Sunday, February 27, 2011

Thelma Rosner at loop

Dictionary by Thelma Rosner c2011

Concern about national and religious conflict in the Middle East has been the subject of much of Thelma Rosner's recent artistic practice. In her exploration of these issues, she has considered Jewish-Muslim relations in both historical and contemporary contexts, from the magnificent culture of Andalusia to the conflicting narratives of today's Israel-Palestine. In the latter situation, the achievement of equality and dignity for both peoples should remain a realistic hope.

This ideal is the focus of Rosner's work. The doubling of images or words to indicate connection and equivalence is her underlying structural strategy.

In the book work Dictionary, a Hebrew-Arabic Arabic-Hebrew ‘dictionary’ takes the form of an accordion book. On each page, a simple object is represented by a visual image, and by identifying words in Hebrew and Arabic. Each image begins as a painting from which two archival digital prints are made. In each pair of prints, the text placement is switched and the image mirrored. The dictionary images or 'entries' are chosen for their resonance to both Israelis and Palestinians. Like literary metaphors, the images are open to interpretation.

Installation shot by Gary Clement
Thelma Rosner studied painting at the University of Western Ontario, where Paterson Ewen was her teacher and mentor. She has exhibited her work in Canada, the USA and England.  She has received grants from the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, and Banff Centre for the Arts. For the last decade, her production has focused on Muslim-Jewish issues, most recently on the Israel-Palestine situation.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Photos from Gary Clement's Show of Dark Energy at Loop Gallery

Gary Clement

Installation Shot Dark Energy by Gary Clement

Opening Reception Gary Clement

Opening Reception Dark Energy by Gary Clement
Photo credits: All photos provided courtesy of Gary Clement. 

Gary Clement's show "Dark Energy" made the National Post's list of Top 5 Things to Do in Toronto last weekend. If you couldn't fit it onto your list, the show continues through to March 6, 2011.

Loop Gallery is located at 1273 Dundas West (at Dovercourt) in Toronto.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Gary Clement and Thelma Rosner at Loop

Moon Base Alpha by Gary Clement 2011
Even before the opening of Gary Clement's and Thelma Rosner's shows at loop Gallery today, their work has attracted reviewer's attention.

The Globe & Mail newspaper's reviewer R.M. Vaughan says "Clement's madcap, itchy drawings about 'dark matter' and Rosner's liturgy-and-politics-informed paintings about the Israel-Palestine conflict appear to be an odd match - but both artists are seeking manageable answers to impossible questions." (Globe and Mail, The Exhibitionist by R.M. Vaughan, Saturday, February 19, 2011, Globe Arts page R14)

The National Post featured an interview of Clement about cartoons and creativity in yesterday's paper. Written by the Post's Barry Hertz, the interview reveals that Clement "did maybe 400 drawings initially, then got it down to 150 for the second cut, and from that edited it down to 42. They all had to be ink on paper or ink and collage on paper." The full text can be read here.

Join Gary Clement and Thelma Rosner at loop Gallery this afternoon from 2-5 pm to celebrate their opening.

loop Gallery is located at 1273 Dundas Street West at Dovercourt. 

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Upcoming Show at loop: Gary Clement and Thelma Rosner


loop Gallery is pleased to announce exhibitions by loop members Gary Clement entitled Dark Energy, and Thelma Rosner entitled Dictionary.


Concern about national and religious conflict in the Middle East has been the subject of much of Thelma Rosner's recent artistic practice. In her exploration of these issues, she has considered Jewish-Muslim relations in both historical and contemporary contexts, from the magnificent culture of Andalusia to the conflicting narratives of today's Israel-Palestine. In the latter situation, the achievement of equality and dignity for both peoples should remain a realistic hope. This ideal is the focus of Rosner's work. The doubling of images or words to indicate connection and equivalence is her underlying structural strategy.

Thelma Rosner studied painting at the University of Western Ontario, where Paterson Ewen was her teacher and mentor. Her mixed media installations generally refer to concrete social concerns. For the last decade, her production has focused on Muslim-Jewish issues, most recently on the Israel-Palestine situation.


The ink drawings in Dark Energy reflect Gary Clement’s lifelong interest in history, cosmology, archaeology, sitcoms, bodily functions, music, poetry astronauts and current events among other things. As a cartoonist/artist Clement draws heavily on the diverse influences that have shaped his work, from MAD magazine and National Lampoon to Philip Guston and Joseph Cornell.

The title, Dark Energy, refers to a hypothetical force that permeates the universe. In the context of this show, it refers to the materiality of the India ink used in the drawings, to the frenetic period of energy that produced the drawings and to the permeable and wide ranging nature of the subjects that inform the drawings.

Gary Clement is the political cartoonist for the National Post. His cartoons have appeared in the New York Times Week In Review, The Guardian and TIME. As a freelance illustrator, his work has appeared in publications around the world. He is also a children’s writer/illustrator whose many awards include the 1999 Governor General’s Award for Illustration for his book “The Great Poochini”. This is his 7th show at Loop. He is represented in Toronto by Loop Gallery and by Parts Gallery.



Please join the artists in celebrating their opening receptions on Saturday, February 19 from 2-5 pm.


Learn more about Gary Clement’s work during a Question & Answer Session at loop on Saturday March 5th at 3pm. Moderated by Peter Kuitenbrouwer/National Post.

 

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Last Chance to see Ingrid Mida and JJ Lee's Exhibition at Loop Gallery

Ere we shall meet again
by Ingrid Mida 2011
There are four days left to see the work of Ingrid Mida and JJ Lee at Loop Gallery. The gallery will be open on Thursday, February 10 to Saturday, February 12th from noon to 5 pm. The show will close on Sunday, February 13th at 4 pm following a 3 pm reading of The White Tortoise of Ch'u by author Fabian Boutilier and artist JJ Lee.

Author Fabian Boutilier and Artist JJ Lee
Photo by Ester Pugliese, 2011

Both artists were interviewed for Art Sync TV. As well, Ingrid Mida's series All is Vanity was reviewed by DF Krouskie for the loop blog and JJ Lee's work was mentioned by RM Vaughan in his Globe & Mail gallery feature. And Ingrid recently was honoured with an invitation to speak about her work at the American Costume Society conference in the fall.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Interview with Author Fabian Boutilier

Author Fabian Boutilier and Artist JJ Lee

Fabian Boutilier is the author of the mystical children's story The White Tortoise of Ch'u. He approached artist JJ Lee about creating the illustrations for the story which are currently on exhibit at loop Gallery.


Ingrid: What motivated you to write a children's story?
Fabian: To be honest, I don't really think of the Ch'u story as a children's story. When I wrote it, certainly, I didn't sit down with the intention of writing a children's story. I had been reading the Chinese philosophers at the time - Confucius, Lao Tzu, Mencius and, of course, Chuang Tzu. It was an anecdote I had read in Chuang Tzu concerning a sacred tortoise that prompted me to write "The White Tortoise of Ch'u". If, at the time, you had asked me what I was writing, I would have said simply a story. If you pressed me, I might have said a folktale. It never would have occurred to me to say I was writing a children's story. I did, however, read the story once to a gathering of friends that included writers, artists, academics and several of their children. The youngest of the children was about 7, I think, and the oldest 11 or thereabouts. I was surprised at their enthusiastic response to the story. That, I suppose, was when it first occurred to me that the story might find a young audience. I understand that, ever since the Brothers Grimm, the link between the folktale and children has become stronger so that, today, to say "folktale" or "fable" is, for many, to say "children's story". Still, I resist the idea that this is a children's story. A fable, sure; a folktale, yes: but not a children's story. The story wants readers; the story doesn't care how old or young those readers might be. 

Ingrid: Can you give a brief description of the story of The Tortoise of Ch'u.
Fabian: "The White Tortoise of Ch'u" is the story of a sacred tortoise that is kept in the imperial palace by the King of Ch'u. Highly prized for his white shell and his skill at divination, the tortoise is kept on a silk cushion and eats oysters off a bronze shovel. Despite the comfort - indeed, luxury - of his situation, the tortoise is not happy. No one knows of the tortoise's unhappiness - does anyone even care? - until, one day, a musician arrives at court and plays a song called "Wagging My Tale in the Mud". A conversation between the tortoise and the musician ensues, the musician learns of the tortoise's plight and - well, I'll stop there since I wouldn't want to give the story's ending away.

Ingrid: Is this your first children's story?
Fabian: I've long admired the folktale and the fable as a literary form. This is neither my first nor my only story of this kind. JJ and I have already talked about our next project.

Ingrid: Your brief bio on the press release mentions that you are an author and a playwright. What other type of work have you had published or performed?
Fabian: For a brief time, in the 80s, I was associated with the Theatre Centre. I wrote, produced and directed my own work. It was all very experimental (or so we thought), very avant garde, very black box. I haven't written for the theatre in many years. I miss my theatre days. My one claim to fame is that I was one of the founders of the annual Rhubarb festival. I also claim to have been the one who named the festival, however, there are some who would dispute this. I wrote, among others, the plays "Gina Lolabrigida" and "Ah But It Sings But It Sings Luvena" which was published in Rhubarb-O-Rama. To give you an idea of the sort of plays these were, pages of the Luvena play were transposed in the published version and it hardly makes any difference at all. Since leaving the theatre, I have continued to write but no longer write plays. I write short, short stories or what, today, are commonly called metafictions and stories like the Ch'u story. I have a collection of metafictions, titled "The Ovation", and a collection of folktales titled "A Sack of Tears & Other Tales".   

Ingrid: You describe yourself as a dilettante. Do tell more!!
Fabian: What more is there to tell? I'm a dabbler by nature. I've lived my whole life in a kind of desultory way relying on occasional enthusiams rather than a single purpose to pass the time. This is what makes me a dilettante. I would change it if I could, and I am trying, but it's probably too late now.

Ingrid: When did you first encounter JJ Lee's work?
Fabian: I happened upon Carte Blanche, quite by chance, one day in my local library. At the time, I was searching, albeit casually, for an illustrator; not for Ch'u but for another story. I had been thinking about starting to publish some of my stories. I had the idea of finding my own illustrators to collaborate with rather than following the usual path which is to find a publisher who would then find an illustrator. I felt - somewhat arrogantly, I admit - that I was the person best suited to finding the right illustrator for my stories. Anyway, I was leafing through Carte Blanche when I chanced to see JJ's work. This was the first I had ever seen or heard of JJ Lee. I was struck by the sheer beauty of her work, by its orientalism, its melancholy and other qualities besides. It occurred to me that JJ's style would suit perfectly The White Tortoise of Ch'u although, as I have said, the Ch'u story wasn't first on my mind at the time.

Ingrid: What made you decide to ask her to illustrate your story?
Fabian: It was a quick decision. When I closed Carte Blanche that day at the library, I had already decided to ask. I scribbled her name on a piece of paper. I went home. I googled "JJ Lee". I contacted her. In hindsight, it all seems somewhat serendipitous now. It was my good fortune to have contacted JJ at a time when she had begun herself to think about illustrating books. We traded a few e-mails, we met, and here we are. The qualities to be found in her work that I have already mentioned above were among the reasons that prompted me to approach JJ with the project in the first place. But also, and perhaps most importantly, I could see that JJ would bring the sophistication of a fine artist to the task of illustrating the story which is what I wanted.

Ingrid: What's next for you besides becoming the despotic ruler of a small island on the west coast?
Fabian: More of the same. I have abandoned my despot plan - well, maybe not abandoned but postponed - in order to start a publishing company that will specialize in publishing books like The White Tortoise of Ch'u that are collaborations between writers and artists. I'll begin by self-publishing some of my own stories. I have a number of projects in the works as I am typing this. Eventually and before too long, if all goes as planned, I'll begin publishing other stories by other writers and artists.

Author Fabian Boutilier and artist JJ Lee will be at the gallery on Sunday, February 6 and Sunday, February 13, 2011. Fabian will read the story The White Tortoise of Ch'u at 3 pm. 

Loop Gallery is located at 1273 Dundas Street West in Toronto. Gallery hours this weekend are Friday and Saturday 1-5 pm and Sunday 1-4 pm. 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Review of Ingrid Mida's All is Vanity by DF Krouskie

Among the myriad of associations elicited by Ingrid Mida's series All is Vanity was Joan Didion's  book 'The Year of Magical Thinking' (written by Didion following the death of her husband and daughter). Ingrid's images are a true interpretation of the magical thinking we all experience following the loss of someone dear to us. The images resonate and to me, are universal. And for this reason, Ingrid's exhibition stayed with me long after I left the gallery. While aesthetically beautiful, this work demands, deserves and rewards a careful observation.

All is Vanity is comprised of a series of black and white photo-compositions that depict a narrative about how one experiences and endures grief and then must find a way to rebuild one's life after tragic loss. The images are powerful, using motion as well as black and white contrast as a metaphor for overwhelming emotion. Initially, there is no joy but the series cycles through grief to find peace and acceptance.

The artist has used period costumes from the opera and the setting of Versailles to allude to the measure of tragedy. All appears solid, luxuriant and everlasting on the surface, but the surface we see is deceptive. The figure of a woman thrashes through the woods, resting against trees for support, swirling in anguish, sometimes with the head cropped at the neck, all the while dressed in an exquisite gown. The suffering, misery and distress are evident in every image despite the beauty of the gown, the place or the woman.

It is important to note that the artist is the model, the woman in the photo. How does the woman/artist conquer her suffering? The inference is that she has done so, with inner strength, through her art.

The content of the images is powerful and all raw emotion. Yet the composition and production values of the images are all about control and the deliberate choices of an artist in command of her concept and her technique.

I have watched, with interest, the development, content and execution of Ms. Mida's work. This is an honest break from her earlier oeuvre. Yet she has employed her previous interests, ideas and motifs in an entirely new and very compelling format.

With this series, Ms. Mida demonstrates that she is in command of her subject and medium. Her photography speaks to time and the question of what is real, what is illusion and what is lost.

By DF Krouskie

All is Vanity by Ingrid Mida
Now showing at loop Gallery
1273 Dundas Street West, Toronto
until February 13, 2011