Over the last 6 months I have been involved in workshops hosted by the office of arts and culture in Mississauga (soon to be under community services). A large shift in the way that all arts and culture (including Hertitage Mississauga) will take place changes soon. An amalgamation and redevelopment of the current Cultural Infrastructure in Mississauga is under way. This particular reformation in administration has not taken place before. Many years ago similar plans were developed to help target problem areas in the cultural develoment and creation of neighbourhoods. Now, however a different kind of plan has been set forth that will see the most problematic areas of cultural policy in Mississauga recieve a tune-up.
Many things will change, including the overall amount of funds the city itself invests in the arts annually. this number, which sees an increase of almost 200k a year will go a long way to filling the gap in public arts and culture programs between now and 2013. The increase will see our percapita spending on arts and culture rise from just over 1.40 to 3.00. Some of these improvements may even include additional satelite galleries that act as tributaries to the current AGM, as well a redefinition to the role that MAC plays as well. The current trend appears to be a strengthening of current arts and culture providers.
UCI has also suggested a independent review of LAC. This is met with mix reaction among the arts and culture community as some believe it is long overdue, and others believe the Masterplan does not address what this institution already offers. The LAC is the only venue that currently offers hands on instruction in wood working, glass blowing and the material arts through classes and residency programs.
After attending the workshops offered by the office of the arts and culture I believe I now have a comprehensive view of what they hope to accomplish. Many of the individuals that attended the workshop hadnt read the entire plan. The presentation by UCI was not completely exhaustive in their presentation of the material at large as that would take hour upon hour. The 85 page report has daunted many in their attempts to gain a grasp on the material. UCI gave an overvue of the strategic directions and expect follow up by the attendees as they reivew their 40 plus implementations expected to be completed in a 5 year time span. Some of the changes include a creation of a public art mandate and policy that would include a public art coordinator.
In response, I had a lot of information thrown at me. I heard many different takes on the report and various responses from stakeholders who had been through similiar proposals in the past only to see them pushed aside, shelved and consequently forgotten until they were dusted off and brought out again. Some left before the completion of a Q&A session in reaction to fielded questions with unsatisfying answers.
Although many changes are suggested no particular unifying philosophy towards the arts and culture, and what Mississauga, as a proposed cultural centre plans to do.
As artists and the community at large what is expected of us is a VERY tall order. We are going to have to get on eachothers nerves from time to time. Offer up constructive and critical advice to get where we want to be. Is the office going to be there to defend cultural identity and growth? The growing pains other communities have had to endure for the growth of their art have been great. OCAD, the school that trained me, taught me that. Sometimes members of your community will do or say something that will not be met with positivity. Is the office ready to go to the bat if I break convention? Will the office help communities to better understand eachother? The responsibility is ours to help create a stronger and more vibrant Mississauga. We have to take the same advice that we have given.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
I have dug out this painting and I am planning on painting another layer. I havent showed this piece in Canada before but always felt that it was stronger than the pieces that it was shown with at the time. It was really a piece to the puzzle that I am sorting out with my current work. The application of the paint and the beginning layers of colour are very much like my current technique of application. So I am posting this work as a before and after kind of experiment. Should be interesting.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Past pieces still in progress
The following images have been shown a couple of times but not as part of a finished show. They are in various states of being painted still or are sold.
Images from mid 2008 that were done on their own and arent part of a greater whole.
Beginnings of the most recent work permeate these pieces as I figure out how to use the oil medium better. My colours are less cohesive than the current work but still have a certain amount of life.
Images from mid 2008 that were done on their own and arent part of a greater whole.
Beginnings of the most recent work permeate these pieces as I figure out how to use the oil medium better. My colours are less cohesive than the current work but still have a certain amount of life.
I have returned from documenting the works hanging at the gladstone (since I ran out of time before installing them in the space)... For those friends who were unable to make it down check these out and let me know what you think, I am looking for feedback as I will most likely still be working on them after I bring them home.
Thanks again for all those people who came out to see the show, without your support there really wouldnt be any reason for a show at all.
Paul.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Gladstone Hotel Show
On the evening of January 16th 2009 I had the pleasure of showing a body of work created specifically for the Art Bar at the Gladstone hotel. I first saw the space with art work in October 08 and thought that it would be perfect to show my work. After a great meeting with the exhibition programmer Chris Mitchell I set to work developing the show.
It took almost two months to build the supports and collage for the show but on January 3rd 09 I put my first layer of paint on the works. I had originally imagined myself working for up to a month on the work but fell short on that projection. Luckily, I had enough painted to hang the work and am happy with the result. The feedback so far has been positive.
Many of the friends and family who came to the show asked what the title of the show meant. I probably gave each person that asked a different answer. This is pretty symptomatic of my process when coming up with explanations. I reason and work things out when I discuss them verbally. So, that being said, here are some of the explanations of for the title and why I feel that it is descriptive of the body of work.
I found that while I was making the work (sometimes working well past midnight while I was working full time as an installer) that I was running out of steam. I questioned the validity of the work, the reason for making it and the ends. Sometimes it feels contradictory to be engaged in the creation of work that has a social bend, but never engage in any socially enriching activities for months on end while creating my art. Although the work attempts to challenge the status quo in many ways it only caters to the system that I seek to undermine through collage and paint. I may seek humanitarian subject matter and want to illuminate injustice and suffering, I still try and sell the work in order to support myself as an artist and break even with all the costs that go along with it.
There are moments when every step towards the creation of fine art in the name of social consciousness could be a step backwards from social activism. It is a contradiction of terms within a thought process already laden with self doubt.
Even through all of this there is still the need and the knowledge that I must continue with the exercise above all odds. It is not art for arts sake, but art for my sake. In the end it is how I express myself in a universe of varied self expression. And although it classifies as an exercise in futility, the final contradiction is that it is'nt if and whenever I succeed and finish the project. It is oxy-moronic but ultimately, I hope, tongue and cheek. Because thats what it is essentially about in the end. Hope.
It took almost two months to build the supports and collage for the show but on January 3rd 09 I put my first layer of paint on the works. I had originally imagined myself working for up to a month on the work but fell short on that projection. Luckily, I had enough painted to hang the work and am happy with the result. The feedback so far has been positive.
Many of the friends and family who came to the show asked what the title of the show meant. I probably gave each person that asked a different answer. This is pretty symptomatic of my process when coming up with explanations. I reason and work things out when I discuss them verbally. So, that being said, here are some of the explanations of for the title and why I feel that it is descriptive of the body of work.
I found that while I was making the work (sometimes working well past midnight while I was working full time as an installer) that I was running out of steam. I questioned the validity of the work, the reason for making it and the ends. Sometimes it feels contradictory to be engaged in the creation of work that has a social bend, but never engage in any socially enriching activities for months on end while creating my art. Although the work attempts to challenge the status quo in many ways it only caters to the system that I seek to undermine through collage and paint. I may seek humanitarian subject matter and want to illuminate injustice and suffering, I still try and sell the work in order to support myself as an artist and break even with all the costs that go along with it.
There are moments when every step towards the creation of fine art in the name of social consciousness could be a step backwards from social activism. It is a contradiction of terms within a thought process already laden with self doubt.
Even through all of this there is still the need and the knowledge that I must continue with the exercise above all odds. It is not art for arts sake, but art for my sake. In the end it is how I express myself in a universe of varied self expression. And although it classifies as an exercise in futility, the final contradiction is that it is'nt if and whenever I succeed and finish the project. It is oxy-moronic but ultimately, I hope, tongue and cheek. Because thats what it is essentially about in the end. Hope.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Colin Campbell at Og2
In the late 70's and early 80's the video art movement was in part a reaction to the money market behind the arts. It was easily reproduced and shown in a variety of context. Last week I was part of a dedicated team that installed one of the largest exhibitions of Colin's work outside of the National gallery. I was surrounded by ghosts. The pressures and joys of being a part of something so moving and monumental left me drained and touched by the emotional stigma that surrounds his work. He never did anything alone. Last night, after the show and working almost non stop for two weeks I dreamt in video. I watched myself on screen. Walking by in a favorite shirt, looking disheveld, intoxicated and in a separate state. I remembered the scene as I was watching it, remembered it as I dreamt it and as I had recorded it. I felt ghosts. I saw my own ghost.
There are always recurring thoughts when I have made single independent works in the past. Eating oneself. Being both created and destroyed in any instant. A complete paradox of existance.
After watching myself I realized that I had been dreaming video. I saw the apparitions emerge from artifact ridden screens and dissolve behind blurs and distortions in projections. Light may be an illusion but is still the best kind.
In the late 70's and early 80's the video art movement was in part a reaction to the money market behind the arts. It was easily reproduced and shown in a variety of context. Last week I was part of a dedicated team that installed one of the largest exhibitions of Colin's work outside of the National gallery. I was surrounded by ghosts. The pressures and joys of being a part of something so moving and monumental left me drained and touched by the emotional stigma that surrounds his work. He never did anything alone. Last night, after the show and working almost non stop for two weeks I dreamt in video. I watched myself on screen. Walking by in a favorite shirt, looking disheveld, intoxicated and in a separate state. I remembered the scene as I was watching it, remembered it as I dreamt it and as I had recorded it. I felt ghosts. I saw my own ghost.
There are always recurring thoughts when I have made single independent works in the past. Eating oneself. Being both created and destroyed in any instant. A complete paradox of existance.
After watching myself I realized that I had been dreaming video. I saw the apparitions emerge from artifact ridden screens and dissolve behind blurs and distortions in projections. Light may be an illusion but is still the best kind.
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