You still have two days to catch Trevor Gould‘s exhibition Belief has no Reason: Watercolors 1996-2013 at Galerie Hugues Charbonneau. Trevor Gould is originally from South Africa and moved to Montreal in 1980, where he now lives and works. The artist’s South African heritage informs much of the work in this retrospective of watercolours, focusing on themes such as colonialism, the Other, and cultural appropriation.

Walking through the exhibition feels like leafing through the journal of a 16th century European explorer: the gallery walls are filled with a menagerie of exotic animals, foreign plants, and plantation labor scenes. Gould’s brush stokes are quick and the compositions are left open, allowing the viewer to fill in the details. One interesting point of note in this exhibition is the exchange of gazes. While the viewer is looking at the exhibition (under the intent stare of nine watercolours of monkeys on the back wall), the exhibition also explores the concept of the colonizer’s view of the Other. The entire room is an intercession of gazes which provoke a challenge of the mainstream narrative of history and culture domination.

In the series Universal Fairs, Trevor Gould refers to museological practices which present and frame art, and the institutional classifications of what should be considered art. Exotic animals such as giraffes, elephants, monkeys are objectified and placed on pedestals or under observation glasses to be scrutinized by the (European) viewer. These watercolors are a nod to the past practice of European circuses where the Other was displayed as a “freak” or a “monster,” positioning the colonizer as the superior being.

This exhibition is a challenge of the narrative of mainstream history. The nine monkeys mentioned before, for example, make you conscious of your own gaze. Another example would be the character, faded yet still present, of a Klux-klux-klan member with his terrifying white hood. This symbol of xenophobia reminds us as viewers to be aware of our own cultural lens.
Trevor Gould makes an important contribution to the discourse of cultural appropriation in a post-colonial world.

Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, space 308
Trevor Gould
Belief has no Reason: Watercolors 1996-2013
March 1 – April 5, 2014
huguescharbonneau.com

Never have I had to restrain myself more from touching an artwork than during my visit of Moonwalk, the latest exhibition presented at Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, which features the mesmerizing artworks by local multidisciplinary artist Jonathan Plante. I was intrigued by the artwork’s surface because I couldn’t quite make sense of it: it seemed to move as though it was reverberating light. My first instinct in a situation like this is to touch to understand (which is always frustrating)! Though I didn’t. Instead, reading the artist’s statement, I discovered that the surface in question is lenticular plastic.

This unique material is a transparent sheet of plastic, embossed on one side with rows of convex ridges which form a lens. The opposite side of the sheet is flat. The moving image that the viewer sees is created by interlacing a sequence of frames. In other words, each frame is cut into stripes the width of a convex row and glued to the plastic; the moving viewer sees the resulting sequence of images creating the impression of motion. For more about lenticular printing, visit this page.

The idea of sequence is one that the artist has been working with throughout his artistic career. Plante researches the multiple stages of life of an artwork, from conception to documentation, and his work also explores the transformation of an artwork, as well as the concept of repetition. All these strands of though come together in his lenticular prints. Moving around the gallery space, every picture moves in response to the viewer’s position in the space. This interaction between the viewer and the artworks creates a dialogue, connecting the viewer and the piece in a very tangible way. The pieces create a sort of performance for each viewer based on the path the viewer takes within the gallery.

Themes such as Greek mythology, motion, and passing time are predominant in this exhibition. Indeed, we encounter the figures of Narcisse (2013) or Sisyphe (2013) and the works Temps de passage (2012) and Temps d’exposition (2013) clearly evoke time passing. Temps de passage is an animated video which underlines the ideas of motion and sequence, and references the lenticular prints through the use of transparent tape. Like all the other pieces in this show, Temps de passage is created with many stills placed into a specific sequence in order to give the impression of movement. Plante’s work starts with still frames which, assembled in a specific way, become kinetic images through the presence and motion of the viewer.

Galerie Hugues Charbonneau, space 308
Jonathan Plante
Moonwalk
January 11 – February 15, 2014
www.huguescharbonneau.com

Presently the Galerie Trois Points is showcasing two solo exhibitions simultaneously.

We first meet with the work of Clint Griffin in an exhibition titled Not Staying. Griffin is a Canadian artist based in Toronto. For me the most interesting piece of this exhibition is House and Home (2013). A photography is hung on the wall, but the shape of a house has been cut out of the picture. However a model house is placed in front of the picture and when the viewer looks from a certain angle the house merges in the two dimensional picture, almost erasing itself from the gallery space. The artist is challenging our understanding of dimension and time. The past, represented by the photography, and the present, represented by the model house, combine into one unique, yet fleeting moment.
The theme of ‘merging’ is a constant throughout the exhibition, as illustrated by the artist’s use of collage: cutting photographs and piecing them together like a puzzle. In addition he also paints or draws new elements in these mixed and matched pictures merging different mediums. Griffin uses another type of collage that I had never encountered before. More superposition than collage, he juxtaposes what seems like hundreds of photographs one on top of the other, leaving only the topmost one visible. However the presence of these unseen photographs is eloquent, suggesting a life full of events, people, and places, just under the surface.

Endlessly Looping is the second solo exhibition in the gallery, comprised of the paintings and drawings of Erik Jerezano. This Mexican-born artist plays with the themes of transition and transformation, creating new mythologies and icons. At first glance they seem almost childish, with large shapes, simple pencil lines, restricted color palettes and a blank background. The viewer has to get closer, at which point they are taken into a world of endless motion. Organic shapes, plants, creatures from the realms of the imagination seem to fight for their place on the canvas. “In a small exhibition to his subconscious”* the drawings create a world of their own by interacting with each other and luring the viewer within. There seems to be a dialogue between the canvases; a dialogue so clear we can almost hear the chatter.

Although the two artists have different approaches and techniques all together it is easy to understand why they where chosen to be presented simultaneously. They both approach the idea of different spaces and times interacting with each other (past/present – imagination/our world) through techniques that solicit interaction with the viewer whether it be there position in the room or invoking their own imagination.

* From press release.

Galerie Trois Points
Clint Griffin: Not Staying
Erik Jerezano: Endlessly Looping
November 23 – December 21, 2013
www.galerietroispoints.com

Music has always been a mystery to me. Its not like I haven’t tried, a year of music class and clarinet got me right back at square one: no musical capacity whatsoever. So when we start talking experimental music and improvisation, I am quite out of my comfort zone. However, the work by Mario Côte at the Galerie Trois Point is most interesting and caught my full attention. Mario Côté is a professor at l’Université du Québec à Montréal and the exhibition Table d’écoute is curated by his colleague Patrice Loubier Art History Professor also at UQAM.

The exhibition focuses on Côté’s work with music, more specifically Morton Feldman composition Crippled Symmetry  (1983). The large canvases we see upon entering the exhibition each represent a measure of Crippled Symmetry, itself composed of 1252 measures (approximating a total of 40 canvases). The artworks are abstract dominated by geometric forms; in this sense they are indeed representative of Feldman’s music. To be able to relate to these paintings I have sat through a youtube version of Crippled Symmetry. Although listening to the hour long composition did not rock my boat it certainly shed a light on Côte’s work (and annoyed my cat!). The repetition and the slow pace for example can be recognized in the visual interpretation of the pieces created by the artist, even for the musical illiterate that I am.

Through an idea that came from “number painting” and his interest music, Côté has developed a chart to transcribe music onto canvas (these charts are also in the show). Number painting is a popular amateur painting process where the canvas is already divided into numbered zones that will form the final image and a palette of numbered colors corresponding to the numbered zones. The creative process has already been done, the amateur painter only needs to fill in the color in the corresponding spot. Côté has experimented with these number paintings by changing the color codes resulting in the abstraction of the pre-determined image. The abstraction goes further when the canvas in turned over to the side, this can be observed in Planche d’abstraction no.1 and Planche d’abstraction no.4 (2013).

I would argue that the art piece is not only the final canvas, but the creation process as a whole. The exhibition layout seems to incarnate this idea as drafts, charts, research and influences are also present thus contextualizing the Crippled Symmetry (CS) pieces. In addition a reading of Crippled Symmetry will take place on November 9th to complete the artwork. As mentioned before, influences are also exhibited such as the piece Etat d’un tableau (2000-2001) or the Mur d’atelier series that show a deep connection to Abstract Expressionism (1940s) which influenced the New York School (end 1960s) and itself including avant-guard musicians like John Cage (to name the most famous one) as well as Morton Feldman. What interested these musicians was primarily the tendency towards the unpredictable, improvisation and the movement required from the body during the creation process.

When visiting Table d’écoute we are made aware that every aspect of the art from inspiration to the canvas is actually part of the final piece. Don’t miss the performance on November 9th (3pm at the gallery) to experience the art piece in its whole!

Galerie Trois Point
Mario Côté
Tables d’écoute
October 12 – November 16, 2013
http://galerietroispoints.com

The exhibition on Trevor Paglen at the SBC Gallery of Contemporary Art is within the larger context of Le Mois de la Photo à Montreal 2013. The SBC Gallery is amongst 25 other Montreal galleries to present an exhibition on photography within the theme of Drone: The Automated Image; a theme proposed by the renowned curator and photography writer Paul Wombell.

Trevor Paglen is a New York City based photographer. With a degree in geography and art Paglen is renown for his military drone photography. Interested in military secrecy the artist uses his camera as a research tool and an extension of his eye (like a telescope). The pictures presented here can be divided in two sets: one is in close frame and represents elements on the ground. The second is in a larger frame of the sky and focus on color.

In the first set the pictures Reaper Drone: Indian Springs, NV; distance – 2 miles (2010) and Canyon Hangers and Unidentified Vehicle (2006) are part of his many images of secret military bases such as Area 51 (Nevada, US). The pictures themselves are taken from public ground, usually high in the mountains surrounding the restricted areas. As can be seen in the exhibition Paglen’s goal is not to make clear and condemning pictures. Indeed he aims more to unsettle by suggesting the subject matter and make a visually dynamic picture. If the picture were clear the viewer might simply see a plane. However the haziness makes it a ‘secret’ plane, one that is not supposed to be seen by the general public. The fact that the photograph is out of focus gives it’s subject matter the dramatic appeal that Paglen wishes to convey. In addition, the blurriness also accounts for the activity in the atmosphere (1) therefore making the heat of the American desert visible and a protagonist in itself as yet another threat for the photographer.

In the second set of photographs Paglen points his camera at the sky. With three skyscapes we are first subjugated by the Sublime aspect of the overwhelming heavens. The large frame of immersing color focuses our attention first on the pattern of clouds and the nuance of colors. However, the title suggest there is more to see creating a sense of unease: Untitled (Reaper drone) 2010 (all have the same title). Far away in the sky a drone is zooming by, so far it only appears as very small engulfed in the vast sky. In contradiction to the first impression of great silence the title gives a context of noise; a ‘drone’ being named for the sound it makes.

Whether or not it was the intention of the artist, some elements offer space for personal interpretation. A first level of interaction with the Sublime, for example, is experienced when the viewer encounters the sky as a larger-than-life entity with no discernible end escaping human understanding. When the viewer finally see the drone a second level of interaction with the Sublime is experienced as we realize we are once again looking at something that escapes our immediate knowledge as well as a sense of invisible power and unauthorized watching. Although this time it is not nature, but our own government the awes us. This brings me to yet another interpretation: the role of the camera. In popular understanding the drone is sent as an observer. Here the spier is being spied on, thus reversing the power of the gaze. The camera is then a tool to regain power over a Big Brother-like entity by the photographer and through him the viewer.

Although the exhibition is small it was fun to experience! I found myself diving into the world of secret military politics and desert locations leaving my imagination run wild with conspiracy theories for the time of my visit. In addition, the aesthetics offered by the artist were unique and a delight to encounter.

(1) Jonah Weiner, “Onward and Unpward with the arts. Prying Eyes, Trevor Paglen makes art of government secrets,” The New Yorker, Oct 22, 2012; pp. 54-61.

SBC Gallery of Contemporary Arts, space 507
Trevor Paglen
Drone – The Automated Image
September 7 – November 9, 2013
www.sbcgallery.ca

The solo exhibition Nyctalopes at Espace Robert Poulin features some of the most recent works by James Juron. The large powerful canvases create a fantastical space populated by characters out of bad dreams. Juron’s work is unified by his particular way of blurring the face of certain protagonists. Another element that ties these canvases together in a poignant and articulate dialogue is the recurrence of similar forms such as in The Benediction (2013) and On the backs of others (2012). Here a pink-red mass that seems to be inhabited by human elements can be recognized in both paintings. As only separate human parts are discernible such as teeth, breasts, mouths, noses etc it is hard to establish how many of these humanoid entities are within the form and if they are all female. In The Benediction the pink form is surrounded by five men in black suits looking down on it. The scene is placed in a gloomy room with what might be glass walls that can either be a laboratory or a meeting room; which would be well thought as the canvas itself is hung in a meeting room with large glass vitrines. Wether referring to corporate corruption or mass consumerism of the female body in media (the form representing an impossible standard with no identity remodeled so much it barely resembles a human form anymore), the author certainly opens a space for critical thought on contemporary society. Imagery and metaphors is a large part of Juron’s language with ghosts, skeletons, bleeding canvases or red roses (to mention only a few) invoking something different for each viewer. For example, ghosts may refer to the dark past of the protagonist in the painting as well as invoke the personal past of the viewer or the community.

As a whole the works presented here have a dark palette with a touch of red or pink reminiscent of blood or flesh. According to the artist’s website, by blurring the faces he aims to help uncover an underlying truth. In a sense the artist takes away the pretty mask to make visible an ugly truth. These paintings can indeed be interpreted as metaphors of dysfunctional socio-cultural infrastructure.

The series of five self-portraits, Selfhead (2013), illustrates well this point: the artist wishes to represent more than just the physical aspect of a person or what a relationship or society should be. What things look like does not necessarily give an idea of what they truly are in essence. The artist is literally taking off the first layer (the mask/the conventional representation) to reveal what is underneath. The name of the exhibition refers quite explicitly to this idea of revealing. Indeed “Nyctalope” is a character first appearing in 1909 from a novel by the French author Jean de la Hire: he is a lesser-known superhero that can see in the dark (Wikipedia). The name of the character itself comes from Greek ‘nyctalopia’ with refers to the inability to see in the dark (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). The word is appropriated with irony, as here the author wishes to make visible what is in the dark, giving the viewer the power to see the invisible.

Many other themes are dealt with through vivid imagery and metaphors portrayed with a dynamic technique that can only be experienced and appreciated fully when in presence of the canvases; this exhibition in a full-body experience not to be missed.

Espace Robert Poulin, space 411
James Juron
Nyctalopes
August 22 – September 21, 2013
www.espacerobertpoulin.com

Extreme Painting II presented at the Laroche/Joncas Gallery is part of the city-wide event of the same name created by l’Association des Galeries d’art Comtemporain (AGAC). A total of 20 Montréal galleries have participated in the second edition of Extreme Painting over the three summer months. Each gallery has mounted a unique exhibition with a common interest in painting, showcasing overall more then 70 Canadian artists. http://new.agac.qc.ca/peintureextreme.php?lang=en

The exhibition by Laroche/Joncas focuses on the medium of paint itself. The five artists we are offered to concentrate on have a different approach to paint yet all underline it as a material in its own right. In the works of Sean Montgomery, Manuel Ocampo and Jayson Oliveria we can find an emphasis on the three-dimensional aspect of paint and its materiality. They explore paint through different expressionist styles that sharpens the viewer’s awareness of the material instead of the subject represented on the canvas. For example in Again (2011) by Jason Oliveria the word “again” seems to be written with the tube of paint, using no intermediary utensil to apply the oil paint on the canvas. The lettres appear more to be placed on the canvas then painted. In addition each canvas represents a movement in Modern Art history, thus emphasizing on the presence of paint in each.

Other artists such a Adam Bergeron and Jean-Philippe Harvey create a dialogue between paint (old medium) and new mediums through the technique of collage. Within these canvases paint shares the space with popular culture (cut outs of Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse) or overcomes it completely (Jean-Philippe Harvey). I interpreted such canvases as an illustration of the relationship between old and new mediums in the visual arts. The artists are making it clear that paint has not yet drawn its final breath. Indeed they oppose the idea that paint has been dethroned by new mediums and argue that paint still has many aspects to be researched and discovered.

Bergeron’s Daubing (2013) fits perfectly into this discussion on paint for its brute use of the material. As the title suggests it seems we are looking at the draft canvas the artist used to test his paint before applying it. Drafts are usually not shown even less in a gallery setting, yet Bergeron makes us focus on the medium he is using rather than the final product (at which we can only guess). We are guided to see and appreciate the paint itself more than a whole canvas.

Paint definitely is the focal point of this show. The open dialogue in this exhibition space is palpable and leads the viewer into revisiting pre-made (and common) ideas on the dead-end future of paint. This exhibition certainly is worth visiting, in addition to fuel your love for paint it will swell your pride in Canadian visual artists!

Galerie Laroche/Joncas, space 410
Adam Bergeron, Jean-Philippe Harvey, Sean Montgomery, Manuel Ocampo, Jayson Olivera
Peinture extrème
June 19 – August 31, 2013
www.larochejoncas.com

The great thing about the Belgo Building is how you can walk around with no particular aim and always find food for thought, pleasant esthetics, or creative oddities that spring your imagination into action. The exhibition Borderline/Borderline at the Donald Browne Gallery holds many treasures, some more obvious then others. For me to enter a gallery there must be something to catch my eye and draw me in, here it was the photography by Olivier Gariépy. Jumelles Pilon, 2011 has appeared on the Belgo Report’s Friday’s Favorite Four by Bettina Forget and Transgression, 2013. The latter is a photography of the sky where a distant plane and a rainbow are captured in the same frame. The picture is minimalist with only these two elements but open a larger issue about humanity and nature such as the consequences of our industrial culture on nature, to mention only one.

The work by Valérie Kolakis Untitled (Glass Sheets) 2013, on the other hand is one of the less obvious treasures. It is composed of a group of window glass sheets simply leaning on the wall near the entrance. I walked by the piece thinking nothing of it exempt maybe that it was a little weird to have the glass there. This type of work fits in Marcel Duchamps’ ready-made theory: giving a name to an everyday object and placing it in a gallery makes it a work of art. Or does it? That is Duchamps’ question now isn’t it? In addition one of the sheets still had a sticker on it from its previous use “Tous les objects de valeur de cette propriété portent un code gravé. Ils sont identifiables.” This simple security warning put out of place reflects on the worth art as well as challenges the mainstream definition of a work of art.

The third and last piece I wish to spend some time with is the one that truly caught my attention: Sara A. Tremblay‘s In and Out, 2012. The large sheets of paper 5″ by 5″ covered in charcoal (which I will describe in a moment) are in fact the result of a performance that can last up to five hours. The first performance was conducted in 2012 by Tremblay and is represented by the first piece: a large paper covered in circular charcoal tracks going from the out skirts of the paper to the center where the traces of the performer’s feet can be discerned. Indeed the performance follows the same instruction each time: the artist is placed at the center of the paper armed with charcoal and works on covering the entire sheet from the borders to the center. At the end of the performance the charcoal powder is gathered into a glass container and is added to the presentation as a token of the effort put into the work. Today, the performances are done by the assistant curator Charlotte Rousseau. By changing performer, the performance-piece takes on a life of its own, past its creator, it grows and moves on by itself in the world.

This exhibition has offered a truly fun and complete experience of a gallery space. Opening dialogue on contemporary issues, challenging the definition of art as well as offering at least one new way of perceiving art through an evolving performance. For restriction of space I have made a choice in the number of artists discussed, however many more treasures await you at the Borderline/Borderline exhibition, open until August 31st when the last performance of Sara. A Tremblay’s In and Out will take place.

Donald Browne Gallery, space 528
Valérie Kolakis, Sara A. Tremblay, Olivier Gariépy, Jérôme Havre, Marius Lut, Jérôme Ruby
Borderline/Borderline
June 20 – August 31, 2013
www.galeriedonaldbrowne.com

 

Si j’ai choisi l’exposition Y aller par quatre chemins, c’est parce que le titre m’a inspiré. Je m’attendais à quatre artistes ayant un trait en commun tel que leur sujet d’étude ou leur technique. Toutefois, les quatre artistes présentés à la Galerie Roger Bellemare et Christian Lambert ne m’ont pas paru particulièrement cohérent.

Ma première impression était donc décevante. Néanmoins il ne faut pas ce fier à nos premières impressions, surtout pas concernant l’art abstrait et minimaliste. Non, dans ce cas le plaisir se trouve dans le temps qu’on prends à découvrir les travaux et les intentions de l’artiste. Je suis donc rentrée chez moi et comparé mes observations avec quelques navigations internet.

Même si l’art abstrait n’est pas mon art préféré je dois admirer la technique et persévérance de Jérôme Bouchard. De grandes toiles blanches émergent à peine sur un mur blanc; si on veut apprécier il faut s’approcher. En effet l’artiste se concentre sur l’étude des surfaces et sur la matière même de la peinture. La toile semble vieillie, la peinture étant égratigner. Les titres sont tout aussi abstrait – 77,5mg/m2 (2013), faisant référence à la matière utilisée et la surface de la toile plus qu’à un sujet en particulier.

Dans la salle suivante, Martha Townsend offre une autre sorte d’art abstrait. Cette fois-ci la signature de l’artiste est très présente. En effet Townsend se concentre plus sur la forme, comme par exemple dans la série Like Nothing (2004) qui se charactérise par l’émergence de formes abstraites à la mine de plomb. Un contraste se produit entre le dynamisme saisissant du coup de crayon et la stricte ligne de contour de chaque forme. Comme habitée par une force, ces formes simples et abstraites laissent au visiteur le plaisir d’imaginer ce qu’elles symbolisent. Dans une autre série par Martha Townsend l’artiste travail avec du tissu. La forme est encore une fois un élément très présent symboliser par la récurrence du carré. Comme si elle souhaitait mettre en valeur des échantillons de tissus certains carrés sont découpés et placés avec une symétrie et précision rigoureuse alors que d’autre semble assemblés de manière rapide et brouillon encore une fois faisant référence au geste de l’artiste.

Un deuxième espace de l’autre côté du couloir expose Geoffroy James et Mathieu Gaudet. Geoffroy James est un photographe Canadien et son travail n’est pas abstrait. Armé de sa caméra, James ne trouve pas ses sujets par hasard, mais choisit soigneusement un sujet à l’avance. Ma pièce préféré de cette exposition est Rainbow (Arc-en ciel) par James. Cette photographie présente une rangée d’arbres aux couleurs de l’automne en arrière plan d’une pancarte intitulée Rainbow. La démarche artistique se trouve dans le cadre mis en place par le photographe qui crée une autre dimension. Le lien entre la pancarte et la rangée d’arbre n’aurait peut être pas été faite sans le cadre mis en place par l’artiste. Je suis séduite par le charme et l’esprit mordant de la photographie.

En entrant dans la salle d’exposition cependant, la première chose que l’on remarque sont les barres de bois placées dans la pièce. Crée par Mathieu Gaudet, ces barres de bois de peupliers sont recouvert de résine noire. Ces poutres sont distribuées dans l’espace par petit amas créant des formes abstraites. La résine sur chaque poutre est appliquée au même niveau, comme si la salle avait était remplie de résine et avait marqué le bois. Gaudet travail beaucoup avec le bois et les formes qui envahissent l’espace et donnent un sentiment d’une présence passée.

Galerie Roger Bellemare et Christian Lambert, Espaces 501 & 502
Jérôme Bouchard, Mathieu Gaudet, Geoffrey James, Martha Townsend
Y aller par quatre chemins
18 mai au 20 juillet 2013
www.rogerbellemare.com

The artists represented in No Homo: art, assistants and emulation are the four assistant artists for the renown Kent Monkman: Don Monkman, Brian Rideout, Rory Dean and Brad Tinmouth. This exhibition focuses on showing that these assistants are also artists in their own right, with their personal styles, techniques and interests.

Referring to the inner workings of Renaissance studios such as Raphael’s or Michealangelo’s, in his first curatorial work Kent Monkman acknowledges the need for assistants without whom he would not be able to answer all of the demands made to him. Assistants are essential to an artist studio, however it is sometimes forgotten that these assistants have artistic practices of their won. The display of art in this exhibition underlines these four talents. Their capacity to model Kent Monkman’s technique for example is a token to their artistic expertise when you consider the difference in style.

Don Monkman (brother of Kent Monkman) presents Nanabosho and Sister Delilah (2013): a large canvas appropriating images from Christian religion and art history. The large Aboriginal figure, the nun cutting of his hair, the organization of the surface is a reference to the painting Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens (ca, 1610). In Christian mythology, Samson was granted great strength by God, his only vulnerability residing in his hair (which contain his power) and seductive women. It is with irony and great artistic talent that Don Monkman parallels an Aboriginal deity to the great Samson and a nun to a treacherous woman. This painting challenges art history, Christian religion and colonization to mention only a few. Although I spent quite a long moment with this canvas, I look forward to seeing it again and discover yet another appropriation or level of meaning.

Brian Rideout‘s paintings shows his inclination towards working with planes of somber colors. The spaces he represents seem almost two-dimensional yet evocative through patterns, shadows and shapes. The four paintings by Rideout’s appear to be working together with a unity to the four canvases. Indeed all four paintings create a feeling of unease like the calm before a storm; wether it is the pale earth colors, the subject matter or the detail of a curtain rising from a light breeze.

Rory Dean‘s A Bitch Ex Gf (2013) is quite a sight: speckled with references of popular culture mingling with fantastic creatures and forms from his own imagination the canvas feels as in movement. Characters from TV shows like the Simpsons, popular music figures such as Rhianna and national sports (hockey) share the space with large rodents and smiling mountains. This very active painting gives the impression to be in constant motion, with details appearing at each viewing evoking different memories for every spectator. Dean’s work will pull you right into the artist’s imagination and interlace it with your own.

Brad Tinmouth‘s Greenhouse (2013) is an installation, the only none-painted piece of the exhibition. Based on a do it yourself philosophy Tinmouth’s art “aims to make everyone as happy as he is” (taken from curatorial statement). In this exhibition he built a small greenhouse: the visitors are invited to come in and watch, maybe participate in, the growth of comestible plants. My precarious knowledge of plants has identified basil and what could possibly be parsley among other herbs. The artists gives us a contact with nature and green spaces in a gallery setting and might also influence us to grow our own cooking herbs!

pfoac221, space 221
Don Monkman, Brad Tinmouth, Brian Rideout and Rory Dean
curated by Kent Monkman
No Homo
May 2 – June 8, 2013
www.pfoac.com