Archives 1993 ()

28 September - 23 October 1993

(Simon Glass - from the suite “Fall From Grace, 1990″)

31 August - 25 September 1993

The photographs I am showing at the Floating Gallery represent domestic realities such as windows, curtains, human presence, food, back yard, table, lamps, mirrors etc. Connected to this reality are objects such as puppets, milagros, a frame, a magnifying glass and marbles. These icons, coming from my personal life become an enigmatic theatrical fiction.
There is the window through which we see the back yard and witness the interior of the house where the guests are; the kitchen; the vegetables. Outside, in the yard, a nightmarish drama involving a giant potato unfolds. Back inside: Two strange characters are sitting at a table surrounded by special objects, one of which is the Niagara Falls lamp. This lamp becomes the main icon leading us to the world of magical objects.
The frames, made of fabric, felt, leaves and bark, marbles, beads, etc. have a life of their own. They refer to the window, it’s point of view tipping back and forth from the exterior to the interior; they remind us of the everyday theatre that takes place in the images.

8-31 July 1993

Born in Montreal in 1942, Serge Tousignant has become a major artistic figure in Quebec. With an extensive exhibition history including the Musee d’art contemporain in Montreal, the National Gallery in Ottawa, the Musee du Quebec in Quebec City, his work “represents a milestone in Quebec art history,” says Gilles Senechal, curator of “Maquettes d’atelier/Studio Maquettes”.
This exhibition reveals the process which generates the sculptural works for which he is re-knowned. As Senechal states, “The exhibition reveals the hidden face, the blind spot of the artist’s universe.” The maquettes are integral to the production of the final sculptural pieces but separately, they stand on their own formalistic, imagistic qualities.
This exhibition has been organized by Gilles Senechal and is being circulated by galerie Sequence.

13 May - 5 June 1993

The works in this exhibition are photo-collages utilizing photographs that were taken between 1900-1920. It is my contention that the Edwardian and post Edwardian periods were the last great eras of romance and sentimentality, and society still held the Victorian attitudes towards sex, religion and, especially, social values. And it is these attitudes and values that I am depicting, usually in a satirical fashion. As well, there are subtle, didactic messages that can be applied to our own generation because, as in “The Progress of Time”, we are still making the same mistakes.
These collages are purposely housed in small rectangular boxes to promote the element of depth and draw the viewer into them in an intimate way. The viewer, in effect, becomes a voyeur, as if they were looking into someone’s living room. We must confront these pieces  as environments that take us into another time and dimension, and make us familiar with the ghosts’ realm. These boxes also resemble coffins and reinforce the idea of death: death of an era, but also the demise of the people in the photographs who are no longer alive.
There is an overall minimalist design to these works. The photograph is the principal element, oftentimes juxtaposed incongruously with period bric-a-brac, fabric, magazine cut outs and found objects. Solid, flat colours are usually used as a backdrop against these elements. Because I have lived the majority of my life in Saskatchewan, the concept of Prairie Minimalism seems to be a major force behind my presentation of the subject matter in this manner.
I have deliberately chosen to create dimensionality in these boxes in varied and innovative ways. Sometimes the subjects are used as pop-ups, where there is a 3-D effect. At other times the photographs are simply stuck to the box’s flat surface. And on other occasions, such as the work “Golden Boy Challenges His Future”, there is an interplay between two and three dimensions.
Although the focus of these collages is the social, satirical or personal message, the strength is in the photographic subjects themselves. Because the people in the photos are strangers, their images having been recycled incongruously, our imagination must fill in the blanks as to who they were their personalities and social circumstances. Thus, all the pieces have a strong emotional appeal to be discovered.

15 April - 8 May 1993

16 March - 10 April 1993

Photographers | Pena Bonita, Patricia Deadman, Joe Shebagegit and Richard Ray Whitman

No Borders

The concept of “No Borders” came from the idea of relaxed restrictions. The freedom of expression for Native photographers to experiment with the medium of photography to ease. To compliment photography with added medias to enhance the original photograph or idea.
Other factors taken into consideration are that this exhibit features the work of four contemporary artisits - two from Canada and two from the United States; two females and two males; and various degrees of professionalism in the art field. Sine North American Indians have the right to travel and live in both countries, awe are not bound by the border, thereby also reinforcing the title “No Borders”.
Artists in this exhibit are Pena Bonita (new York City, New York), Richard Ray Whitman ( Norman, Oklahoma), Patricia Deadman (Woodstock, Ontario) and Joe Shebagegit (Nestor Falls, Ontario). These artists were selected on the basis of their experience, creativity and knowledge of the Native culture. One common element in the exhibit is the relationship that these photographers share in the depiction and respect of the native person experiencing the moment. They can relate to t heir subject as a person, a human being and a brother or sister of the same race.
These are all important factors when one documents or takes it upon oneself to record a race of people. By being from the same roots, one is able to relate to the subject matter on the same level. There are “do’s and dont’s” in relations to “native photography”. Many of the photographers have restrictions that they have to adhere to in respect to taking photographs of the rituals and ceremonies. The basic principle in this situation is the “Respect Factor”. One should ask permission to record and take photographs of delicate matters.

By: Yvonne Maracle

18 February - 13 March 1993

This Vancouver artist’s work deals with the social construction of desire and its relationship to racial issues. His critique is situated within a Chinese-Canadian context and offers a look through another’s eye

21 January - 13 February 1993

Curated by Wayne Baerwaldt