raping and murdering. This was a bit of a challenge.”
At almost 60,000 square metres, the $568.6-million Remand Centre is the largest public building project ever undertaken by the province, and will be the largest correctional institution in the country. Its 1,952 beds are expected to grow to 2,816 with the addition of three more living pods. The massive centre at 18415 127th St. is slated to open early next year.
Read the full article on the Edmonton Journal’s website or in today’s paper—and come to the public forum on Saturday at the Remand Centre courtyard to participate in the discussion.
On Thursday, our board members invited a big group of their friends to come talk about Latitude 53 and the Edmonton community at our Spring Salon, here at the gallery. The Edmonton Journal’s Caroline Gault stopped by and took a few snaps (above: Tyler Sherard, volunteers Savannah Schultz and Katie McKinley, and Kimi Ahluwalia) before heading down to the road to the launch party for Startup Edmonton. See her article and gallery here—we’ve also got a photo gallery of our own posted on our Facebook page.
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.
Fish Griwkowsky spoke to Emilio Rojas about his project for Visualeyez, which he performs this Sunday afternoon:
Part of the project is a pair of sealed letters he and his mother wrote each other, never to be opened. As we walk from the gallery to his hotel to retrieve hers, Rohas discusses how equal they are in the project, and how after working with him a few times she has started to ask questions of his artistic motivations. “I like that we are equal partners. With another performance artist you may have a disagreement and move on. But my mom and I are bound together,” he says peacefully.
“The collaboration began because we were really close and I’ve been in Vancouver for 3½ years,” says Rojas. Besides keeping track of how each other are doing, working together over the past two years has made their relationship stronger. “I have to say this to anyone out there, if you get a chance do something with your mother, whether it’s painting or writing or whatever you can, just do it.
The Edmonton Journal was out at In/stall/ed on Saturday:
Empty parking lots and concrete spaces were transformed into art installations in Edmonton’s McCauley neighbourhood Saturday.
In the middle of the Sacred Heart Centre parking lot at 96 Street and 108 Avenue, 81-year-old Nick Shostak Sr. and his granddaughter Amy set up a coffee table, rug, some books and chairs. Shostak Sr. sat back in his burgundy recliner and told the audience stories of a youth filled with failed get-rich-quick schemes involving unsold umbrella hats and cafeteria trays.
Shostak’s performance was part of a free outdoor art show sponsored by the McCauley community revitalization project, where artists explored the divide between public and private life.
The article also includes a few comments from Kelta Coomber here at the gallery, as well as a little more on other projects in case you missed.
Of course, we’re still in the thick of it: come see our untitled project with Jasper Place High School students in the windows of the Artery tonight!
Our friend Fish Griwkowsky wrote about our new show Spaces&Places:VisioningMcLuhan@100 in the Edmonton Journal this week:
“All of Canada, the world, the World Wide Web wants to lay claim to McLuhan,” Todd Janes says at the downtown gallery where he’s executive director. “A link to his birth here and formative years is great, but Edmonton can be proud of Marshall McLuhan the same way we’re proud of Wayne Gretzky. I think he would appreciate it, even find it funny.”
Fish also talks a little bit about some of the works you can see on the walls starting today. The opening is tonight at 7pm, but you can come early and have a drink on our Patio starting at 5.
Take a look at a copy of today’s Edmonton Journal—Janice Ryan reviewed our two current shows, Where Are We Going? and Sanctuary.
Art with the muscle to snap one’s busy mind out of autopilot and get the grey matter churning is worth a look. There is satisfaction in being offered a platform from which to reflect and ponder. It is all too easy to get muddled with day-to-day routines and forget the freedom and joy that lies in taking the time to simply think and imagine.
Latitude 53’s two shows offer a chance to admire art for art’s sake and at the same time, get the cogs turning.
Catch both shows at Latitude 53 through June 20th.
And yes, die-hard writer-in-residence fans, part two of Anne Pasek’s primer on Marshall McLuhan really is coming soon. It should be worth the wait. In the mean time, come on down to Daniel Evans’ artist talk this evening for your fill of discourse!
The Edmonton Journal has a story today on Splash!—in particular, about the artworks made from Edmonton leisure centre uniforms that are due to be auctioned off at the event.
Staff at Latitude 53 approached more than 20 painters, illustrators, fashion designers, graphic artists and industrial designers to participate in the project. They were given a choice of uniforms to work with, including red lifeguard tank tops and T-shirts, light blue polo shirts, some track jackets and a few hoodies, all worn by leisure centre staff.
“They were given a lot of freedom to do whatever they wanted with them,” says Vicky Wong, development co-ordinator at Latitude 53, who is overseeing the project.
You can find the full article on the Journal’s web site. Check back here on Monday and through next week for more about Splash! in the lead-up to the event—it’s less than a week away!
The Edmonton Journal’s Sandra Sperounes put together this short video on Frequency Painting: 12 Tones.
I wrote about Joynes and Frequency Painting about two weeks ago — you can read the story here — and I haven’t been able to get the images out of my head. He was gracious (and brave) enough to let me shoot a short video of his work … considering this is my very first attempt at shooting AND editing a video. (Thanks, Gary!)
This week is your last chance to see the show—it comes down after Saturday the 12th, so get out to see it while you can. We hope that it stays with you like it did Sandra.
