Q and A with Sonja Hidas

A Healthy Cultural Landscape

The cultural landscape is comprised of three things, people, places and the community.

Contemporary artists exist within this landscape as members of all three. 

Contemporary art is concerned with meaning.

The artist works within the community and develop artwork and exhibitions within galleries and institutions. 

to better illustrate how the cultural landscape works I interviewed one of Mississauga's leading emergent artists, Sonja Hidas.

Sonja is a traditionally trained artist who studied in Montreal.  She has a long history of working in the arts both at the private level and at the non profit level.  To be actively engaged the artist is required to create relationships through volunteerism, attendance to exhibitions and professional development in workshops and education.

SPF:  Where have you sold your work

SH:  To individuals as commissions, in galleries and internationally, the Ritz Carlton in Hong kong has two of my paintings.

SPF:  Where have you exhibited your work?

SH:  Mississauga at Rumi Galleries, Sudbury on a regional exchange facilitated by the Burlington Art Centre.

SPF:  Can you describe some of the relationships that you have nurtured while developing your practice?

SH:  I was part of a mentorship at the Burlington Art Centre under Reinhard Reiztenstein which culminated in an exhibition with all the members of the program.  I was also part of a regional exchange with Sudbury which was facilitated by the Burlington Art Centre. 

SPF:  I know that you have also been involved with the Blackwood Gallery located on the Mississauga campus of University of Toronto.  How did that happen.

SH:  There was a call for submissions to create site specific work for the Starch building located at Hurontario and Lakeshore.  I created a work called Large items which refers to a phrase used to describe appliances and furniture that is destined for the landfill.  It was also a statement about public art in mississauga.  I wrote text on a washer and dryer that tried to convey an emotional reaction, the dryer said "blank" over and over.

SPF:  what draws you to these types of projects?

SH:  Institutions like the Blackwood Gallery, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Living Arts Centre and the Burlington Art Centre are ideal for executing and exhibiting a project.  they are venues that are not constrained by the requirement to sell work.  they let you take risks. 

SPF:  You are also represented by Rumi Galleries. 

SH:  Yes I had a one person show with them in October of last year.  Rumi Galleries under Joseph Rumi are the first gallery from Mississauga to take part in the Toronto International Art Fair.  He showed one of my riskier pieces.

SPF  You have mentioned this notion of risk taking several times, what is the importance of it?

SH:  Contemporary art should be about the experience and meaning of a work and it is not necessarily something that can be bought or sold.  It is primarily a vehicle for conveying an idea instead of a com-modified product.

SPF:  Your first major multi-disciplinary work in Mississauga was the anniversary of the derailment under HotBox projects.  What is Hotbox, and what was the biggest challenge you encountered while making this work?

SH:  For the opening at the Living Arts Centre I had a very large group of Actors as well as an installation of sheets with paintings on them and a phone with the recorded stories to Mississaugans from the night that it took place playing.  It was a challenge to coordinate so many variables.

SPF:  The regional artist exchange with Sudbury was also community specific, what was important about that project?

SH:  An important outcome of that project was shifting from finding or relating to an event from my community to sudbury's community.  I liked the connection and creating artwork about another community it is a form of respect to their cultural history. 

SPF:  We have been talking a lot about the community related aspects of your art.  What about making art in your studio?  What is the difference or the importance of making work in the studio vs. working with a community?

SH:  I use different disciplines when I make art work; painting, drawing, video and performance are all used to create my work, that is why it is called multi-disciplinary. 

SPF:  Where did you learn all of these techniques and disciplines/

SH:  Some I learned through a mentorship at the Burlington art Centre mentorship program where it is ongoing.  Other projects you learn as you are required and do research to how best meet your goals.

SPF:  Can you tell me the inspiration for the Hotbox Riverwood project which took place after the derailment project?

SH:  After I took part in the mentorship project in Burlington I wanted to try and reproduce the same model here in Mississauga but with a group of artists to create site specific works under the mentorship of a senior artist.  The blend of nature and art was an easy step.

SPF:  So part of your development as a contemporary artist is to learn new methods and implement them in your own community. 

SH:  And teach what I know to others around me.

SPF:  And you do teach currently?

SH:  Yes, I teach art to Adults and courses at the Peel Archives and Museum of Art.

SPF:  And with all that going on you are still making art work?  What are you working on now?

SH:I am working on a text based project that began with a series of questions I wrote for the Art Gallery of Mississauga's 25th Anniversary.  The project is called constructs

SPF:As part of constructs you recently wrote a series of questions that were meant to both challenge and educate about public art, can we discuss them?

SH: Yes the questions were written from the voice of an anonymous person. 

SPF:  The first question you wrote is "Who cares about local artists?"

SH:  Individuals who buy local, go to shows, exhibitions, and events.  They read about and interact with artists which is supportive and encouraging to them.  Non-profits and artist run centres are places for these interactions to take place.  Local artists are supported by their community.

SPF:  The second question you wrote is "Who cares what the public wants?"

SH:  Culturally engaged individuals who are dedicated to the development of the city through action, i.e. volunteers, non-profits, educational institutions and municipalities.

SPF:  The third question is "Who cares about public art?

SH:  The public does, your municipality does.  Public art is very much like furniture in a home.  It reflects you as a person, your tastes, your background and your cultural affiliations.  it is a reflection of who you are as a person.  The difference between something beautiful and something utilitarian.

SPF:  And the final question, "At 25, should I have my own place?" 

SH:  This is a question asked in response to the 25th Anniversary of the Art Gallery of Mississauga, we are looking towards the future and we have expectations of where we will be are big.  Artists dream big.