FIFA and I can never quite seem to meet-in-the-middle, OR: First official Frozen Mammoth RANT!
Kim Kielhofner, still from Art of the Amplifier, 2009
As always this time of year (i.e. when the buds are destroying my capacity to think of things other than the bursting of spring) FIFA is well underway and I have yet to see a single film! Oh dear. Living amidst so much possibility often equals not getting out to much - know what I mean?
Tonight, as part of one of the Festival’s short programs, is a series of videos entitled Infiltrations (1 and 2), and it’s chock full of local artists’ work. Indeed, Diane Obomsawin, Kim Kielhofner and Victoria Stanton are just three of my favourites that have short pieces in the mix.
While I look forward to these films, I am not shocked that I often overlook this festival. I was brought up, like many folks I know, on Western European art and studied it on my own-some out of an avid love for the visual world. Yet I chalk my narrowness of scope up to where I come from, (a small town in Ontario) where wanting to know about art history at all was considered very, very suspect. The idea that this history could contain a richness-beyond-description from all corners of the world wasn’t something I encountered until as a grown up I became stubborn about expanding my aesthetic knowledge and sensibilities.
So while I do appreciate much of the subject matter of the FIFA program, I find it very limiting. It seems to be far too Western European focused to be called an International festival. Perhaps it should be re-named FIFAWE - International Festival of Films on Western European Art.
I am realizing now as I write how important it seems to open the scope of the festival. Very little is about contemporary work, the work of women, the work of anyone but old, dead white dudes (for the most part)…
And like I said, I am excited for some of it - I can’t wait to go see 2 films on Rembrandt and Caravaggio, respectively. There’s a short on Vermeer that I am eager about. Yet I suppose I am a wee surprised/disappointed that only 2 short film programs seem to be answering a need to diffuse film and video by and about a diverse pool of contemporary artists.
Or how cool would it be to every year have a focus on a specific area, or country? Art of the Middle East from the 19th century, for example. I refuse to believe that there aren’t films/interests out there that would allow this type of festival to become what it says it is, which is International.
Ok. Rant over. Tonight at 9pm at the Cinematheque Quebecoise promises to be one of the events with more contemporary programming. I shall be there, sitting shame-faced due to that it’s the first event I’ll be going to. Or perhaps shame-faced that it took me so long to realize why I’ve never invested in FIFA deeply. Thankfully, like the rest of the salle, I will be absorbed in darkness, so no one else will see the burning of my cheeks.
Filed under events, festival, local | Tags: Diane Obomsawin, FIFA, Kim Kielhofner, rant, Victoria Stanton | Comment (0)In secret places the art lies.
In the Notman House, an historically significant and pretty amazing space (architecturally as well as culturally) lots of things don’t happen. It is for the most part, unloved, neglected and unused. It is also for sale, and I am terrified of the people I don’t know yet who might buy it, demolish it, or change its inherent character and energy. For despite all of its loneliness and peeling walls, it is perhaps one of my favourite buildings in Montreal, if not of all time.
Which is why it is so amazing to see art in all of its rooms and secret places during the Pop Montreal Festival for the Art POP segment. I will go into each project here in more detail, but these are some of the fabulous artists and their works that graced the spaces the Notman House offers to us all.
There is something that I used to never understand about site specific work (years ago, when I was much, much younger and things were firmly in place on many levels) as I was a pencil-and-paper kind, and could do so anywhere. So for me the idea of people creating work in relation seemed odd somehow. Now, years and years later, with lots firmly not-in-place, I feel that even paper and pencil respond to their environments and that site specific work is inevitable in some ways, so to be conscious of it and consider its meanings is the least one can do.
The Notman House is a gorgeous example of how the smell + feeling + peeling + stains + stories + damp all change and amplify whatever it is that you do there, and most definitely the art that was growing from its walls the past week.
Here’s to the folks who did the work that carefully and thoughtfully contemplated their processes in relation to the house. That some of what they did will stay for the next folks to feel through the paint.
Below find some amazing photos of 2 of the artworks that inhabited Notman for Pop Montreal this year…more to follow…
Dominique Sirois, Ring My Alarm, Art POP/Notman House 2009
Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Art POP Notman House 2009
Filed under artists, festival, installation, local, video | Tags: art pop, Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Dominique Sirois, the notman house | Comment (0)
En Masse @ Art POP
One of the co-presentations of Art POP this year is a collaboration with En Masse, a pretty amazing troupe of over 40 artists that get together from time to time to do inspiring and fairly mind-blowing murals, collaboratively. For the entire month of October, they are going to be at the Red Bird Studio gallery for their latest project which combines 6 of their artists with a whole whackload of awesome artistic teenagers from various schools in the English Montreal School Board network. Together, they will create a mural the likes of which you’ve never seen, guaranteed.
The vernissage is this coming Sunday (the 4th) at 5pm, going until 9pm or even later, pretty crazy for a Sunday me thinks!! The gallery is at 135 rue Van Horne, and it’s going to be awesome. If you don’t get a chance to make it out, then swing by the studio every day from 12-6pm on weekdays to see what the gaggle of creative folks are doing there and watch their project develop.
One of the masterminds of the whole scenario and one of the Frozen Mammoth’s favourite people-of-this-fine-city, Jason Botkin, recently let us in on some of the deep dark secrets of his group. We can’t wait to see how this whole thing develops, and we’ll let you in on it all as it goes along….
1. Where did En Masse emerge? What was the impetus? If you could give a bit of background info on its initial coming together, that would be great.
En Masse was conceived one glorious evening in December of 2008, the ‘love-child’ of Tim Barnard and myself.
At the time, I was exhibiting a solo show at Galerie Pangee. As luck would have it, the gallery had an opening in their post-Christmas schedule, a little window that Tim and I eagerly imposed upon. Originally, our design was to ‘curate’ an enormous group show, packed mad salon style with everyone we knew and wanted to know. Seconds later, the idea was dashed upon the rocks, as we landed upon the En Masse concept, or specifically, the idea of gathering together those same cats to do a gigantic collaborative drawing of some sort. For both Tim and I, collaborative drawing/art making parties have been an important part of our practice, so the idea stuck!
En Masse was thus born in February of this year (2009), at the Galerie Pangee, with 28 artists engaged in 28 days of ecstatic mark making. We timed the ‘finissage’ to coincide with Montreal’s all-night Nuit Blanche festivities, thus inviting all to join us in celebration of one of the very biggest, most incredible drawing experiments most of us had ever seen in our tender young lives!
(Jason and Mural at Oshega Festival, Photo courtesy of Fred Caron’s awesome hands)
2. Has it changed much since you guys first began doing it? If so, how?
Tim, hot n’ heavy off on other projects, has been replaced by Rupert Bottenberg. Rupert brings an amazing skill set to the table, having established the Montreal Comix Jams, while juggling duties as the music editor at the Montreal Mirror newsweekly.
While the approach to the drawing itself is always the same at core—black and white, big, and involving as many artists as logistically possible (the more the merrier), our biggest step forward has been the creation of an ‘educational’ element to our project, through the introduction of a mentorship project involving local high school kids.
3. What is the creative process like in terms of choosing people to be involved? I know there are 28 members now, so are you guys officially a “team” or is the roster more fluid than that?
At this point, we’ve worked with nearly 40 artists on various projects, so in that sense, “Team EM” is better looked upon as a flexible and ever-changing ‘collective’ of emerging artists, whose work has been categorically defined as ‘underground’ and/or ‘lowbrow” art.
Refreshing and expanding the ranks is a key factor in breathing new and constant life into the project. Choosing the artists…that’s a tough question…SO MUCH amazing talent out there, so little time!
4. Many of the artists in En Masse work in somewhat alternative mediums (street art, grafitti). Was this a conscious decision, or organic? What does this type of background bring to the project?
This was a very conscious decision on our part. We wanted to include a wide range of artistic practices/pedigrees, especially exploring these cats whose voice has been largely excluded from the mainstream galleries and museums, institutions that seem to be somewhat unsure of the relationship between the fine and lowbrow arts.
We want a real grab-bag of styles, all flowing into one enormous web of ideas, thoughts, jokes, and general fun, one in which we can all freely participate in the chance to expand our potential as creators, while developing collective social and professional networks with each other.
5. How has doing this kind of massive collaborative work affected your own personal practice, if at all?
Collaborating with these incredible artists leaves me very inspired, and challenged to free up my own approach towards art making. Ego melts away during these events. So, my time in the studio, or at the sketchbook (when it comes), is now much more spontaneous, improvisational, playful. I like this.
6. Can you tell me a bit about why you guys have decided to do an educational thing? Is there a decisive angle to creating En Masse in a plethora of arenas, or does it happen more naturally than that?
The educational thing came as the natural ‘next’ step. I would have killed for a project like this as a kid, so now, with two wee ones of my own, and in working with Rupert who has produced many educationally directed events in the past, the mentoring program for kids came about very organically through personal interest.
This is a way for us to contribute socially, in a direction we feel good about. Artistic kids rarely get the chance to explore and express themselves within the school systems, as they exist, so if we can lend this hand to the schools, their teachers, and the teens, everybody gets happy. And perhaps the doors to heaven open a little wider.
7. What are some of the thrills and challenges with working with such a big group?
Cover your ears kids; this could get a little gory! I’ll spare the details, but suffice to say, it’s a bit of an administrative roller coaster at times…
With practice, the organizational drama gets a little more predictable, and easier to manage when it rears its ugly head. A steady diet of emails, ear often glued to phone, and a whole lotta labour of love keeps me going. Fortunately, I get more sleep in the weeks leading up to an event these days.
8. What most excites you about the project En Masse will be doing with ESBM, Redbird & art POP?
So many things excite me about this project! This particular avenue of the En Masse project has huge potential! I can’t wait to see what kind of work comes out of this thing, as we get this chance to collaborate directly with artists who are young in years and practice, but demonstrating real passion and huge talent in the crafting of their voice. What a mutual privilege and pleasure for us all!
For the kids, this is a great chance to gain practical tips about how to work in the mediums they are interested in, improve upon their own sense of self-worth as artists, and potentially form long-lasting creative partnerships they wouldn’t be exposed to otherwise.
9. What can you see in store for En Masse? If this goes really well, would you guys be into doing more educational/mentoring stuff?
Without question! We’re very excited with the educational stuff, and have received enormously positive response from everyone who has come into contact with the project. This event could be considered to be the pilot for many great things to come, especially as we gear into provincial, national, and international En Masse expansion in the coming year!
Filed under artists, festival, interviews, local, profiles | Tags: art pop, En Masse, jason botkin | Comment (0)
Art Pop Poppin’ up.
So Art POP is happening soon soon soon, with the first vernissage on the 30th of September at 5pm at 6600 Hutchison….
There’s a ton of stuff going on, so make sure to check out all that’s going down here.
One of the coolest parts about this year is that there are 2 central locations so it’s easy to go see a whole whackload of stuff without feeling overwhelmed. Also, as everything is going on all week, you get aladda chances to swing by and check stuff out, so no pressure. Of the peer kind or otherwise.
The artists that are showcasing this year include Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Adrian Norvid, Lalie Douglas, Dominique Sirois, Kim Kielhofner, Michelle Lacombe & Sheena Hosko, Daniel Iglesia, Brendan Reed, Paul Warne, Christian Pelletier & David Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe Harvey & Adam Bergeron, Richmond Lam & Mathieu Blanchette.
It’s going to be a pretty amazing week. I am going to attempt to interview as many of these fine folks as possible to get a sense of what they’re working on, etc. so stay tuned!!
Filed under artists, events, festival, local | Tags: Adrian Norvid, Brendan Reed, Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Christian Pelletier & David Beaulieu, Daniel Iglesia, Dominique Sirois, Jean-Philippe Harvey & Adam Bergeron, Kim Kielhofner, Lalie Douglas, Mathieu Blanchette, Michelle Lacombe & Sheena Hosko, Paul Warne, Richmond Lam | Comment (0)Viva Viva!
So last night I THINK I maybe saw the best piece of art I will potentially see all year. Or at least, the best performance. But maybe art. But maybe performance….oh dear me. You see, the person responsible for the piece actually blew up my mind, so thinking has been a wee difficult since.
Picture it - Viva! Art Action’s second installation (installation being second time the festival’s been crafted together) and we’re all at Bain Saint Michel (5300 St Dominique) where the majority of the festival is going on. People are waiting for the first performance, from Belgium’s Gwendoline Robin, and I am thinking again about how much I dislike performance art in general.
Which is funny, because almost all of the papers I have ever written have been about performance, just by chance, and I find myself here at a performance festival, just by chance, and maybe I was on one of the selection committees, just by chance. But performance art is soooo annoying, and boring, and self-indulgent.
It also really isn’t. It also has this uber-potential, of the sort that Katamari has when it has gathered many objects, to reconfigure my sense of self or at least self-in-relation (which is likely what self is to a large degree) and make me stop breathing and change the ways in which or add to those that I spend time thinking of this and and and.
That said, a medium with such gobs of powerful responsibility and consideration is often one that suffers from too many people engaging with it, and engaging with it in shallow or less-than-thoughtful ways. I gotta say it, I think it’s true. And I think that, as an audience member, my role is one of active participant in a way that truly goes beyond what that mundane majority do when encountering art, which more-than-often includes myself. This requires a certain attentiveness that is at the best of times pretty draining and hard to find within oneself. Especially in my look-there-no-here-bam-bam-change-the-flickr-time-to-go-elsewhere culture.
But the stuff of the likes that Robin creates, executes, exhudes, helps surpass all of my issues of presence and of pretention or thinking-while-I-watch. She cuts through that dissonance like a knife, like the shards she broke off her rod of glass that she started her piece with. And let me say here and now that while I will describe her actions, that’s nothing in comparison to her actions themselves. Not one bit, not a whit, barely similar, almost opposite.
Imagine trying to describe a performance by your favourite musician. They played a bunch and they didn’t play a bunch. If you only use actions, you’re really not getting to the heart of the matter. Which you can’t really do, not just in words. Or else Gwendoline (I suppose) would have just written a little essay about her work and stayed in.
Basically, long and short, she came, she lit paper on fire, in her hands, and then a helmet, BOOM, on her head, after putting on coats and taping her neck (balaclava eyes staring out) and the coil on the helmet looking like a stove, spiralling round and round who would have thought that upon impact, the fuse wouldn’t just slowy weave its way to the centre of her skull no it didn’t there was nothing slow about it, she offered us no time to watch or ponder or panic she just
blew off her head.
And in doing so, she blew everyone’s head off as well. Trust me on this. I can attest, I have a mirror, what more can I say.
Gwendoline Robin knows about phrasing, and pace. The rhythm in her performance was of the kind that allows for momentum, breath, and a dissolving of outside concerns. One thing that makes much durational work seem overly this-or-that I think might be a lack of attention to phrasing. In this way, the body in performance, like the body in so much (music, physical comedy, dance) responds to space as much as it responds to mass.
There were 2 other performances that night, and you can read about some of it on the Viva! Blog, but to be honest, I needed to go home straight away after she had blown our collective minds. I would explain, but I doubt I need to. What else could you do? So much power, adrenaline and intention would have been enough in and of itself, but then I had to tend to my physical meltdown as well. Anything else would have been rash and impudent.
Of special note, Viva! has a 6:30 pm supper call every day during the fest, and last night it was beef stew (vegetarian options) and it looked seriously really good. Only $5, and a great way to hang out with folks/support the festival. Go go go! I will eat the stuff off your plate you don’t want.
Filed under artists, festival, performance, profiles | Tags: gwendoline robin, Viva! Art Action | Comment (0)
