02.08.10
Posted in Review at 10:28 am by Richard
I recently had the pleasure of stepping into Masion Kasini gallery a miniature arts empire that is owned and operated by two fine gentlemen by the name of Chris and Rick. Maision Kasini is part shop, part gallery and part printing press The shop represents approximately twenty artist selling small works and various artistic nick nacks , while the gallery represents ten artists regularly. The current exhibition hanging is Charles Ormes‘ “Icaris and Pluto” series.
The series consists of a selection of photos in which the artist recounts the flight of Icarus which depicts the model on his journey towards the sun and his inevitable demise from flying to close to it. The Pluto series is more of a portrait with references of the fun gods enjoy with their omnipotent powers, in this case the roman god of the under world, as the model is depicted sitting or playing on and from a cloud. In both series the artist makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is illustratively replicating a fictional event or environment, as the viewer can clearly see external elements that are based within our reality and that these elements are used to create the compositions as well as references that the happenings are taking place or are with in our own realm of existence.
For example in the Icarus series the model is set in front of a sky scape flying amongst the clouds. The viewer can see that not only is the fictitious sky scape created with value gradation of painted blue to white, but also that the clouds with which he plays in are made of foam, the type of foam one might use to stuff a pillow. This background is mounted on a wall with in a studio which the viewer sees as a roof and floor are visable. No attempts to camouflage the space that encloses the fictional settings were made. As there is no effort to give the illusion that this is reality elements that would have been used to create the image have been left within the viewers eye sight such as the lighting and the harness with which the artists hangs from in order to elude he is flying. One can even see the two electric fans hanging from the celling which some how help further suggests the illusion of actual flight.
Many of the same elements are used with in the Pluto series, for the interior scenes a cloud (which is a monstorous contraption created by the artist) is suspended from the roof by thick industrial chains in front of a standard blue tarp. Once again the viewer can see that this space exists with in another based with in the world with which we live. For the exterior series which was shot both at night and at dawn many of the same elements hold true. This time although in a more natural environment the cloud with which the model hangs from and plays on is suspended from a crane which is on the back of a truck, once again no attempt to hide the truck is made and it becomes part of the composition.
All in all the images create a super fun, enjoyable, well thought out and show, where the artist gets to play within the mythical world of gods in which he presents. The work is excellently priced with these impressive high quality well composed photos starting as low as 500$ unframed, don’t let the price scare you though as it costs nothing take a look at the work and if you enjoy it there are reasonably priced catalogues available. Unfortunately though the cloud sculpture, which is also on display is not for sale. Check it out, as it’s worth your time.
Maison Kasini
space 408
Charles Orme
Icarus & Putto
January 27 - February 20, 2010
http://maisonkasini.com
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02.06.10
Posted in Photography, Painting, Sculpture and Installation, Print, Performance, Drawing, Review, Film and Video, Event at 12:34 pm by Richard
As you are all aware of, and are all preparing for, February 27 is the date of Montreal’s Nuit Blanche, the night where galleries and artists give the public a chance to stay up all night roaming the city, checking out the galleries and sucking up various cultural events. Here is a list from top to bottom of what one can expect to find at the Belgo.
Fifth Floor:
Les Territoires:
Yuula Benivolski
Young Blood
space 527
www.lesterritoires.org
Galerie Piccini da Todi:
Diego Piccini Todi
The Man and the City
space 523
www.piccinidatodi.com
Galerie L’Envol:
Adeline Payette & Company
Solo & Collective Exhibition
space 522
SBC Galerie d’art contemporain:
Anne Ramsden
Museum of Everyday and Possession
space 507
www.sbcgallery.ca
Fourth Floor
Arprim:
Northern Alberta Print Society
ProspectUs
space 426
www.arprim.org
Galerie d’art contemporain Visual Voice:
Bettina Forget
Changement-Toujours
space 421
www.visualvoicegallery.com
Galerie sas:
Jean-Francois Bouchard
Still Life
space 416
www.galeriesas.com
Maison Kasini:
Clement Yeh
All Four Hooves Hit the Ground
space 408
http://maisonkasini.com
Third Floor
Centre des arts actuels Skol:
Christophe Jivraj
1,5-1,5
space 314
www.skol.ca
La compagnie MONTRÉAL DANSE:
Various Artist
Espace 1.2.3.4
space 308
www.montrealdanse.com
Studio 303:
Jacques Poullin-Denis
Dors.Install
space 303
www.studio303.ca
First Floor
Engineers Without Borders:
Group Show
Night Without Borders
space 127
http://www.ewb.ca/fr/index.html
L’!llustre galerie:
CKUT
CKUT Broadcasts Live
space 123
www.illustrationquebec.com
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02.05.10
Posted in Sculpture and Installation at 12:25 pm by Bettina
You have another week to stop by Circa and check out the exhibit Petit précis de recomposition by Éric Desmarais. I always enjoy interactive art tremendously, so Desmarais’ piece Pièces à conviction was right up my alley. This work consists of a beautiful old chest with 25 drawers of various sizes. You can hear an array of faint sounds emanating from the drawers and I was just itching to pull a few of them open to check what was inside - imagine my delight when I realized that this is exactly what visitors to the gallery are encouraged to do! While offering great play value, this piece elegantly communicates the fragmentation and dislocation of perception and association through the use of sound.
The artist’s second work on display, and installation titled Petit précis de recomposition, deals with a similar concept, though here the journey of discovery excludes direct audience participation (ie: no touching!).
While you’re there, don’t forget to take a peek at the small exhibition room which shows a wonderfully ethereal installation piece by Serge Marchetta titled Oser le temps.
Centre d’exposition Circa
space 444
Éric Desmarais - Petit précis de recomposition
Serge Marchetta - Oser le temps
January 9 - February 13, 2010
www.circa-art.com
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02.02.10
Posted in Photography, Film and Video at 11:26 am by Richard
ÉQUIVALENCES 2
Raymonde April and Eduardo Ralickas
Friday, February 5th at 5pm.
LES TERRITOIRES
As part of Équivalences 1- 4 project, Les Territoires gallery is pleased to host an artist and curator talk with Raymonde April and Eduardo Ralickas.
Equivalences 1–4 is a project by Raymonde April developed in collaboration with curator Eduardo Ralickas. It consists of three distinct series of photographs and one video work shown in three Montréal spaces: (1) Occurrence, espace d’art et d’essai contemporains; (2) Les Territoires; and (3) Galerie Donald Browne. Most of the photographs, which contain a significant number of landscapes, are unpublished and were taken between 2005 and 2009. The project also includes some past and found images. Each of the three exhibitions is comprised of ten to fifteen images: landscapes, portraits and scenes of everyday life captured with large-format, 35mm and digital cameras in such different urban or rural settings as Montréal, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Eastern Quebec and Southern Alberta. While foregrounding landscape (and, occasionally, the insertion of figures within space), these series also contain prosaic elements that are given a poetic meaning by means of the transformative power of photography.
Please note that Équivalences 2 is ending on Saturday, February 6th 2010.
Équivalences 1
Galerie Donald Browne
from January 9th to February 13th 2010
Équivalences 3 +4
Occurence, espace d’art et d’essais contemporains
from January 20th to March 6th 2010
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01.29.10
Posted in Photography, Painting, Sculpture and Installation, Performance, Drawing, Film and Video, Event at 12:07 pm by Richard
Works by Christine Major
upcoming exhibitions:
Christine Major - February 20th til March 20th 2010
Emmanuelle Leonard - March 27th until May 1st 2010
Galerie Donald Browne
Wednesday through Saturday noon to 5 pm or by appt
Sorry we missed The Donald Brown Gallery reopening on Jan 14 in a brand new space on the fifth floor of the Belgo building featuring Eduardo Ralickas. You should check out the new space and watch for these upcoming exhibitions though. Congratulations on the space and we look forward to seeing some great work.
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01.27.10
Posted in Photography, Painting, Sculpture and Installation, Print, Performance, Review, Film and Video, Event at 12:38 pm by Richard
Winter Lecture series on Collecting
Seminarts
SBC Gallery
SeminArts was conceived to promote the appreciation and collecting of art as a public educational outreach program. Our hope is to provide you with a greater understanding of the contemporary art scene in Quebec through a series of lectures that examines the « art of collecting » from five artistic interactions: an introductory lecture on contemporary art, the private collector - individual and corporate-, the artist and the gallery owner. Our goal is to demystify, to raise awareness and to begin to acquaint you with the Montreal art scene. The greater your curiosity, the better your collecting skills will become.
Each would run for five sessions, one every two weeks and the registration fee would be $175. The sessions run from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. If you or any friend and relative would like to attend either of these sessions, please reply as soon as possible to Carol-Ann Bray at carolbray@claridgeinc.com as that will assist us in setting the schedule.
Please indicate whether you would prefer attending the English or French series.
The themes to be covered are:
An Introduction to Contemporary Art
The Artistic Process: Visiting an artist’s studio
The Contemporary Art Market: Visiting a private gallery
A Private Collection: Insights into collecting for your home
A Corporate Collection: Contemporary art and the business world
English series that would commence mid-February and a French one a little later in the spring - probably in April.
(copied from gallery press release)
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 pm by webmaster
Self Portrait in Ink, Richard Rossetto
It’s been quiet on the Belgo Report for a little while. Your Belgo Reporter took a long overdue vacation and was then swept away by a tidal wave of work upon her return. But help is at hand!
The Belgo Report is delighted to introduce its newest author: Montreal artist Richard Rossetto. Richard is a regular contributor to the Art+Culture blog, where he reviews art exhibitions in Montreal and interviews artists both local and international. When he is not writing Richard creates Automatic Word Drawings, which were recently exhibited in the Visual Voice Art Gallery.
Richard will provide you with regular updates of exhibition openings and art events taking place in the Belgo building and make sure you never miss another vernissage.
For more info about Richard, check out his website.
Richard, welcome to the Report!
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01.26.10
Posted in Photography at 10:18 pm by Richard
Icarus & Putto
photographs by Charles Orme
Galerie Maison Kasini
January 27th to February 20th, 2010
Reception: Saturday, January 30th, 3-5PM
“Charles Orme: Icarus & Putto” presents a group of work in which the artist enacts a series of fantasies, documented in photographs.
In the Icarus series, Orme re-enacts the Greek myth in his studio. The walls are painted like sky and are decorated with polyester clouds. Two box fans hang to the side. The artist is suspended, naked, in the middle of the composition in various states of ascension and plummeting. The photographs are tableaux vivants that explore the artists folly in rich colors and classical compositions.
In the Putto series, Orme presents himself as a cherub dangling from a sculptural cloud. “I was inspired to create a photographic series/performance that created entertaining conflict in the relationships between earthly and celestial bodies, gravity and loft, artifice and nature, and fantasy and reality.
(from gallery press release)
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12.21.09
Posted in Painting at 1:53 pm by webmaster
Projex-Mtl Gallery is pleased to present BRUT an exhibition of paintings and work on paper by artists: Patrick Dunford, Benjamin King and Justin Stephens.
Patrick Dunford’s “recent work has focused on the most basic elements of painting and visual language. Inspired by a renewed engagement with abstraction, the paintings are pared down in their use of line, colour, and form.”
Says Benjamin King “These pictures seem to fail as landscapes, while succeeding as abstractions, yet inextricably remain landscapes. Or maybe they walk a line that removes them from both categories. Either way it is a world that has been chewed up and frozen.”
Perhaps suffering from aesthetic attention deficit disorder, Justin Stephens’ homogeneous body of paintings are tailored to particular momentsthat examine and lay bare the activities of his practice in the studio.
Please take note that the gallery will be closed from December 23, 2009 - January 6, 2010
(excerpts from gallery website)
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12.01.09
Posted in Photography, Performance, Film and Video at 4:39 pm by webmaster
Mark this vernissage on your calendars:
Les Territoires
space 527
Multigraphers Art Group
cAvA
vernissage: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
exhibition period: December 4 - 19, 2009
cAvA is an inter-disciplinary piece and exhibition where augmented photography, video projection, real-time sound, and performance all mingle together to present a performative organism that immerses us in a multi-sensory space. The central theme is the recreation of a mother’s womb; a place to awaken our pre-natal memories.
Large scale self-portraits on gel medium form a palpable environment within which a lace installation is used as a video projection screen. Motion sensors and detectors at various locations are used to create a sound atmosphere that is connected to the physical surroundings of the space. During the exhibition, visitors are invited to experience the sensory interaction of touch, sound, and visual and to explore how the different artistic media work together to connect with memories. (from gallery press release)
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