Day Nine (Toronto)

Today was the final opening of the Open Spaces Gallery in Toronto until next fall, September 2011. I was expecting to present a local painter Oluwatosin Sanni but the weather called for thunder and rain and we both decided to delay his exhibition until next fall to prevent from damaging his paintings.

So I had to come up with a plan, a creative way to use the space. What was I going to do? I have started playing with a new experiment where I sit on a house doorstep and use that time to doodle, colour and write randomly into my sketchbook inspired by that doorstep. When I feel complete or finished I put the drawing into an unsealed envelope that has my address on it, place the envelope into their mailbox. The envelope explains that I drew this on their doorstep and they can reply if they wish. It is fun for me but also a recreation of a pen pal, or art sharing and way to include the viewer in a part of the process of generating ideas, is totally open for interpretation, and plays with the artists role of parting with their ideas, artwork, moments of freedom and sharing them with others.

So I decided to run with this experiment in the Open Spaces Gallery today. I did two drawings in the hour, they included text from thoughts that ran across my mind as I drew or words from uncontextualized conversations which I heard while people were walking by and then I placed these words into my drawings. Each drawing was put into an individual envelope marked with my name and address. On the front of one of the the envelopes is written "I drew this on the street today" and the other envelope is written "I left this here for you to find" and as a parting gift from the gallery, to leave my presence and I think to benefit the performance, I left the envelopes on the sidewalk with the hopes that someone may find the curiosity to pick one up and respond. I will see if anyone is up for some fun. I like these projects that have no rules, they have my own expectations but come with other people's interpretations which help me further develop my concepts.

Since today was the final opening of the gallery for some time, I was torn about what to do with the territorial marker, the baby carriage Iroquois Confederacy Flag and beaded fabric that sits draped upon the flag. These have really come to identify the gallery's presence and existence on Wednesdays. I have kept the beaded fabric to bring with me to Vancouver and perhaps use as a surface, blanket to continue manipulating but also to host the gallery on and mark my chosen parking space. However, the baby carriage Iroquois Confederacy Flag is now apart of the ephemeral genre of art. I pushed it down to Union Station, and got a lot of strange glares in the process of pushing a broken baby carriage with no baby. I decided to treat it as a real monument or flag. Outside of Union Station there is a large monument to multiculturalism depicting a human figure raising a spherical globe kind of thing with birds flying overhead. I thought a monument to multiculturalism? Wow, what a perfect place to leave the Iroquois Confederacy Flag, left as a monument for the rest of the day probably, but it would be great if the baby stroller has been adopted as an important part of Toronto public art. Again, the Open Spaces Gallery led to a creative day for me.

Future plans for Open Spaces Gallery are; open a related project in Vancouver over the summer months, continue documenting the projects process, use the summer months to develop a strong base of upcoming performances in the fall of 2011 when the Open Spaces Gallery will reopen in Toronto and hopefully be an essential part of the Colloquium of Aboriginal Visual Culture that happens in October. Still work to do, but that is a good thing.

Upcoming Exhibitions (Toronto)

Fall 2011

Tanya Linklater, a performance artist/experimental choreographer based in North Bay, Ontario. Tanya is of Alutiiq descent from a southern coastal First Nation Alaskan community. This will be an exciting performance as Tanya plans to create a unique performance for the Open Spaces Gallery. To view Tanya's past works and websiter; www.ikalluk.wordpress.com

Potential relationship between students and faculty of the OCAD performance art faculty and Open Spaces Gallery. This is exciting because this relationship could evolve into weekly manifestations and explorations of the body as medium. Woo hoo, I love this.

Future plans for Open Spaces Gallery are; open a related project in Vancouver over the summer months, continue documenting the projects process, use the summer months to develop a strong base of upcoming performances in the fall of 2011 when the Open Spaces Gallery will reopen in Toronto and hopefully be an essential part of the Colloquium of Aboriginal Visual Culture that happens in October. Still work to do, but that is a good thing.

Day Eight (Toronto)

I have been developing a painting project inspired by the Betty Goodwin installation of a thick canvas-and-rope sculpture at the AGO. I was just there one day needing some time away from my thoughts and I totally got inspired by the loose tarpaulin draped over a horizontal pole. I have since purchased a 5'x5' canvas and have carried it around with me throughout Toronto a few times. To allow my surface to be as spontaneous as I am, to carry it with me when I am ready to go, to have something more substantial than a sketchbook, to incorporate my wandering walks throughout the downtown and along the discarded areas awaiting the spot I wish to layout the canvas and paint my surroundings.

Today at Open Spaces Gallery I decided to incorporate this identification with my art process into the open space. I woke up this morning and I knew I just wanted to layout the canvas and paint. The canvas took the shape of a blanket that I could paint and think on. I felt very proud of being apart of the Open Spaces Gallery today. Lots of thought development took place today as I have finished my classes and feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulders and being apart of a creative outdoor project was just what I needed.

I had some great conversations and shared a lot of hellos with people passing by, seeming to be happy to see a random act of painting on the street. I had an exciting conversation with an OCAD faculty member about performance art and her students. I love hearing stories about other practicing artists using their body to express a concept. We spoke about the potential next fall to use the Open Spaces Gallery as a venue for performance art students from OCAD to present and explore ideas. Of course I was in agreement and look forward to greater potential for use of the Open Spaces Gallery. I am really excited that this project is encouraging the involvement of other artists to take part in an outdoor temporal and alternative venue. Great! Another great feeling was to know that the small steps taken to advertise and document this project has lead to raising interest, to hear that this project is recognized and being watched when it feels as though some days I am on my own.

That is totally how I see the potential of Open Spaces Gallery too. You know, it doesn't need to be a space specifically for finished art pieces or works, but as a space that encourages and celebrates the exploration of developing new ideas. A documentation of the process that exists when involved in the construction of thought. Like, hey I got and idea, look, that guy has an open venue, lets go play kind of a thing. I have been encouraging this kind of minimal process at the Buffalo Stews at OCAD, the development of a small inkling of an idea is completely rewarding and can grow into a magnificent creation and a potential long term project. Anyways, that is what I hope for. The fall hasn't come yet, but there seems to be some great potential for future performances at Open Spaces Gallery.

Anyways, the conversation really inspired new thought about potential use for the Open Spaces Gallery. Encouraged thought about how I identify with art; how do I identify with my projects? This open gallery is a lot of performance, an act to be present for an hour, to celebrate the potential for opening of alternative space and to believe in my concept beyond the questioning looks. A show piece of what I can do with my art and my body, of feeling good. To use art to manifest good feelings and not a focus around frustration. To incorporate my practice around my daily routines

Being in everyone's eye today as they clean out their lockers and pick up their artwork, I feel correct. Today was both challenging and rewarding. It was hard to lay down the canvas and sit in the middle of an unfinished work and just stand behind the gallery concept and allow this performance to be my existence in the fresh crisp air painting from my surroundings. I never thought I would see myself sitting in the middle of the street in Toronto in front of an art school I attend. I really like the silence of this project. To sit in silence and slowly raise visibility of First Nation culture, or like today, visibility to the possibility of expressing creativity wherever someone wants. To raise awareness through a silent performance. I identify with grass roots projects that are more about celebrating free thought. To be inspired by natural materials of the environment and influenced by the open atmosphere. To breathe.

Next Wednesday, April 27 2011 Open Spaces Gallery will welcome Oluwatosin Sanni, a local Visual and Graphic Artist, to exhibit paintings exploring the artists fear of the unknown. As can be seen in the top painting on the right, the almost alien like figures and concepts of his work explore his experience as a newcomer to Canada from Nigeria. This exhibition promises to be stimulating. To view Oluwatosin's website; www.mycreomotion.com

Day Seven (Toronto)

www.janusnomad.com
www.janusdanceswithghosts.com






























Today is Wednesday April 13th and probably the most fantastic experience at Open Spaces Gallery. I welcomed Janus a local sculptor from Edeb Mills near Markham and an artist desiring to share her knowledge with eager emerging artists like Morena and myself.

Janus loved the Open Spaces Gallery concept of celebrating open land and freedom of land used to express culture. Janus saw Morena and I as artists willing to celebrate the recreation of the outdoor environment. I was happy to be viewed in such a way and Janus' words reignited my original conceptual excitement of Open Spaces Gallery. This week has seemed to be full of personal lessons and realizations to develop a perspective of appreciation.

Janus exhibited sculptures that are part of her Nomad series of terra-cotta assemblages of her life. Representations of family members, sculpted by hand creating strong terra-cotta interpretations of confident women. In Janus' words; "They are an ongoing portrait study of contemporary women. The Nomads are a hauntingly physical interpretation of the silent voices of ancestral culutre, history and society." A process using very natural resources and process, Janus uses bonfire in the final firing of the Nomad sculptures. I just imagined a beautiful process relying on Janus' time, energy and eye for knowing when the process and sculpture are complete. To me, this is important because the sculpture's perfection relies on Janus' knowledge of her subject and personal expression. This knowledge helps to construct the sculpture from the base up.

Three sculptures were set up on a large table in the middle of the parking space and a single wooden sculpture presented on the street. All sculptures resembled the "ancestral culture, history and society" of women and the First Nation cultural following of a matriarchal history. There was no need for the territorial marker today because of the strong sculptural presence, the gallery was well marked. We received a lot of positive feedback from students and the general public throughout the presentation. The sculptures definitely have the ability to stop traffic. The sculptures have a strong gaze and stoic presence. They represent strong individuals but also their individual detail reflect personal qualities of the sculpture. I loved these detailed patterns on the figures clothing, face and crowns. The detail was created through Janus' creative hand but also used found material, like a beaded fabric pattern taken from Janus' lamp, to imprint original detail into the terra cotta sculptures. I love when artists use found objects from their everyday environment. I think many artists are inspired by their surroundings, and when Janus is considering adding detailed imprints to her sculptures she considers all of her surroundings for available materials.

The main sculpture in the middle of the table represents Janus' niece who is a strong individual. The figures strength is acknowledged by adorning imprinted battle axes on the top of the cheekbones.

I was really pleased to meet Janus and was really impressed with her support of the Open Spaces Gallery project. Janus shared a lot of insight as a mature artist. Encouraged me to continue the Open Spaces Gallery, maintain relationships with the artists I will meet through this project and view the project as a source for my own development. I really needed this encouragement and am very excited to persevere along with the development of this project.

An amazing and beautiful part of Janus' performance at the Open Spaces Gallery was her song. She adorned a drum to beat a miigwetch rhythm, a chant of thank you to the land and space. The song is personally created inspired by the women of Cape Croker. Janus' personal principles are so great because for me it meant that the sculptures and song are individually created with a personal relation, understanding and respect of the land we live on and its history. I found myself totally calm as Janus was beating the drum and I was focusing on the attached feather and red colour. Also, my eyes focused on the beating drumstick. Janus will be uploading a video of this performance on her websites;
www.JanusNomad.com
www.JanusDancesWithGhosts.com

Day Six (Toronto) OCAD Student Art Show

Today is April 6 2011 and was another successful opening of the Open Spaces Gallery, Morena is so loyal to this project it is incredible and quite refreshing. The plan for today was to use the street gallery space as an exhibition venue for OCAD students from my VISC 3B42 course, Critical Issues in First Nations Art.

Unfortunately, I was not joined by their artwork which is a real shame because they created magnificent art works related to their association with First Nation culture, which exactly meets the mandate of Open Spaces Gallery and would have been a great moment. Perhaps it is me as the curator, maybe I am not successfully creating a stimulant amongst the students to take part in the project, a free space to exhibit their artwork from class. However, it is my preference to let these happenings be natural, to proceed in a way that does not enforce anything on the artist. To allow the presence of the Open Spaces Gallery project be enough to encourage involvement. This project is best served as a whisper. Letting First Nation artists and people know that there is an open space available for the presentation of culture, come and take part if you wish, the project will only benefit from more involvement and layers of education provided by additional creative participants and artworks.

The VISC 3B42 class had its critique of artworks today and the works were very diverse; printmaking, graphic design, sculpture and paintings. Some themes discussed were memory and how it is altered and prioritized throughout time, especially regarding First Nation history when it is blurred, misunderstood and misrepresented. Creating art is great because we are able to use our minds to comment with large sweeping instincts as a reaction, emotional or aesthetic, to challenging topics like a people's history.

Another theme discussed was land and how it is treated regarding First Nation land concerns, treatment, history, but also reflecting on a general commentary to how we as people perceive the land's purpose and use. These topics really raised a lot of great discussion amongst the class and I found the critiques very stimulating.

A favourite work of mine which I wish could have been included in the gallery street space was this recreation of a puzzle into a tool to tell fortunes. I think I was excited by the growth and development of the concept. An OCAD artist named Beth found a unique colourful plastic 3dimensional puzzle that she could not complete and transformed the pieces into a mechanism for fortune telling. The artwork included three separate objects that had no connection to one another beyond the artist's conceptual framework. The eight pieces of the puzzle placed into a container, shook and dumped out onto a small circular carpet. The volunteer's fortune was told by the way the pieces fell and placement, the artist was able to convey a reading of the volunteer's fortune. I just loved the performance and aspect of recreation of found material identified into a fortune telling tool.

Once again, it was a terrible loss to Open Spaces Gallery that none of the artists wanted to display their works. Today at 100 McCaul, Morena and I opened the gallery in a parking space with a purchased parking ticket, territorial marker and drawn chalk to define the space borders. Morena and I used the the street to display three paintings, two sculptures and two encaustic works.

The three paintings were my expression of First Nation culture as a reaction to course material I learned through the VISC 3B42 Critical Issues class and meant to comment on my frustration inspired from the 1990 Oka standoff. I just felt that instead of finding a successful solution for the land dispute and standoff, the Quebec and Federal government officials just used computer buttons meant to 'delete', extend and complicate the dispute. The abstract backgrounds are meant to suggest my process of layered frustration and the absurdity of discrimination and ignorance, therefore, the landscapes are only blurred suggestions of clarity.

Also, Morena and I continued beading today in the gallery street space. With the increase in street traffic, the territorial marker and act of beading has attracted a lot of attention, interest and raised awareness about the originality of the Open Spaces Gallery project. I added beading around a crushed can I found on the street as I felt this would help add an aspect of my own identity to the beautiful territorial marker.

Next Wednesday April 13th, a local sculptor from Markham, Janus, will join the Open Spaces Gallery and use the street space for the presentation of sculptures (top right image) and compliment the show with a public performance of song in celebration of opening the availability of land. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

Janus' sculptures can be viewed on her website; www.janusnomad.com