Author: Maggie Hope

Following the tide of artistic creation

Lin has been teaching at Concordia since she was a graduate student in 2001. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

Part-time studio arts instructor Jenny Lin on how her practice continues to evolve

“I’ve been working in a really introspective way,” Jenny Lin said of her recent artistic endeavours. The visual artist and part-time Concordia professor has found herself in what seems to be a creative ebb—drawing back from her usual schedule to make room for new projects and pursuits.

One glance at Lin’s resume will reveal how busy she’s been over the past couple of decades, with most of her artistic work taking place during her teaching career at Concordia. “I feel like I can be a better teacher when I’m actually making work,” she said. A 2018 recipient of the Fine Arts Distinguished Teaching Award, Lin is soft spoken yet firmly present.

Lin began teaching at the university during her master’s degree in print media in 2001. She taught a screenprinting course in her third year, but upon graduating, found herself unsure about a career as a teacher. Instead, Lin worked in the studio arts office for a few years before Tony Patricio, the office administrator, convinced her to apply for a teaching position. She got her first teaching job in 2004 and has been an instructor at Concordia ever since.

“It made me a bit more confident and sure that I wanted to do this,” Lin said about landing her first gig. What started as a few occasional classes developed into a steady schedule, and by 2007, Lin had solidified her place at the university.

Lin’s screenprinted zine, avoid taking too personally or literally, 2018. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Lin said her job as a professor influences her creative career, and vice versa. “It’s inspiring to be around people making art and [to] get to talk about what they’re doing, and help guide them through the process,” she said. “The teaching really inspires me to keep making work.” Keeping an open creative channel between work and play is essential for both aspects of her practice to succeed, Lin said. “[I’m] lucky to be able to work in the studio art [department]. Both things feed each other.”

It’s fair to say that she’s found the balance, because Lin’s artistic biography is staggering. Since her time as an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary, Lin has racked up over 150 credits in group and solo exhibitions, video screenings, residencies, artists’ book collections and workshops. But her list of accomplishments isn’t what Lin considers to be most important—it’s the people she’s been able to work with, and certain projects that have her particularly inspired.

Although Lin completed her master’s degree in print media, she also took video courses while studying at Concordia. At the time, Lin was interested in creating art through non-physical means. Though she has shifted gears a little since her graduate work, this is a sentiment the artist continues to investigate. “I feel interested in [the] different ways that people can be reached by an artwork,” she said. “It’s interesting that someone could see something on the web, in their house, or on a random computer, and enter into this world—like a story—that they get immersed in.”

In her recent projects, Lin has been more focused on print media and zine work. These works can be immersive in their own way, she explained. In addition to being a tangible medium that the viewer can interact with, “artists’ books can fit in many spaces,” she said. Opposed to more traditional work that only appears in a gallery, for example, zines and artists’ books facilitate a more intimate relationship between work and viewer, Lin said.

The artist said she feels more distant from the virtual world now than she did while creating video and digital work. “The way that I was presenting it, or the way that people were accessing it felt a little unsatisfying,” she explained. Lin refocused her practice, leading her to build quite an extensive collection of artists’ books, host bookmaking and zinemaking workshops, and participate in zine fairs across the country with her partner Eloisa Aquino, who is also an artist. Lin and Aquino publish some of their collaborative work under the name B&D Press.

The artist’s 2016 poster/zine titled That which separates you and I or here and there. Photo courtesy of the artist.

As for why she’s drawn to bookmaking and published work specifically, Lin said “[zinemaking] is a way to create a space for more marginalized voices, and also to create a different space where it’s about encountering different people.” She has worked with a variety of groups in efforts to showcase art from marginalized groups, such as the Qouleur collective, which focuses on art and activism of people of colour within the LGBTTQ+ community. According to its Twitter page, Qouleur also hosts a “festival celebrating racialized queer/trans* identities and experience.” Lin said she connected with many people, and was inspired by the time she spent working with Qouleur.

In 2015, Lin helped create the Queer Print Club at Concordia. The artist said she “felt there was a need to bring something more collective and more political into the studios, [and] it seemed like the perfect thing to bridge the community, and the art studios, and teaching in this institution.” According to Lin’s website, the club encourages undergraduate students to “[create] projects that explore the collaborative, community-based and democratic aspects of print.”

Although some may see print media and zine work as disposable, Lin believes in its ability to connect with and create space for those not reflected in the mainstream art scene. In mainstream publishing, for example, “there’s way more distance between the artist and the audience,” Lin said. She also finds smaller, physical artworks refreshing in an age of social media and technological inundation. “A physical object touches and impacts a person differently, and stays with them in a way that’s different than looking at something online and scrolling through or clicking through,” she said.

“[Zine work] is a way to create a space for more marginalized voices, and also to create a different space where it’s about encountering different people,” said Lin. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.
This is not to say that Lin considers virtual or computer-generated art forms to be inferior to her recent endeavours in print media. The artist referenced Montreal-based publishing company and studio Anteism as a current example of how to bridge the gap between virtual experience and physical work. According to Lin, Anteism experiments with artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) in tandem with publishing. Lin is particularly inspired by the work the studio does with artists’ books. Although she has worked in the fields of AR and print media throughout her creative career, Lin admitted, “I’m not at a point where I know what to do with it myself.”

This artist also cited Zohar Kfir’s Testimony virtual reality (VR) project as insight into how computer-generated content can be used to express reality. Kfir’s project involves testimonies from sexual assault survivors that the viewer is told through VR—they are confronted with looking at the subject while they tell their story, as if they were face to face. “I like the idea that people identify issues with technology,” Lin said. “If there’s a lack of something […], people try to make work that addresses that. There are more and more people that are trying to humanize the experience of VR.”

Lin’s home studio. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

As of now, Lin has a few projects in the works, and although she admits they’re progressing slowly, she knows which direction they’re headed in. The artist’s recent introspection has highlighted key ideas that she wants to explore further. Lin explained that she wants to create works by “trying to pinpoint emotional responses to different situations, and gathering really random and fragmented thoughts and fragmented images, and pairing them together […] to create something that feels cathartic.”

Lin mentioned that her teaching schedule has reduced, allowing more time for creative pursuits, whatever those may be. She is currently working on a project with Aquino involving the Quebec Gay Archives. According to their website, “the Quebec Gay Archives have a mandate to acquire, conserve and preserve any handwritten, printed, visual or audio material which testify to the history of the LGBTQ+ communities of Quebec.” Lin and Aquino are interested in exploring queer people’s responses to their collections.

Lin has also started an AR book in collaboration with Anteism, however it’s still in its early stages. “I feel like I’ve opened up more time purposefully,” the artist said, and although she has a few projects on the horizon, Lin is still waiting for them to take shape. “It’s just part of the process,” she said with a reassuring nod.

See more of Lin’s work on her website: jenny-lin.ca

More of Lin and Aquino’s collaborative work can be found on their website: banddpress.blogspot.com

Feature photo by Gabe Chevalier

Categories
Arts

“Put us in your stories”

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin
Article written by Maggie Hope and Tyson Burger

The importance of (authentic) queer representation in mainstream films

Art reflects life. But the life it reflects is usually specific to the culture or group that produced it. The norms and values found in mainstream popular art in western society pertain to the dominant groups in that society. The problem lies in these values being unrealistically idealized and presented as “normal.” The more these values are enforced and normalized through pop culture, the more groups that don’t fit the model are alienated and often forced to explain or justify their identity.

This is particularly the case in mainstream film and television, which enforce heteronormative values among viewers. These values are often unrealistic and unrepresentative of most people’s lives—especially those who are gender fluid or not heterosexual. Think about most of the comedies, dramas and action movies you’ve seen. The ending usually involves (or is even centred around) the initiation of a heterosexual relationship. Mainstream films almost always run on the assumption that people adhere to certain traits based on a binary model of gender, which usually involves desiring a relationship with a person of the opposite sex—and in that assumption lies the normalizing aspect. Some examples of this in recent media are It, the second season of Stranger Things and Baby Driver. The plots of these films and shows are driven by universal heteronormativity, which makes it seem natural.

The beginning of relationships at the end of mainstream films often mark the end of the main character’s troubles. This is unrealistic and damaging. For one, people may not always desire a sexual relationship, but if this value is portrayed as natural in most of the media they consume, then they may feel unnatural or inadequate. Also, when the endings of mainstream films display a perfect relationship that ends any depression, insecurities or financial problems the main character had, it establishes expectations in the viewer for their own relationships, which—since their life is not a movie—will not be met. Young people, who are especially susceptible to the cultural values they see in society, should not be socialized to want things that are unattainable.

Folks of all sorts of beliefs, values and gender identities make up our diverse society. It is important to have representation for all kinds of lifestyles in films. It is equally important not to present certain lifestyles as “normal,” but rather as an example of one person’s unique experience. Queer representation in films is important, and we are seeing it more in mainstream films than we have in the past, which is good, but also comes with its own set of problems.

A question that has guided many discussions about queer representation in film—and in other media, for that matter—is whether any representation is good representation. In a podcast titled LGBTQ Representation by Film Comment, writer and journalist Mark Harris articulates that while it is clear queer communities would like to see themselves reflected in more mainstream media, how this could be achieved is another question entirely. For many, any representation is not necessarily a cause for celebration. Stereotypes, exaggerations and assumptions are prevalent throughout Hollywood representations of queer people, and while some may view these characters as progressive, others might see them as half-hearted attempts to temporarily pacify queer audiences.

The answer then must be to push toward broader, more fluid representations of queerness in film. Because of the narrowness of the space that queer characters are given in film and other media, there is not nearly enough room to express the multiplicities of queer experience that exist in reality. In the same way that it’s important to debunk the idea that straightness is “normal” and queerness is “abnormal,” it is also necessary to understand that queerness itself also exists in a variety of ways. This is why it is often difficult for filmmakers and studios—especially those in Hollywood—to represent the entirety of the queer community through the experiences of a few characters.

In a 2016 article titled “Still Looking,” Harris presents another way films can begin to feature more queer characters. “Representation is, of course, an across-the-board struggle, and the fight for inclusiveness usually comes down to two demands: tell our stories (or better still, let us tell our stories), and put us in ‘your’ stories,” Harris writes. He claims that queer authorship, as well as representation through characters, is key to building a more inclusive, well-rounded collection of queer films.

“We’re [here] already; a film doesn’t have to stop a story in its tracks to acknowledge that, or hand itself a humanitarian award for figuring it out,” Harris concludes. All that’s needed is a little more space.

Noteworthy upcoming event:

The Montreal-based “queer film community” fliQs hosts bi-monthly queer film nights at Notre-Dame-des-Quilles (32 Beaubien St. E.) featuring short films by local filmmakers. They are currently accepting submissions for the next edition, which will be on April 23 at 8 p.m. More information can be found on fliQs’ Facebook page.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Categories
News

Concordia student executives advise frosh leaders against visiting TRH-Bar

TRH-bar is under fire because of a party it organized for former bouncer and convicted sex offender Steve Bouchard. Photo by Kirubel Mehari

Concordia community responds to local bar’s support of convicted sex offender

On the morning of March 15, Le Journal de Montréal published an article revealing that TRH-Bar—a popular nightlife spot for many students—hosted a fundraiser for former bouncer and convicted sex offender Steve Bouchard.

The Journal’s article was centred around Bouchard’s victim and former girlfriend, Martine Beaudet-Aune. She expressed her anger at TRH-Bar’s event and said she felt as though the bar’s organizers were “laughing in my face,” according to the Journal.

Although TRH-Bar has been a frequent destination for many young people and students— especially during holidays and frosh weeks—Nick Gertler, the vice-president of communications and promotions for the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), and Leyla Sutherland, the student life coordinator for the Concordia Student Union (CSU), both insisted the organizations have never had any sort of relationship with TRH-Bar. Both Gertler and Sutherland also added that neither ASFA nor the CSU will have associations with the bar in the future.

“Certainly, I’d hope that any future frosh leaders would discourage from going to TRH-Bar,” Gertler said, adding that ASFA is working to address the “social context” that these types of issues emerge from.

Gertler outlined the steps the federation has taken toward encouraging a more consent-driven, informed community at Concordia. “We have a task force that is right now, in part, dealing with sexual assault issues within the Arts and Science community. There are consent trainings at frosh now,” he said. “I think what we’re trying to do is work within our domain to address those kinds of behaviours, so people know what to watch for and know what is and is not acceptable. That is the most direct action we can take.”

The afternoon after the Journal article was published, TRH-Bar released a statement on their Facebook page. The post did not deny their involvement in the event, nor the fact that it was held with the goal of raising money for Bouchard. According to the Journal, the money raised at the fundraiser, which was called “Free Steve,” was intended for the assailant’s “reintegration” into society after he was released. In the article by the Journal and another published by Eater Montreal shortly after, Bouchard was charged in early 2017 and is still behind bars.

TRH-Bar’s statement said the bar does not support rape culture and has always encouraged its clientele and employees to maintain a respectful environment. It also claims the fundraiser was an “error of judgement,” and that its organizers did not take the victim’s experience into account.

Since the initial article’s release, TRH-Bar’s Facebook page has been swarmed with negative ratings and reviews. One contributor wrote that she “regret[s] every night spent” at the bar, while another urged visitors to “think about […] next time you want to encourage a bar that shows no respect whatsoever for rape victims.” As of Monday evening, the bar’s overall Facebook rating sat at 1.5 out of five stars, with more than 2,000 one-star ratings.

In a recent poll The Concordian conducted on Instagram, 96 per cent of participants (most of whom were Concordia students) said they don’t intend to return to TRH-Bar after having heard about the fundraiser. Julieta Filippo, a third-year Concordia marketing student, said the news left her questioning whether she’d feel safe if she were to return. “I wouldn’t go back unless I felt like something had changed since this event,” she said. “It would just make me feel unsafe.”

Another Concordia student, who requested to remain anonymous, was interested in whether or not the incident would spark “a community commitment towards supporting survivors.” They added “it is easy to say that you stand behind the condemnation of TRH, but the next step is to actively choose to not support their enterprise.”

TRH-Bar did not respond to a request for comment.

Photo by Kirubel Mehari

Categories
Arts

Reinterpreting the process of learning

Artists Emma Forgues (left) and Sam Bourgault perform in their piece, prox.Dance. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Concordia students explore pedagogy in this year’s Art Matters Festival

The term ‘pedagogy’ is defined as “the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.” Chris Mendoza and Jamie Potvin—the curators of pedagogy, an exhibition included in this year’s Art Matters Festival—explained that they wanted to explore this method outside the world of academia. Mendoza and Potvin focused their approach on pedagogy in the art world, inquiring how and why we learn through and with art.

Both studio art students with minors in art education, the curators met while co-teaching together. According to Potvin, “art education has a really structured framework,” which they wanted to expand on. The idea of exploring the intersection of art and education evolved into the concept for an exhibition. Mendoza and Potvin agreed that the Art Matters Festival could act as a platform they could build their idea on, as well as provide access to student work at Concordia.

The exhibition’s curators, Chris Mendoza (left) and Jamie Potvin. Photo by Alex Hutchins

This year, the festival received almost 300 submissions, which each chosen curator sifted through in order to find pieces that fit with their exhibition idea. A jury approved the curators’ choices, and they were given the funds and resources needed to bring their idea to fruition. As Potvin pointed out, the festival takes place in “traditional gallery space[s],” which added another area of exploration and critique to their exhibition. The curators aimed to question how viewers learn from pieces presented in white-wall galleries, how artists learn about their practice by exhibiting in these spaces and how their experiences would differ in unconventional gallery spaces. By presenting the works in a traditional gallery, Mendoza and Potvin call attention to these questions and encourage viewers to question the way they interact with art as well. Mendoza referred to this all-encompassing exploration as “a triad of curator-artist-viewer” experiences of learning.

One of the pieces featured in pedagogy is by Concordia computation arts students Emma Forgues and Sam Bourgault. Mendoza described their piece as the “translation of intimacy into something digital.” The piece, titled prox.Dance, originated in a digital sound class. It involves a performance (done by Forgues and Bourgault), which the artists wanted to share with the art community outside of the classroom. Similar to Mendoza and Potvin, they were drawn to the festival as a way to present their idea to the public. “It helps us to see how it looks in a real context,” Bourgault said.

The performance piece revolves around the artists, who wear proximity sensors. According to Forgues, they begin by moving in the space around them, and proceed to “explore the distance” between each other, always moving in a slow, calculated manner. Bourgault explained that they wanted to “focus on these minimal movements between two bodies,” and allow the audience to do the same. The artists also used frequency modulation (FM) synthesis to incorporate sound into their movements. With every movement Forgues and Bourgault make, the sound changes and adjusts. Through the exploration of movement, the artists learn about each other and the space between and surrounding them. They will perform prox.Dance at the exhibition’s finissage on March 23, but until then, a video of their preparation process is on display at the gallery.

A still from Phil Mercier’s 2-channel video project.
Photo by Alex Hutchins

Phil Mercier, a photography transfer student from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, was chosen to display his piece titled Action. The piece consists of two iMac computers that display old footage of the time Mercier spent at summer camps as a child. The artist, photographer and filmmaker said that as a kid, he enjoyed recording portions of his life. Recently, his parents sent him the old tapes, and Mercier decided to convert them into an art piece. He catalogued the clips by dividing them based on the actions that happen in the recordings. The actions were then pieced together to form a 2-channel video installation that Mercier said was intended to be “almost overwhelming.” It’s up to the viewer to decipher what is happening and how to make sense of it.

The artist said he is happy to participate in the festival, as he believes “it’s super important that there are opportunities for student-[artists], […] and that students are paid and valued for their work.” Art Matters has created a space for student-creators to share their knowledge and ideas while also being recognized for their work. Mendoza, Potvin, Forgues, Bourgault and Mercier all agreed that the environment of the festival encouraged collaboration and a collective respect for student work.

Mercier explained that although what is shared in a classroom has its value, practical experiences like this festival are extremely valuable to student-artists as well. He also encouraged viewers to give exhibited works the time and attention they deserve. Although it’s easy to pass by them without much thought, “when you’re in front of the piece, try to give it an extra 10 seconds and think about it a little bit more critically,” he said.

pedagogy is on display at Espace Projet (353 Villeray St.) until March 24. The gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The finissage will be held at the gallery on March 23, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Forgue and Bourgault’s performance will be included in the event. For more information about the exhibition, visit the Art Matters Festival’s website. Additional information about the artists and their work can be found on their personal websites.

Emma Forgues: www.emmaforgues.ca
Sam Bourgault: www.sambourgault.com
Phil Mercier: www.philmercier.ca

Photos by Alex Hutchins

Categories
Arts

Vibrancy in the dull of winter

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The 15th edition of Nuit Blanche saw artistic expression materialize across media

Although it’s unclear where the concept of all-night art festivals originated, Paris is credited with creating “Nuit Blanche” in the early 2000s. Other European cities hosted these types of festivals throughout the 90s, but the first night of Nuit Blanche was established in France and has since spread to other cities around the world.

The program for this year’s edition of Montreal’s Nuit Blanche was divided into six categories based on the type of event. Whether you were looking for “A Night of Stories” or “A Night on the Dancefloor,” you were guaranteed to find something you’d enjoy. With over 200 events and activities, from poetry readings and interactive installations to DJ and comedy performances, the festival promised a night of unabashed creativity.

Dozens of art-and-music lovers moved and grooved to upbeat house music by local DJs. Surrounded by flashing lights, deep bass and an aura of pulsating energy, many spectators danced until well after 3 a.m. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

A feeling of collective celebration permeated the city—even underground. The metro was open all night, encouraging people to explore and increase their chances of finding hidden gems—of which there were plenty. The metro also served as a performance venue at certain times throughout the night. Berri-UQAM hosted swing and salsa performances, and the St-Laurent station was the spot for local DJs to perform improvised scratch sessions.

Spectators gathered around pop-up fire pits in Esplanade de la Places des Arts to warm their chilled hands, recommend exhibits to newfound friends, roast delicious sausages and, of course, have obligatory photo-ops. Photo by Alex Hutchins.
Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The hub of the entire event was, of course, the Quartier des Spectacles, which hosted everything from free concerts to competitive games inspired by the Olympics. Place des Festivals transformed into a lively and crowded strip as people jumped from one activity to the next. Portraits of famous musicians illuminated an entire wall of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan building, and a huge zipline stretched over the expanse of the crowd.

Shattered glass illuminated with hues of green and yellow make up one of the exhibits at Eastern Bloc. Decorated with industrial-style string lights, an outdoor terrasse allowed spectators to chat with art-loving friends and strangers alike. Photo by Alex Hutchins.
Joffré Roy-Beauregard (above) is one of the seven artists featured in the (Dis)CONNECT exhibition. Other interactive multimedia installments invited spectators to listen to and watch the audio-visual representations of varying human emotions, such as fear and anxiety. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

For festival-goers who wanted a more relaxed experience, galleries all over the city kept their doors open well into the night. The Art Matters Festival, for example, took Nuit Blanche as the opportunity to open this year’s edition of student-run exhibitions. Espace POP hosted the festival’s opening night, with the artworks of its first exhibition, (Dis)CONNECT, on display. Eastern Bloc, a new media production and gallery space, collaborated with the non-profit organization Never Apart to showcase the talents of Latin-American artists in two parts. The night began with multimedia installations, and concluded with performances by local DJs, which saw visitors dropping by to warm up and shake off their fatigue.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Check out our video coverage of the event below.

Categories
Arts

Calling all art enthusiasts and night owls

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

What to catch at the 15th edition of Nuit Blanche on March 3

As part of the Montréal en Lumière festival, the annual celebration of Nuit Blanche encourages the Montreal community to see what local galleries and venues have to offer. The festivities extend well into the early hours of the morning, and almost all events and activities in collaboration with Nuit Blanche—over 200 in total—are offered free of charge. It also includes a seven-kilometre outdoor circuit lined with art installations and projects, called Art Souterrain. It’s definitely worth braving the cold for.

DHC/ART: thegiftsofthegifted with Projets hybris

451 and 465 St-Jean St.

Located in the heart of Old Montreal, DHC/ART is a must-see gallery during Nuit Blanche. The space sits at the end of a strip of galleries that run along the canal (Galerie Michel-Ange, M Galerie d’art and Galerie LeRoyer, to name a few), so it would be the perfect beginning or conclusion to a leisurely stroll down the cobblestones.

For its contribution to the festivities, DHC/ART is teaming up with local “interdisciplinary creation company” Projets hybris. Their collaborative exhibition, which was inspired by the gallery’s past exhibitions, L’OFFRE and Bill Viola: Naissance à rebours, will be interactive and performative. According to the gallery’s press release, “throughout the evening, the audience’s participation will have an impact on the performers’ gestures. Materials and objects will be fiddled with, deconstructed, assembled; fragments of conversations will be noted and transformed.” This unique exhibition will only be on display for a week following Nuit Blanche, so be sure to catch it while it’s up!

Ymuno Exhibitions: The Dollhouse at the End of the World

372 Ste-Catherine St. W., Studio #530

Ymuno Exhibitions, a gallery space run by two Concordia alumni, will be opening its doors for the public to experience its current exhibition, The Dollhouse at the End of the World. This installation was created by the IFPP Collective (Incubator for Phantom Pregnancies), which is comprised of local artists Dana Dal Bo, Emily Jan, Csenge Kolozsvari, Tammy Salzl and Sandra Smirle. The all-female group met while completing their MFAs at Concordia, and have since been combining forces to produce unique and engaging content. Each of the women specializes in a different type of art practice, which makes their collective work especially intriguing. The exhibition’s press release boasts that “the work tackles the state of the world today, […] to give birth to a recombined apocalyptic aesthetic.”

Espace POP: (Dis)CONNECT: Alienation and Art

5587 Park Ave.

As part of this year’s edition of the Art Matters festival, Espace POP will host an exhibition featuring the work of Joffré Roy-Beauregard, Sarah Da Silva Marques, Diana Lazzaro (Gar), Matthew Halpenny, Gabrielle Marin, Timothy Thomasson and Owen Coolidge. Nuit Blanche will serve as the exhibition’s vernissage, which will run from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event’s description invites visitors to engage in “an interactive space for creativity and dialogue.” This event will kick off the Art Matters festival, which will include a variety of exhibitions and events running until March 27. More information can be found on the festival’s website.

Eastern Bloc & Never Apart: Noche en Blanco, Latinx (Re)mix

7240 Clark St.

Eastern Bloc, a new media production and gallery space, is teaming up with the non-profit organization Never Apart to showcase the talents of Latin-American artists in two parts. From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., there will be two multimedia installations; the first is a video titled 1000 by photographer and artist Andrés Salas, and the second is a multimedia installation titled Holy Numbers made by artist Claude Périard. From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., the space will transition into the aural portion of the evening. DJs, including DEBIT, Pituca Putica, Teo Zamudio and Rodrigo Velasco, will create a lively and warm environment featuring “Latino and club beats,” according to the gallery’s press release. This would be a great place to warm up and recharge after a night out in the cold!

For more information about Nuit Blanche and a full list of participating venues, visit the festival’s website.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Categories
Arts

Building a community through accessible art

Members of the community attended one of the co-op’s many workshops, which range from cooking classes to knitting circles. Photo by Maggie Hope

Le Milieu, a co-op art studio and vegan café, is a major part of the Montreal Art Hive network

Le Milieu is nestled on the corner of Robin and Beaudry Streets, in a quiet residential neighbourhood of the Village. It is a small, cozy nook, with a bright blue storefront that immediately sets it apart from other buildings in the area. The co-op art studio and vegan café opened in September 2012, and has already established itself as a community hub.

“We wanted two things; we wanted a space that was not about commercial consumption and that was about community building,” said Rachel Chainey, one of the co-founders of Le Milieu. “We [also] wanted to make art-making more accessible to anyone, regardless of their capacities, regardless of age and all that.” Chainey created the co-op with five other women, after realizing they needed a space to share their passion for art and community building.

Rachel Chainey, the co-founder of Le Milieu, is a key player within the Montreal Art Hive network, which is based at Concordia. Photo by Maggie Hope

She was inspired by the work Concordia art therapy professor Janis Timm-Bottos did in New Mexico. Timm-Bottos has spent years developing sustainable, accessible community spaces called Art Hives all across North America. She has worked to develop networks dedicated to fostering relationships and community building through accessible art and creation.

Chainey described Art Hives as “a network of community art studios,” which can be set up in any public space. Concordia has been the base from which the Art Hive initiative in Montreal operates.

Le Milieu’s café and workshop components are not typical features of Art Hives, but they lend themselves well to the community building aspect that is the backbone of the entire initiative. Chainey also explained that sustainability is extremely important to the Art Hive movement. By using second-hand materials, the Hives are not only reducing waste, but are also easier to implement and maintain in a variety of spaces.

Although it has received some assistance through government funding, Le Milieu collects donations and is mostly volunteer-run. Chainey emphasized that, since the beginning, members of the Art Hive network and the community have stepped up to contribute their services. People from all walks of life are drawn to the co-op for a variety of reasons—be it their love of art, cooking or entrepreneurial endeavours.

The co-op art studio and vegan café is stocked with second-hand materials available to everyone on a pay-what-you-can basis. Photo by Maggie Hope

At the moment, Le Milieu has about 35 volunteers and nine board members. Chainey said the co-op has evolved “beyond what [she] had imagined,” which is in part due to the rotating group of volunteers. Members come and go, allowing space for new energy and ideas.

One feature of the co-op that has consistently attracted volunteers and customers alike is its ongoing series of workshops. Everyone is encouraged to partake in the workshops or even host their own. Topics vary based on what the community responds to and what skills the volunteers want to share.

Vivienne Tam, who has volunteered at the co-op since last fall, gave one example of how Le Milieu recently responded to the interest of its community members. A fellow volunteer brought her quilting project to the co-op to work on. More and more, people asked how she quilted, what techniques she used and how they could get started. She eventually decided to host a workshop on it.

A volunteer at Le Milieu and grad student at McGill, Vivienne Tam serves a participant in her kimchi workshop on Jan. 18. Photo by Maggie Hope

Quilting is just one example of the skills people who visit Le Milieu can learn. Chainey pointed out that many creative activities, like vegan cooking and high-quality crafting, are often only accessible to middle-class people. By hosting community-centred, affordable workshops, Le Milieu hopes to share valuable skills and foster self-sufficiency.

Tam, currently a graduate student at McGill, heard about the co-op through a friend. She was looking for a place where she could donate her free time that aligned with her passions for art and environmental sustainability, and Le Milieu was a perfect fit. Tam volunteers once a week and hosts the occasional workshop—the latest of which taught locals how to make vegan kimchi. Even on a chilly Wednesday night, the co-op was packed with an eager crowd.

Tam also works as Le Milieu’s soup chef and baker, and often consults regular customers about what to put on the menu. She expressed that she would like to see the co-op host more workshops directed at low-income citizens. Her goal is to help them learn necessary skills in order to become self-sufficient and, therefore, more confident. Even in the past four months of volunteering, Tam has seen the impact learning a new skill can have on a person’s self-worth. “There’s so much pride and joy,” she said, describing the environment at Le Milieu’s workshops.

Tam will be leading a dumpling-making workshop on Feb. 16, which is the day of Chinese New Year. For more information about Le Milieu and its events, head over to their website. More information about Art Hives and their initiatives can be found at arthives.org. Le Milieu just launched a blog, which can also be found on their website.

Categories
Arts

Uniting objects from around the world

Bayuaji’s piece titled Alternative Wall covers the majority of one wall of the gallery. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Former Concordia student and artist Ari Bayuaji recently finished a residency at the MMFA

“The museum is the reunion of so many objects from all over the world,” said Ari Bayuaji. The Indonesian artist just finished a residency at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), which inspired the works in his current exhibition titled A Cabinet of Curiosities.

Trésor is one of the first pieces the viewer sees upon entering the gallery space. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

In order to be considered for the artist-in-residence position, Bayuaji had to submit a project proposal. He decided to explore the relationship between art and design. Having previously worked as a designer, the topic was one of particular interest to the artist. Bayuaji said that since moving to Montreal, he has noticed the quality of manufactured materials and goods in North America is low compared to other parts of the world, such as Europe. The artist said this was one of the reasons he chose to study fine arts rather than design when he applied to Concordia. He attended the university from 2005 until 2010, when he decided to discontinue his studies and pursue artistic endeavours outside the classroom.

During his time at the MMFA, Bayuaji took full advantage of the resources made available to him and completely immersed himself in the museum’s collections. He drew significant inspiration from the Archaeology and World Cultures collections, and studied pieces from Egypt, Asia and Islamic countries.

“It was quite freeing,” the artist remarked in reference to the wealth of information and artwork he was able to access at the museum.

Bayuaji also made connections between the museum’s collection and today’s globalized society. Just as the museum houses objects from across the globe, he said, the same could be said of the contemporary world. People are able to immigrate to other countries and, therefore, spread their culture and art with people they wouldn’t have been able to connect with at other points in history, the artist explained.

Scholar Stone #1 & #2 depict simple, everyday objects in a new and refreshing context. Photo by Mackenzie Lad

That being said, through archaeology and agriculture, foreign objects have been found in unusual places. According to Bayuaji, in Indonesia, farmers would often find pieces of foreign objects buried in their land. They believed these objects had a sacred quality and would often wear them as necklaces or bracelets. Bayuaji takes a similar approach and collects objects he finds on the street and in his travels. He then “elevate[s] those pieces into sacred objects” by featuring them in his art. Through sculpture and multimedia, the artist incorporates his everyday findings, thereby establishing the objects as noteworthy and special.

Bayuaji claimed his artistic practice is informed by both his upbringing in Indonesia and his exposure to Western culture before and since moving to Montreal. He said he hopes people of all origins can identify with something in his work. By deconstructing objects with cultural and historical significance, Bayuaji’s work also aims to deconstruct his as well as others’ identities.

His interest in reusing found objects and presenting them in a new context led to the idea of a cabinet of curiosities while working at the MMFA. Cabinets of curiosities, according to the British Library’s website, “were small collections of extraordinary objects which, like today’s museums, attempted to categorize and tell stories about the wonders and oddities of the natural world.” Bayuaji explained they were common in wealthy households of 17th and 18th century Europe. Inspired by the idea, and also by the MMFA’s Cabinet of Curiosities collection, the artist determined that these ‘cabinets’ would be instrumental in displaying his pieces.

The piece titled Un Endroit pour Prier (Trottoir Barée) is one example of Bayuaji’s interest in “elevating ordinary things in daily life.” Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Each piece in A Cabinet of Curiosities has clear intention, as if demanding a certain amount of respect from its viewer. Objects are placed on pedestals, in frames or in old cabinets. The piece titled Trésor consists of pieces of broken ceramic that have been placed inside a small glass vase. The vase has been put on a marble plate and is encased in a clear, glass cloche. Though the broken ceramic may suggest uselessness or damage, by presenting it with prestige and honour, Bayuaji begs the viewer to reconsider its function. The artist also emphasized that finding beauty within his pieces is an important aspect of the viewing experience.

The artist’s honouring of deconstructed, everyday objects can be seen in the piece titled Scholar Stone #1 & #2 as well. Two pieces have been placed beside each other and are almost identical. Large stone mortars (as in a mortar and pestle) sit atop wooden pedestals. In the mortars sit brown rocks, about the size of a foot. Delicate jade bowls sit atop the rocks, somewhat precariously placed. The viewer is captivated by both the precariousness of the sculpture and the beauty that is conveyed in a few simple components.

On the opposite wall of Trésor and the Scholar Stone(s) hangs Alternative Wall. This piece is made of old cotton money bags, which have been sewn together to make a large quilt-like hanging. It is striking against the rest of the exhibition, due to its size and medium. A variety of stamps and logos brand the bags, calling attention to the utility of the pieces, while the artwork in its entirety is visually impressive.

A Cabinet of Curiosities explores a variety of media and shapes, and takes the viewer on a pleasantly stimulating journey around the upper level of the Maison du Conseil des arts de Montréal (1210 Sherbrooke St. E.). The exhibition will be on display until April 2, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Photos by Mackenzie Lad

Categories
Arts

Showcasing talent from concept to performance

Caitlin Stever (left) and Eli Gale, both theatre and development students at Concordia, took part in this year’s One-Act Play Festival. Photo by Maggie Hope.

Concordia theatre students discuss One-Act Play rehearsals and learning experience

Members of Concordia’s theatre program delivered engaging, heart-wrenching, captivating performances as the department’s One-Act Play Festival brought four plays to life from Nov. 3 through 11.

The theatre department’s second edition of the festival featured well-known contemporary Canadian and absurdist work, as well as pieces constructed by the students themselves. Students across the entire program took part in productions of Beckett Shorts, If We Were Birds, The Freddie Stories and Love In Seven Languages. They applied to be in the festival at the end of last year’s winter term, were assigned to one of the four plays and auditioned for specific roles. From there, workshops and rehearsals were held up until opening day. The One-Act Play Festival is a public performance project (known as a PPP in the theatre department). PPPs give students the option to take part in projects to gain experience and academic credits.

Beckett Shorts

Beckett Shorts is comprised of six short plays written by legendary absurdist playwright Samuel Beckett. The cast was divided into groups of two or three, and each group performed one of the pieces. In each short, the stage was mostly dark and very minimally lit, sometimes only for a moment. According to the performance’s pamphlet, “Beckett’s work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human existence.”

The spoken aspects of the performances conveyed raw human emotion while leaving the viewer to puzzle over what exactly they had witnessed. Short, sporadic outbursts paired with prolonged silences created an engaging and at times unsettling experience. This is a key characteristic of Beckett’s work. In the show’s program, director Clea Minaker wrote that “to step inside of any one of these ‘Beckettian’ compositions [is] also to submit oneself to an ‘authored’ body.” In Beckett Shorts, the cast and crew surrendered themselves to expression in absurdity.

If We Were Birds

Like Beckett Shorts, If We Were Birds stuck quite closely to the original play (written by Erin Shields). The piece, however, would definitely be described as more conventional theatre, as Johan DeNora, a third-year theatre performance student pointed out. If We Were Birds deals with extremely brutal and intense subject matter, and viewers were warned about scenes of infanticide, misogyny and sexual violence. When asked if performing such subject matter seemed daunting or intimidating, fifth-year theatre performance student Arianna Markle said she was actually empowered by being able to tell the story. “For me it was, ‘I want to be that voice,’” she said. “There are the experiences of so many women standing behind me, beside me, with me and through me [in this role]. It’s humbling for sure.” Markle added that she finds the play to be especially relevant due to the recent increase in discussion about cases of sexual violence.

Maureen Adelson, a second-year acting student, initially found it hard to approach her role as Bleeding, because she has “never gone through anything as traumatic and as tragic” as what her character endures in the piece. After doing some research on the historic events that the character was based off of, however, Adelson said her mindset changed and she became determined to tell her character’s story.

DeNora added that he is extremely pleased with the work the entire ensemble put into the production, especially given it was such an intense piece. “This is a lot of heavy material for people who are still training, and there’s always a fear of not giving it the respect it deserves,” he said. “I’m so glad that we have managed to get it to a point where I think it really is respectful and important.”

The Freddie Stories

The Freddie Stories was adapted from a graphic novel by Lynda Barry and converted into a theatre piece by the ensemble and crew. Also directed by Minaker, the play follows a young boy named Freddie who struggles with mental disabilities. It takes the audience through the boy’s daily life, revealing that he gets bullied by classmates and abused by his mother. This piece effectively deals with intense themes while presenting a lightheartedness that could only be expressed through young characters.

Emma Corber, a fourth-year theatre major, said that because her group started without a set script, they spent most of their rehearsal time in workshops determining how to convert the novel into a theatre piece. Though at times the process was rushed and stressful, Corber insisted this experience allowed her to grow as a performer in ways she had never been able to in previous productions. The piece incorporates puppetry and mask work, which were new disciplines for most of the cast, she added.

Caitlin Stever, a third-year theatre and development student, was immediately interested in The Freddie Stories and was tasked with the job of stage manager. “Talking about childhood trauma through the lens of childhood is super interesting to me,” she said. Stever found the entire adaptation process extremely challenging, but was also able to exercise her creative abilities to a great degree. “A hundred per cent of my energy, and my whole human force and thought and emotion have been put into this show because of that collaborative process that demanded so much of me, and I’d say a lot of the actors felt that same way,” Stever said.

Love In Seven Languages

Sketches of the costume designs for Love In Seven Languages by Aurora Torok. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

The ensemble of Love In Seven Languages were also very involved in the creation of the piece, from writing the script to developing its overarching themes. Preliminary workshops were held where the students would brainstorm ideas together and develop their collective vision for the play. “Most of our lines [in the piece], someone said at some point in a writing exercise,” according to third-year theatre and development student Eli Gale. “It’s a little spooky.” Gale said being so involved in the creative process allowed each performer to feel especially connected to the part they play. “When you’re acting in a character that is so close to your own reality, how do you separate what is and what isn’t there?” she asked.

This piece was not advised for viewers under the age of 18 because of mature content and mentions of suicide. The story follows seven royal siblings who are locked in a room of their father’s castle and are never allowed to leave. When they become of-age, the siblings are told they will be married off one by one, which causes them to consider drastic measures in order to escape.

Aurora Torok, the designer of the show, worked closely with literature the play was based off of to construct a minimal but stunning setting. She began designs for the set and costumes in the summer, and worked alongside the cast and crew until the performances began. “There are so many challenges that come with it,” Torok said. “But the fact that the designers were ready to take them all on was fantastic.”

 

Feature photo by Maggie Hope

Categories
Music

Ralph joins The Darcys on tour

The singer released her first EP in March and has been working on her next album since.

Toronto natives to debut new material at M for Montreal this week

Canadian singer-songwriter Ralph grew up listening to the 70s music her parents would play around the house. She was later drawn to 90s and contemporary pop. So it comes as a bit of a surprise to her when people say her music seems inspired by the 80s.

The Toronto native, who describes her music as “pop, synth, disco-soul,” explained that the reason her songs have been dubbed as “80s-esque” is probably due to the prevalence of synthesizers in her most recent EP. Although she said she “can appreciate elements of the 80s” in her music, Ralph wants to progress toward a more contemporary sound and experiment with genres she is more naturally drawn to.

The singer released her self-titled EP in March and has since been working with a handful of writers and producers to expand her artistry and highlight perspectives outside of her own in her music. Ralph said that before putting out this EP, she hadn’t realized all of its tracks dealt with common themes of love and relationships. Most of the singer’s creative inspiration comes from personal experiences, whether from her own life or that of others. “I don’t really know how to write songs that aren’t personal,” she said. “I like to be as honest as I can in my music because if it’s honest, people will understand it.”

Ralph is currently on tour with The Darcys. Their second stop will be in Montreal on Nov. 17.

Ralph recently began working with fellow Toronto musicians, The Darcys. She approached them with a song she wrote called “Screenplay,” hoping to develop it into a duet between exes. The song describes the all-too-familiar situation of seeing an ex in public and pretending their presence doesn’t affect you. Ralph explained that The Darcys helped add a male perspective to the song, which provided depth and made it relatable.

After completing “Screenplay,” Ralph and The Darcys continued to write together and cultivate a strong creative relationship. “It came about very naturally, in the sense that their music is similar in theme and that we [also] liked each other,” Ralph said. The possibility of going on tour together at the end of 2017 came up, and it seemed like the best move for everyone. Ralph said they want to “see as many people as possible” and share new material with their combined audiences, both of which continue to grow.

Ralph is working with Canadian producer Stint, who is based in Los Angeles, as well as a team of songwriters from various studios in anticipation of her full-length album. The album is slated to be released next year. Ralph said that, although she is extremely grateful for the male artists who have had a hand in developing her sound, she is currently seeking to collaborate with more women. “As much as I love men and I support men, I want to keep working with as many females in the industry as I can,” the singer said. “If [I] can employ women in music and grow those careers, I want to.”

Ralph and The Darcys will be performing at Petit Campus on Nov. 17 as part of the local music festival M for Montreal. Their tour will conclude with a show in Waterloo, Ont., on Nov. 18.

Categories
Arts

Moving toward more inclusive comedy

Wintour said she is proud to be part of the recent and growing movement of socially aware and considerate comedy. Photo by Alex Hutchins. IMG_4512_AHutchins: This year’s production of Rocky Horror will be the first in 10 years to have a new host. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Local comedian and performer Tranna Wintour takes the stage as Rocky’s new MC

She knows she has big shoes to fill. When she was asked to be the new MC of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tranna Wintour was both honoured and apprehensive. This is the first time in 10 years that the Montreal show will have a new host.

Wintour is replacing Plastik Patrik, who has been a large part of the Montreal production of Rocky over the last decade. Although she acknowledges that many people have become attached to Patrik’s role in the show, Wintour said she is excited to be a part of the event’s new direction. “I think that goes for all creative fields,” she said. “I think it’s important, even when something works, to push it further or try to make it fresh.”

Wintour applies this philosophy to her comedy as well. She said she is always looking for ways to reinvent her performances, and this show is just another opportunity to do so. Rocky’s audience is the largest crowd Wintour has performed in front of, and the comedian said she is grateful for the opportunity to meet more people and show them her work. Although she didn’t rehearse with the cast, Wintour met them about a week before the  first performance and immediately felt welcomed.

MCing for Rocky also gave Wintour the chance to fall in love with costumes again. “I love Halloween,” she said excitedly before adding that she recently lost interest in wearing costumes. Soon after accepting the role as the host of Rocky, Wintour faced the conundrum of what to wear for the show. By chance, she met local designer Becca Love, who offered to dress Wintour. Love creates handmade, gender-neutral, cruelty-free clothing, which immediately piqued Wintour’s interest. “I’m excited to showcase her work,” the comedian said.

Wintour stands at centre stage surrounded by the cast of this year’s production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Photo by Maggie Hope.

Wintour received the offer to be the show’s new MC after being recommended to the producers last year by a number of people familiar with her comedy. Wintour hosts several of her own shows and has been gradually establishing herself as a comedic force within Montreal’s scene for a number of years. She hosts a bi-weekly series called Trannavision, where she and other local comedians hold movie screenings and provide light-hearted live commentary. She is also part of a monthly collaborative comedy show series called Stand Back, which features feminist, LGBTQ+ comedy acts in an effort to combat the homophobic, sexist and offensive humour that is often present in mainstream comedy.

“I really believe, now more than ever, in the power of the performing arts and live performance, because I feel like it’s one of the few things that really gets people together face-to-face,” Wintour said. “It’s easy to argue with people online and take things out of context, but when you’re face-to-face with someone, it’s a much more human and real experience. I feel like that’s where a deeper level of communication happens.”

The comedian added that she wants to use her comedic platform as a way to unify and uplift people, especially in today’s social and political climate. “To offer, in some small way, some kind of comfort and escape. At the same time, we have to be vigilant and present, and we can’t ignore anything that’s going on,” she said. “But I think we also need some time to breathe a little bit and experience some kind of collective joy.”

In addition to providing much needed breathing room, Wintour said she hopes her work can be the spur for a more aware and attentive era in the world of comedy. The events she organizes and takes part in are all in an effort to make audience members feel safe, but also to have them leave with a deeper understanding of the importance of acceptance. “I think comedy has to be powerful, and I think comedy has to say something. I really believe that you can say something and be funny without having to be abusive,” Wintour said. “I don’t think that when comedy is considerate that it’s any less edgy.”

The final run of this year’s edition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is on Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. The next Trannavision event will be a screening of Death Becomes Her (1992) at Psychic City at 8 p.m. on Nov. 2. The third installment of Stand Back: A Comedy Hour will be on Nov. 14 at Notre-Dame-des-Quilles from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets for the latter two events are $5 at the door.

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

Categories
Arts

In between realism and abstraction

Concordia graduate, Layla Folkmann works with her best friend and “artner,” Lacey Jane, as Layla & Lacey Art. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia alumna Layla Folkmann experiments with a new style in her latest exhibition

“It was really freeing,” said artist Layla Folkmann when asked what creating her newest exhibition was like. Folkmann, who identified as a figurative painter until recently, explored a completely new style while working on the pieces of her exhibition titled 3AM.

The artist, who moved from Edmonton to finish her BFA at Concordia about six years ago, is part of an artist duo with her best friend, Lacey Jane. The two call themselves “artners” and now work under the name Layla & Lacey Art. In the summer, Folkmann and Jane travel across the country and abroad painting murals. In the winter, they return to Montreal to dedicate time to their own work which is often exhibited in the BBAM! Gallery space. The artists have been working with the owners of BBAM! since moving to Montreal, and Folkmann said they are the duo’s biggest supporters.

It was Ralph Alfonso, who co-owns the gallery with his wife, Alison Rogers, who came up with the concept of 3AM for Folkmann’s exhibition. According to Folkmann, Alfonso suggested it because he felt the “magical time [of night]” suited her pieces. Folkmann experimented with more abstract techniques as a way to “break free” from her usual portraiture and figurative pieces. The practice of letting go of her realistic painting style evolved into a collection of 59 smaller pieces that now make up 3AM—one for every minute of the hour. It was by accident that Folkmann ended up with 59 pieces, but when the concept of time came up, it fit perfectly. Collectively, the works echo the intimate, tranquil energy of nighttime.

Folkmann’s pieces in 3AM began as an exercise with abstraction and evolved into an entire collection of work. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

The pieces, which were loosely inspired by nightscapes and out-of-focus photographs, range in colour from deep blues and purples to fiery reds and yellows. In an effort to step out of her comfort zone of using more vibrant colours, Folkmann began 3AM by working with neutral tones and subdued hues. The artist pointed to her pieces titled #16, #17, #18 and #19 as the beginning point of her experiment. These works are comprised of beiges, greys, soft purples and greens, with spots of yellow and white that emulate points of light in a blurry photograph.

The entirety of the exhibition is displayed on one wall of the gallery, which effectively illustrates a continuous flow, like minutes ticking by on a clock. Further down the wall from #19 are pieces titled #41 and #42, which Folkmann said are most effective when viewed as a pair. These two are on canvases the size of a hand, and are the artist’s favourite pieces out of the entire collection. “These are inspired by a landscape across a lake,” Folkmann said. “It’s dusk, and in the far-away distance you can see lights twinkling. Where the blues [are], you can see the inspiration of water and the sky in the nighttime.” #41 and #42 are finished with a glossy topcoat, catching the viewer’s eye and differentiating them from most of the other pieces, which have a matte finish.

Every piece in 3AM is a different size and shape. “I really admire people who use found objects and assemblages, and [who are] being creative with format. I find that if you’re just using a canvas of the same size all the time, it can get a bit repetitive,” Folkmann said. For these reasons, she decided to use found objects like frames and plaques, and repurpose them as the pieces in 3AM. “Each canvas or frame or whatever dictates what I’m going to paint on it. So each one is different. I’m not always starting in the same place, so it keeps it fresh,” the artist explained.

There are 59 pieces in 3AM—one for every minute of the hour. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

Keeping her work interesting, not only for the viewer but for herself, is an important aspect of Folkmann’s art practice. She said the switch from her usual realistic style to a more abstract technique came from her wanting to step away from an approach that demanded such accuracy and definition. Embracing a completely different technique, paired with using found materials and the freedom to create something “more genuine,” allowed Folkmann to remain interested and excited about her work.

After exploring abstraction through the pieces in 3AM, Folkmann mentioned that her approach to portraiture has changed as well. “I’m looking more at colour and light, as opposed to just the image and trying to copy the image. You’re never going to make it more accurate than the image, so I want to make it more interesting than the image,” the artist said. Going forward, Folkmann said she wants to practice both portraiture and abstract work simultaneously, saying that the styles can “have a really interesting conversation” when practiced alongside each other.

3AM will be displayed at BBAM! Gallery until Nov. 5. The gallery is located at 3255 St-Jacques St. and open Tuesday to Sunday, from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Fridays). Entry is free. For more information on the duo’s work, check out their website, laceyandlaylaart.com, or Instagram page, @laceyandlaylaart.

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