Ottawa Photography Festival is a leading proponent of photography in Ottawa. Through its programming, increases exposure and recognition for local, Canadian and international artists.

is committed to advancing photographic knowledge, creativity and innovation in Ottawa.

FESTIVAL X 2007 REVIEWS

CARLETON UNIVERSITY

HISTORY AND THEORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS

ARTH 2601

PROFESSOR CAROL PAYNE, PhD

1.)

The Construction of Gender: Caught With a Camera

By: Karen Eatherley

Gender is a socially constructed phenomenon that defines our personal beliefs and predicts the actions of people in society. After attending multiple exhibitions at Ottawa’s first Festival X, two exhibits in particular seemed to address the implications of societal pressures and impositions on both men and women.The first exhibition, Female is displayed in the Red Wall Gallery at 168 Dalhousie. This exhibition displays photography of eight different female artists, presented in a variety of media. The second exhibition, which is called Men, is displayed at La Petite Mort Gallery at 306 Cumberland.  This exhibition consists of photographs of men taken by four different artists. Karina Kraenzle’s Blonde #1 and Blonde #2 will be discussed from the Female exhibition, where Mathieu Laverdiere’s Household will be focused on from Men.

Karina Kraenzle attended the University of Waterloo from 1981-1985 and studied English.Four years after graduating, she attended the San Francisco Art Institute where she studied photography for one year.In 1991, she went on to the University of California to further her studies in photography.Kraenzle has done many group and solo exhibitions in the past 5 years, mostly in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. 

Karina Kraenzle’s work comments on the predominant view in society and popular culture that artificiality can coexist with beauty. Her stylistic arrangement of the two pieces Blonde #1 and Blonde #2 suggest continuity, as though these two photographs are intended to unfold a progressive commentary. The top photograph, Blonde #1, lets the audience see only the wig, with the entire wig stand hidden from view, while Blonde #2 exposes the wig stand, or the area of the head that would normally be the face, skull and ears.

There are two important aspects of this particular arrangement. First, it suggests that as the audience views the specimen of false beauty, it will become increasingly apparent that it is an empty beauty, one devoid of substance, as identified by the lack of a head in Blonde #2. This sentiment is reinforced by the stark white background of the photograph, which is clean and sterile-looking, with sharp lines and angles, suggesting anything but a natural element for beauty to flourish in. The result is something that is completely manufactured, and while we as a society accept this made-up version of beauty to be inherently beautiful, it is precisely the contrary that is true. This is to say, beauty does not exist in artificiality, and in fact artificial ‘beauty’ relies far more on natural beauty and life than the other way around.

The second item of interest brought to light through Kraenzle’s orientation of her pieces is an elaboration of the previous argument, that society has been trained to accept this artificial ‘beauty’ as the real deal, when in fact it is anything but. Kraenzle’s work features no background activity at all, and the wigs are seemingly as close to the audience as the medium will allow. Even a cursory interpretation of this choice affords the message that artificial beauty has been made too much a part of our everyday lives. It is done to the point that Kraenzle feels it important to literally shove the image into her audiences’ faces, as a harsh satire of what we deal with in nearly every encounter with the media without notice.

Kraenzle does not seem to condemn or scold her audience with her work, which is simple and elegant in illustrating societal flaws. The pieces are arranged in such a manner as to suggest that she is merely trying to educate her audience on a part of their lives that has been practiced far too frequently and to such an extent that it is part of the social subconscious. Rather than a vicious artistic lashing of her audience and the society that they occupy, Kraenzle speaks to the problems assailing them, and leaves them with some food for thought regarding common conceptions of beauty, and the biases in these conceptions. 

Laverdière, a Montreal native, has participated in numerous exhibitions in Ottawa and Montreal.His work Household lends itself more to drawing powerful contrasts between what both society and popular culture tote as norms for gender roles.He places extraordinarily muscular men, presumably body builders, in situations and scenarios that according to societal and cultural pressures should be occupied by men, and yet the end result is anything but a natural fit. This effect is further magnified by two important qualities, one stylistic and one based on interpretation. 

First, the style used in the photographs places the overly muscular models in well-lit, brightly coloured, softer focus settings. The contrast between these technical qualities and the assumed imagery of strong men – usually darker, colder and more aggressive – makes the stereotypical assumptions that society places on men almost laughable. This contrast is further emphasized by the second quality of the pieces, the interpretational message afforded by the use of seemingly archetypal males in stereotypically male situations. Had Laverdière used a man of statistically average build, for example a five-foot ten-inch, one hundred and seventy pound male, the end result may not have been absurd in the least. 

This is because society and popular culture has convinced the majority of its audience that these jobs are supposed to be done by males, and subconsciously it is reflex to accept the situation as such. Laverdière points out that this is flawed logic, by suggesting that if these are indeed ‘male roles’, and the men doing them are ‘real males’, the fit should be at once natural and perfect. When we see that the fit is anything but, two important distinctions are made. First, these roles are not designed for men, and second, these men are not necessarily the ultimate men. 

The genius of Laverdière’s commentary is that in avoiding subtlety in his approach, he gives himself far more room to bring his message to the forefront of his work. The extremes used in his work – colours, model choice, playing off audience assumptions – make the end result a grand parody of the images of gender roles so prevalent in not only popular culture, but also society at large. The success of Laverdiere in accomplishing his fine commentary on gender roles is incontrovertible based on his use of style, subject matter, and attention to societal gender stereotypes.

As gender constructions challenge individuals in our society on an ultimately personal level, we find certain themes that arise.The constant drive to create perfect beauty is a common notion that is strewn across the media.Kraenzle’s Blonde #1 and Blonde #2 directly assess that issue with a simplistic beauty that provokes thought and assessment of our societal values.Addressing the same theme, Laverdière undeniably makes a statement with his piece Household.His contribution is vital to the notion of gender constructions because it captures the essence of how males are also stereotyped against.The end result of both of these pieces being explored with a common theme in mind is the intrinsic impression of how predominant gender constructions are in our society.Both pieces successfully make a statement against gender roles with beauty and sheer talent. 

2.)

Big Brother is watching: A Critical review of Cheryl Sourkes’ Public Camera

By: Katherine Ellis

As I viewed the different pieces in the collected works of Public Camera by the Toronto-based artist Cheryl Sourkes, I wandered into a small room. Adjacent to the large open spaced gallery, a posted sign warned the visitor of the mature subject matter beyond the threshold. I paused and entered. My human curiosity was peaked by the warning. My mind entranced by the ethereal music and cheers from Zidane: A 21st century portrait in the exhibit next door.  

I found a large red book with many pictures of sexually explicit matter. The pictures were of nudes, of masturbation, and of sexual intercourse. All the subjects seemed aware they were being observed. Then, I turned and saw White Man Masturbator.

Though shocking in nature, the essence of the still was entrancing. The large photograph was treated, and printed by an inkjet printer on a canvas. It gave the piece an illustrated feel. The male figure was blurred and centred. The eyes were absent as the mouth was half-open gasping for air, while the idealized male form was reminiscent of Michelangelo’s David. In White Man Masturbator, Sourkes had captured yet another private moment.   

Shown at the National Gallery of Canada, the exhibit was comprised of works from various collections. All the pictures were single frames taken from various web camera feeds. Sourkes wanted to document the moment in time when web cameras and photography merged in the art world. If there is no one to take the picture, then the art never took place, she says. 

Sourkes has worked with web camera feeds for the past several years. Interestingly, she does not create the work herself. All live web feeds are found on the Internet, and a single frame is chosen to create a picture. In essence, Sourkes uses the new medium to find art, not create it personally. 

Sourkes’ works can be placed within the same themes. An aspect she explores is society’s voyeuristic and exhibitionist tendencies. The individual is curious and wants to know everything about their fellow man. These social practices and rituals bond the individual to others, creating a connection between individual and society. Some seek this connection by not viewing but exposing themselves to society. The piece White Man Masturbator is an example of someone exposing himself on the Internet, physically and psychologically. 

However, the work is pornographic in nature. The subject, though unidentified, performs a sexual act. He presents himself to the World Wide Web at his most vulnerable state seeking a connection with those who view him. Yet the absence of the eyes and the focus on the torso and genitals dismember him. He becomes a collection of objects, no longer a person. Such techniques are used in advertising today. For example, to show a bracelet on a wrist, the photographer shoots only the wrist. The woman no longer exists. She is objectified same as the man in the still. He no longer exists as an individual, but rather as a sexual object. 

I remember a young family of four entering the collection. One look at some of the semi-nudes placed among interior settings, and the young boy and girl were ushered out of the exhibit before questions were asked. But the boy had wandered to the small ‘mature’ room, and I almost called out to the mother to say, “You don’t want your kid to come in here.” I stopped myself. Sourkes says sexuality should be out in the open and not hidden away. However, the museum disagrees. Due to certain criteria of the museum’s insurance policy and society taboo, the gallery separated this work from the others. 

But if pornography is placed in an art gallery, does it become art? Historically, the naked human form is common. The Venus of Urbino by Titian and David show the naked female and male form. Yet the artists did not show the subjects in a sexual act together or alone. Their nakedness was in fact justified. Venus was waiting for her clothes procured by her servant. David is a representation of the idealized male form during the Renaissance. Could it then be considered that pornography is the evolution of the naked form, both male and female? 

Another theme explored in the exhibition is the transience of time. Sourkes found

Web camera feeds at various world landmarks. Location/Paris is many pictures of Paris, with famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Placed one above the other in a glass case, the viewer can look at the different perspective provided by the sunlight and the electric lights at night. Even though they are pictures of the same place, taken at the same angle, they are two different settings. This piece adheres to Sourkes’ notion that a single moment can be art. 

However, the pictures of famous city’s or landmarks via web cameras can be unsettling. Web cameras watch people. Although the subject may be unaware, the picture can become a worldwide event when posted on the Internet. Virtual Vienna from the Camcities collection illustrated this point. The piece does not show exhibitionistic tendencies of the individual, but the voyeuristic nature of society.As stated earlier, individuals in society watch each other. May this be from surveillance cameras or on the street, we are ultimately curious? 

The piece Virtual Vienna is stills of many web camera feeds.Most people driving or walking into frame might not have known they were being watched. George Orwell’s 1984 illustrates the invasion of privacy as a mechanism that destroys a free and democratic society. The dystopian nature of this piece seems to be illustrated by the layout of the pictures. There is a large circular form at the centre. The circle distorts the pictures at its edges. Encased in a large rectangle, it represents the world trapped in a photograph. Just like through a computer screen, the world cannot be touched, only seen by the viewer. It tries to bond or connect with the viewer, but it is only a facsimile. Thus, Sourkes demonstrates that even though people try to connect through technology, it is a pale facsimile of connecting on a person-to-person basis. 

In conclusion, Sourkes maintained the themes of voyeurism/exhibitionism, and the transience of time throughout the exhibit. Each piece captures a moment in history, either a public moment or a private moment. It also captures the moment in history of the technology used. Older technology gives way to newer and faster technology. Sourkes wanted to document the time and place of this technology lest it be forgotten, all while illustrating society’s taboos. 

However, the exhibit also raises many questions. Is Big Brother watching? Do we now live in a society where a private moment will no longer exist in the future? I believe that technology will continue to progress. It is human nature to exceed our limitations, and find new and better ways to survive either in the world or in society. But what of the evolution of art? I believe that pornography may be the evolution of the naked human form. Art is meant to question society’s values, and make us re-evaluate ourselves. In our society, pornography is a fringe subject and a taboo, but still viewed by the majority. Pornography may one day be considered as high art, once society’s ideals evolve and change, as it always does. For what was once taboo in the past, such as kissing or holding hands, is no longer taboo today. 

3.)

Exhibition Review

By: Jessie Hampel

Describe your portrayal of the ideal man. It is likely that terms such as assertive, aggressive, strong, dominating, and independent easily came to your mind.What about descriptors such as defenceless, or kind-hearted, or timid? Probably not. The reality is that our culture has implanted into our brains a specific and enduring (and unrealistic) representation of what it means to be male. Men, an exhibition featured at La Petite Mort gallery in downtown Ottawa as part of the city’s new photography event, Festival X, powerfully addresses this issue of male stereotypes. Featuring a group of installations by Jesse Burke, Peter Sramek, Eve Fowler, Mathieu Laverdière, and Tony Fouhse, the exhibition takes the viewer through an exploration of our faulty cognitions of masculinity, and challenges us to deeply question these beliefs. Each photographer’s contribution uniquely addresses the roles we expect of men and how they are consequently perceived in society, however two series in particular, by Jesse Burke and Eve Fowler, serve as beautiful examples of the exhibition’s theme. 

The stereotype of a homeless man is one that typically invokes a sense of fear. The homeless are seen as the villains of middle-class neighbourhoods, men who have failed at life and are unworthy of our respect. Jesse Burke’s installation entitled Low, however, captures the photographs of twelve of Ottawa’s homeless men and illustrates their undeniable vulnerability. Each of the photographs uses a black background and a direct frontal perspective from the waist up, making the subject the primary focus of the image. It now becomes impossible for the viewer to ignore the men, as is usually the case in everyday life. It is also significant to point out that the perspective of the photographs is unlike the mug shots many people expect from such ‘criminal’ subjects. Each man is also shirtless, displaying scars, tattoos, and frail physiques, symbolic of the cruel living conditions of the streets that have hardened their outward appearances. What is especially haunting are the postures and facial expressions of each of the male subjects, which immediately grab the viewer’s attention because they emit an unexpected sense of humanness. The lighting produces an eerie biblical glow to the photographs, reminiscent of Jesus’ iconic martyrdom on the cross. Likewise, an intimate connection between viewer and subject is established, in which the viewer is drawn to the sheer innocence and weakness conveyed in the mood of the portraits. The deep emotional and physical wounds transform the men from vagrants to humans, making the viewer uncomfortably aware of their own prejudice toward the homeless. Jesse Burke’s Low addresses the fact that members of the lower classes of society, often stereotyped as insignificant, are not to be considered trash. Although they may not personify the perfect male stereotype, their spirits shine and they are ultimately human. 

Appearances are deceiving. It is with through these appearances, however, that the average person bases their judgments of others. Pre-judging may serve as a rapid way to navigate through life, but also as a severely inefficient way to truly appreciate humanity. This is the theme of renowned American photographer, Eve Fowler’s; untitled series featured in the exhibition, Men. Her contribution features three photographs, placed side-by-side, of the same male subject on a yellow background. The middle photograph shows the man, from the waist up, wearing a pair of jeans and a blue racing jersey. In this photograph he seems to portray the typical stereotype of a man. He is muscular, tough, unemotional, and dangerous. The two adjacent photographs, however, provide a stark contrast. To the left is a frontal view of the shirtless man from the waist up, and to the right is a view of the man’s shirtless back. The removal of the man’s shirt lets the viewer see a new side of him. A deep, red 12-inch scar adorns his back, with a smaller scar on his left arm and another on his face, all of which immediately catch the viewer’s attention. The subject’s eyes provide another interesting focus of the portraits. In the clothed picture his stare seems blank and glazed over, as if he is looking directly through the viewer. In contrast, the unclothed, frontal view looks as though the man is staring straight into the eyes of the viewer. Here his eyes appear sad, as if he had previously been crying. He now emerges as an exposed and troubled individual, scarred by the hardships of life. These portraits help provide insight into this man’s unique story. He is not defined by a stereotype, as the clothed photograph alone would evoke, but instead he is a distinct individual who should be judged as so. 

Each component the exhibition Men succeeds at challenging the viewer’s preconceived notions of masculinity, as well as providing insight into the problem of gender-based stereotypes. Although photographs by Jesse Burke and Eve Fowler offer excellent examples of the overall theme of the exhibition, contributions by the other artists add increasing depth. For example, Mathieu Laverdière’s installation features male bodybuilders performing routine household tasks, taking a more humorous approach to criticizing stereotypes of maleness. This seemingly ‘ironic’ display of the male’s role in the home challenges the public’s expectations of what it means to be a man. Tony Fouhse’s exhibit, Roids, uses Polaroid photographs to illustrate the many different roles a man can take in society. The title of the installation is initially deceiving, however, as it could refer to steroids, what many people see as the epitome of manliness. Finally, Peter Sramek’s street photography explores male stereotypes as they were projected in Toronto in the 1970’s and 80’s. Careful examination would indicate that little has changed in this domain in the past thirty years. As a whole, Men is especially effective at communicating its central theme of the problems of male stereotypes in today’s society. It allows the viewer to reflect upon their own prejudice and hopefully become more conscious of their future judgments. 

4.)

Exhibition Review

By: Rachel MacNeill

The Female exhibit, on display at the Red Wall Gallery at the School of the Photographic Arts of Ottawa, running from September 20 to October 16, is a collection of works from eight different female photographers. Lynne Anderson, Izabel Barsive, Maggie Knaus, Karina Kraenzle, Annelise Lallemand, Doris Lamontagne, Angelina McCormick and Michelle Wilson have little in common other than their occupation and their two X chromosomes – but together, their work shows that the concept of femininity is far more a cultural construct than a biological one.

As a woman, the question of ‘what represents female?’ is thought provoking and not easily answered. These women try to explore that question, and the results could not be more diverse.Instead of representing the true essence of femininity, which would be virtually impossible, the exhibition represents how different the concept is for each photographer and each viewer – and that it is an inherently socially and culturally loaded idea.

Four of the artists use portraiture as a means of expressing femininity. Anderson’s four portraits of cross-dressing females, who are biologically male, are stark and unapologetic. They do not hide stubble or anything that represents that these are men in wigs, makeup and jewellery. “As a genetically developed woman, I feel that being female has nothing to do with my anatomy,” Anderson says in her artist’s statement. Her work shows that femininity is a choice, a desire, and that it can be achieved by those born male. Her work also speaks to the fact that “female-ness” is often defined by makeup, hair and other superficial additives. Angelina McCormick uses portraiture to highlight this fact in a different way. Each of her four portraits show a woman stripped of makeup, jewellery, and clothes, wrapped in a heavy woollen blanket. McCormick highlights their individual beauty by stripping women of those things that so often define them. Her work stands next to Anderson’s, and together they drive home the point.Other works in the exhibition explore femininity in different ways – Izabel Barsive’s portraits of female bodybuilders highlight women who challenge the cultural stereotypes that the above photographers also explore. Michelle Wilson uses composites to create haunting and beautiful portraits. 

Annelise Lallemand’s work uses textiles as well as photographs. Lallemand asked two women to describe the products that they use throughout the course of the day, then took individual photographs of each product. Her works are small reproductions of these photographs “falling out” of ripped open purses. This is another way of representing the cultural and social construct that is femininity. “The fact that she uses all, some, or none of these items does not define her as a woman, however their use can signify so much about her or the situation she is going into after “getting ready,” she says in her artist’s statement. “As a woman, this leads me to ask certain questions, ‘how much does my bathroom, closet or appearance say about me?’ and ‘who do I do it for?” Lallemand’s two works directly confront the idea of superficial. 

Doris Lamontagne’s two pieces, “Material Calm” and “Jeopardy/Compromise” show the sea as a metaphor for women. The women have often been compared to the sea in their emotions and attributes – in both negative and positive ways. Lamontagne uses the sea to represent that that is beyond the cultural construct of femininity – a sea of turbulence and emotion that has been historically and contemporarily misunderstood. “The symbol of “the sea” has been used since the early time by religions as a representation of many ‘female’ qualities needing to be tamed,” she says in her artist’s statement. 

Two works that stand out among the exhibition are Karina Kraenzle’s pieces, “Blonde 1” and “Blonde 2.” Her “portraits” of a beautiful blonde wig on a wire stand are formally beautiful, haunting and thought provoking. Kraenzle’s depiction of a wig as representing femininity narrows the focus on the theme which has arisen from all the other works in this exhibition – the fact that femininity is an inherently social and cultural, not biological, construct. In Western and other societies, much of how women are perceived is based on looks. “Blonde 2” shows a wire stand, roughly formed into the shape of a person’s head, on which the wig sits. The wig is beautiful, blonde and highlighted, and forms a long curve across the left third of the painting, finishing with the crown in the upper centre. The smooth movement of the hair is stunning in the stark background of a white room, and draws the eye in a circle beginning and ending at the crown of the “head.” The formal aspects of this photograph are surprisingly simple but serve to focus all of the attention on the blonde wig in the foreground. The lack of a human head, face and body are inherently creepy, and that mood is what opens the mind to considering the meaning of the painting. 

“Our idea of “blonde” is so heavily laden with cultural baggage that it is almost impossible to see past those golden tresses,” Kraenzle’s artist statement says. “No matter what form they may take.”By creating an image that is impossible to ignore, offering nothing else to look at but this cultivated hairpiece, Kraenzle forces the viewer to reconcile with the idea of a wig representing femininity. The idea of a femininity as a cultural and social concept is no clearer than when looking at a manufactured, fake piece of consumer product as a representation of ‘female-ness.’ Kraenzle says she experiments with media and photography to challenge typical interpretations of images. 

“We’re here and then we’re gone – our presence in a fast-paced, technology-driven world appears to us to be more fleeting than ever,” she writes. “And many of the images that we see around us reflect that perspective on our existence.” The artist’s use of a single focus in a stark background has an ephemeral quality – this is not a lasting moment. The concept of femininity, then, as a cultural and social construct, is also ever changing.  

As a collective, the Female exhibition speaks volumes about femininity. When we consider that these photographers were intentionally trying to represent the female in their work, the heavy social and cultural baggage surrounding the concept becomes apparent. Femininity is different for each photographer and for each viewer – and this exhibition represents its changing and loaded meaning more than the essence of “female-ness” itself. 

5.)

Discovering Photography....

By: Natalia Mikolajczyk

“While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see.”  ~ Dorothea Lange   

Discovering photography is like discovering the world. Every photographer has his or her own vision reality and the ways in which they express it. Every image we see shows different things from very different perspectives. Every exhibition we visit is focused on different aims. 

But is it possible to discover photography, to discover the world and or to cover all these differences in one exhibition? Probably not, but Xposure presented by the Dale Smith Gallery can become our entrance to the art of photography. The exhibition displays the works of four Canadian artists representing various themes and very diverse techniques. Tina Mohns shows us spontaneous and joyful kiss-images, Joy Kardish artworks are soft and nostalgic owing to her unusual mixed-media technique, and Josh Bates proves the existence of details of nature, which are visible only for the camera and finally David Andrews, tells us a story about a journey that can be metaphor of life. Combined, they bring us through their images into the varied world of photography.

To avoid discouragement in discovering photography, the audience should feel free and natural in the gallery. One can be compared to a child discovering the world, making its first steps at home or in the familiar park. Therefore, large exhibitions, which are not only crowded but also filled with pressure of ‘speedy visiting’, are not the best suited for beginners. 

After passing through the entry doors of the Dale Smith Gallery, we are finding ourselves in the middle of the exhibition, unlike big galleries that have large entry halls and queues at the cash desks etc. The exhibition is placed at the ground floor of a gallery is an old small townhouse in a charming neighbourhood, with easy to access from the street. In the simple, white-painted and very bright room there is nothing else but images in black simple frames. Due to this, the visitor can entirely concentrate on the pictures without any pressures of time contemplate the art.

Another important aspect for common audience is the accessibility of artworks. Gallery owner, Dale Smith, explains: “I didn’t want people to be trying to ‘figure it out’ in terms of the work being so edgy or eclectic they couldn’t connect with it.” (from gallery web site)

Images displayed at the exhibition on the one hand are representative for Canadian contemporary photography, but on the other hand they are reachable for an amateur audience. A good illustration of this is a photo at the entrance of the exhibition with a girl sending a kiss. It is a black and white fibre-based print by Tina Mohns. On the foreground we can see a small blond girl with closed eyes pretending a ‘film kiss’ and almost kissing the lens. On the right side of the second plan we can see a couple of teenagers in a very romantic kiss. In the background, there is big lake and some trees. All together, it brings memories of hot summer holidays, first loves… and possibly a younger and annoying sister always somewhere around. Everyone would smile while observing this image and it doesn’t require finishing studies of History of Art to do so.

Nevertheless, when discovering photography we cannot forget about the variety of techniques that can be used nowadays. As a response to this demand, Xposure presents artworks of Joy Kardish who uses the technology and mixed media to manipulate her images. On her “Chasing Light through the forest” which is a photo transfer, we can see a forest with sunbeams passing trough the trees. The view is very soft and glows, somehow of green and yellow but also brown and maybe grey. We almost have an impression of being inside the forest and willing to go further to check what is ‘behind the photo’. Kardish owing to her different techniques achieves nostalgic and as she notes: “(…) this represents my personal desire to strip away the complex minutiae of life to reduce it to what is manageable and less complicated.” 

The next step in discovering photography is to notice how many things are invisible for our eyes that can be noticed only with a camera. Josh Bates shows us how to turn from our human macro cosmos into the micro cosmos of the nature. His enlarged images pay our attention on amazing details that seem to be almost unreal. But it is not only the detail, which we can overlook… 

In his works, David Andrews also presents the different sides of nature. But there is a sequence of images called Journey, which shows an old man who was Andrews mentor and teacher.Those black and white pictures are commemorating simple moments of life often being omitted in nowadays haste. They let us stop for a while and think about life passing by. Moreover, people sometimes need a camera to notice those moments; otherwise they seem to be simple and ordinary.

To summarise, although discovering photography is a long process, it is one that is fascinating and worth it, especially because it allows us to see some things, which are usually invisible to the eyes. Xposure can be a perfect for those, who want start their adventure with the photography, because it shows very different artists and different works with all the variety of attitudes and techniques. Moreover, the exhibition is very accessible for a common audience and it is not imposing any particular point of view. The only thing, which is missing is a short note about the exhibition and artists featured. Subsequently, it would help the visitors better to understand the goal of the exhibition and provide some basic information for those who are real beginners in the subject matter.

6.)

Life as Liminality: An Exhibition Review of Aperture at the City Hall Art Gallery

By: Dawn Yow

Humans seem to be inherently claustrophobic creatures.Hence, physically and psychologically, we seem to enjoy whatever freedom we can obtain.Aperture, a group show presently housed at the City Hall Art Gallery, highlights both this human condition and its counteracting need.It features the photographic exploration of the concept of confinement and the links between inner and outer spheres.The exhibition brings together an array of eleven artists, ranging from emerging to established.Their diverse images reveal the variability of a contained space, as well as a myriad of means by which humans manage containment within a given physical, psychological or even ideological realm.Overwhelmingly, the themes of liminality and transience between spaces are embedded into each piece.

In this paper, I suggest that Aperture’s theme of confinement, transience, and liminality mirror the human existence.Surrounded by the bubble of life, individuals are trapped in what may be considered the transitional stage between birth and death.This entrapment is defined by the images highlighting the urban landscape.In an attempt to circumvent the confinement and mundanity of urban life, people may turn to nature or struggle to find some means of escapism within the urban condition.Try as they might though, their ‘escape’ appears to be futile or at best, temporary, and they remain wedged in their existence and a cyclic process of finding ways to cope with their containment and their space.

Situated on the first floor of City Hall, the gallery is a tranquil white-walled space awash in incandescent spotlights, which offer the impression that one is perpetually bathed in the warm glow of sunlight. In combination with the pockmarked caramel floors, one might get the subtle feel of being an outdoor space.Peaceful as it may seem though, the gallery is ironically located amid municipal bureaucracy, in a building with the air of a typical office workplace.The usually quiet, generally windowless space allows one to contemplate the exhibition, and by extension, one’s existence.A distant rhythmic chorus of heeled shoes upon the tiled floor provides the occasional reminder of the office and businesslike setting beyond the gallery walls.The heeled shoes, however, troop past the gallery entrance; whenever I have visited the art space, it has remained predominantly deserted, with the exception of a smattering of visitors.The solitude, afforded by the gallery’s emptiness and dearth of visitors, allows for a deeper appreciation of the works and how they relate to the exhibition’s theme.The presence of a crowd would, perhaps, have detracted from the experience, especially in regard to engaging in a more profound reflection upon the relationship between the works, the theme and human existence.The photographs are displayed both along the room’s perimeter, as well as on a series of erected walls that interrupt the otherwise hollow area.This bestows a slight maze-like quality to the exhibition, which falls in line with exhibition’s theme; meandering between the walls can perhaps be thought of as tantamount to navigating confinement or obstacles in real life.

Seated on the lone bench at the back of the gallery, an ideal corner for reflection, images indicative of a contrived, confined existence come into view: Adam Krawesky’s photograph, to the left, is of pedestrians eerily engaged in the routine, but very mechanical process of crossing a downtown Toronto intersection; directly ahead, the oddly vibrant colours of Steven Stewart’s night-time urban images, Bus Stop and Staircase, arrest one’s attention; and on the right, are Lynne Cohen’s large, static, sterile photographs of a laboratory and office, which up-close, loom ominously over the viewer.These images cast familiar settings in a surreal light.Both Cohen and Stewart’s images, as evidenced by their brief, blatant titles, attempt to objectively represent a space and in doing so, explore its identity. The photographed locales are devoid of people and thus, have been divested of their functionality. In confronting the images, the viewer wonders how people, and by extension the self, might fit into and continue to exist in such constructed environments.Created by the modern, urban condition, these are spaces of confinement in which individuals play out their day-to-day lives.

Krawesky’s single piece, Clockwork (2005) (figure 1), exemplifies the built-up containment of the urban environment.The interpretive image appears to garner more curiosity than any other work in the gallery, perhaps due to its bewildering nature.Created using photographs shot with a digital single-reflex lens camera and layered into a selective multi-exposure through extensive Photoshop editing techniques, Clockwork is an assemblage of 365 selected images taken over a half-hour on a September day at Bay and Wellesley in Toronto. The seemingly whimsical blend of fact and fiction, previously presented at the Contact Photography Festival in the context of Toronto street photography, offers a deeper social commentary on the behaviours of urban dwellers.Its large scale, presented in shadow box frame, forces viewers to step back to absorb and contemplate both the enormity of the image, as well as the enormity of the depicted urban space and its contained individuals.Krawesky, whose Bachelor’s degree is in computer science, can be considered a social documentarian most famous for his candid street photography.Clockwork was borne both out of his personal experience working in an office, and out of a daily observation of other white-collar workers tiredly trudging to and from work. The image seems to be been made from approximately one storey above ground level, elevating the viewer to a more removed perspective.In doing so, this slight social distance grants a wider view of one’s way of life, allowing one to pick out nuances that might otherwise be easily overlooked in the tedium of everyday life.Woven into the ironically vivid colours of the photograph is the banality and monotony of the pedestrians’ lives, sunken into their almost-identical street-crossing postures.Benjamin determines that technology has trained humans to behave in a uniform, mechanistic fashion. At the most basic level in this case, the presence of traffic lights and vehicles as typical urban technology has created hoards of people who can quite automatically, if not mindlessly, obey changing lights in order to cross a street.Other technological wonders of modern life have similarly conferred mechanical qualities upon the individuals who use them.Engaged in a ritualistic circularity, the depicted individuals, contradictorily driven and dragged down by routine, appear resigned to the futility of their daily urban lives.

In the image’s background lies a partially constructed condominium, its base enclosed by wooden edge-protection boards brightly emblazoned with an advertisement for the building’s imminent arrival.The “coming soon” advertisement attempts to entice more individuals into the colossal, ever-expanding urban expanse, trying to convince them that a life in the city would surpass any alternative one.The building, partly eclipsed by a menacing shadow presumably from an opposite tower, dominates over the people like an authoritarian lording over minions; it is symbolic of all urban life as well as that which confines individuals.The surging activity so central to the image, together with the sun-drenched pedestrians, belie the desolation, ennui and anonymity the people appear to be wrought with.Paul Valéry writes that the isolation experienced by urbanites is essentially a savage state, brought upon by the seeming independence offered by city life. In light of the fact that urbanism is often associated with sophistication and progress, Valéry’s contention, with regard to the individual’s behavioural and emotional state, seems ironic.This aforementioned independence and anonymity transforms each city dweller into a stranger, a temporary identity.It is merely a consequence of the transitional, spatial nature between individuals passing each other in the streets. In the context of the gallery, the people within the image are all permanently immobilized in this liminal status, as the viewer knows no one and any identification with the subjects is transient, for as long as the viewer ponders the work of art.

Notably, in the image’s foreground stands a man not engaged in the conformist urban routine, as symbolized by crossing an intersection.Questions abound as to why there is a maverick among the automaton-like pedestrians: is he waiting for something, perhaps to cross?If he is, is he planning on crossing to the left or the right?Is he symbolically at a crossroads in his life? Maybe he does not need to cross but is merely contemplating the condominium construction directly across from him?Or perhaps he is considering something more or something deeper?In reflecting on this man’s purpose, the viewer might adopt his status as someone in limbo and begin to question his/her own place in the urban environment, or by extension, his/her roles in life.

Also visible from the gallery’s single bench are Cheryl Pagurek and Angelina McCormick’s work.Working in markedly different veins, both artists address the ideological or psychological confinement that may accompany the exceedingly private female domestic role.Pagurek’s work, an intriguing and somewhat cryptic mélange of photography and sculpture, is derived from her Cut-Outs (2001) and Impositions (2002) series. Family snapshot and media images have been reshaped to templates of broken-down packaging from household objects, such as a tissue box.Through these, she examines the overlap of personal, public and even political spheres in her maternal and familial roles as well as that of a female artist. Conversely, McCormick utilizes a more traditional method in her symbolic visual reflection of the conflict between her duties as wife and mother and those to herself as an artist.The three comparatively intimate, black-and-white pieces systematically progress from being in sharp to a blurred focus, gradually luring the viewer into McCormick’s psychological space.Pagurek and McCormick’s pieces might spur viewers to contemplate how they may be mired into distinct roles of identity and how to manage or step beyond these roles that might be more mutable than they appear.

A means of dealing with one’s existence in a given space might involve having to turn outside that sphere of containment, perhaps in the hopes of at least a provisional escape.Images by Geoffrey James and Lorraine Gilbert illustrate how in seeking respite, individuals might turn to the natural environment, but are undoubtedly met with trappings of the space they have tried to evade.In James’ panoramic photographs of Italian estate gardens, the extensively manicured grounds, evidence of fabrication by the human hand, beg the question of what nature truly is. Correspondingly, Gilbert’s large-format images of forest expanse and tree-planters, draw attention to the fact the concept of true wilderness is no longer tangible.The seemingly natural landscape has been altered by modern machinery as well as by individuals supporting the environmentalist movement, in an effort to undo what industrialization has done. In particular, Geo Poets highlights the fact that one’s ability to differentiate between “the authentic and the fabricated” can be diminished by an urban existence. In turn, this handicap extends back to the urban realm, where individuals caught up in the rapidity of city life might be convinced that their lives are natural for humans and that they indeed do belong in such a constructed environment.Perhaps such a mentality and the belief that progress can only be achieved with the move away from the bucolic, is what drives global urbanization at the alarming rate at which it proceeds today.Tangled in the speed of urban life and the liminality of life itself, photography becomes a channel through which people try to understand their place between birth and death, and for them to actively manage this transitory state by capturing irreplaceable, fleeting moments.

The exhibition’s photographs collectively underscore one of the crucial natures of photography – that is, that a photograph seals an ephemeral moment into physical permanence. In particular, Michael Schreier’s images highlight this fact – in an abstract, almost mechanical manner, each photograph is distinctively titled with the exact date and time (to the second) of its creation.The moment holds the duality of birth and death; the photograph is produced and the rendered moment dies as soon as the shutter blinks, becoming eternally encapsulated within the photograph’s borders.The moment and any individuals contained within are trapped within the confines of the photographic frame.Likewise, the physicality of the photograph permits a viewer to remain in the moment for any duration, as a means of coping with physical and psychological confinement, both within and outside the image.In this sense, physical perception guides one’s spiritual perception and the viewer is able to attempt to comprehend his/her existence in a particular sphere of containment.Cousineau-Levine contends that the image is a device that dislocates a viewer from the physical world; it is a means of escapism by which people can “flee their attachment to the physical realm”, or in many cases, simply the pent-up urban realm.

Ultimately, Aperture has succeeded in visually portraying various liminal states and their accompanying spheres of confinement.Moreover, it has offered glimpses into a multitude of ways ensconced individuals might handle their containment.The artists’ and by extension, the exhibition’s conceptual interpretation of the theme has made it one of the better, more memorable highlights of Festival X and has provocatively prompted viewers to contemplate both their own existence on top of that of others.Viewers might depart the exhibition, having acquired new perspectives on themselves or swirling with unanswered questions about the work or themselves.As an exhibition guestbook entry so succinctly puts it, “it’s a perspective best savoured over time.”

7.)

Exhibition Review

By: Kristina Wells

St. Laurent + Hill Gallery is just one of many that took part in the largest photography exhibition that Ottawa has seen yet: ‘Festival X’.This very special event took place from September 20-30th at various galleries in and around Ottawa.St. Laurent + Hill Gallery located at 333 Cumberland Street in Ottawa housed a brilliant exhibition by Toronto’s own Thrush Holmes, taking place from September 14-26th.Rather than producing simple photographs and framing them, Holmes did something different that makes his work stand out from the crowd.Through Holmes’ creative process, we are left with very confronting images of isolation and misunderstanding, many of which are accompanied by a haunting feeling with the work.One particular theme Holmes focuses on is that of a cultural nostalgia, a desire to return to a former time due to lingering feelings of regret, and a yearning for happiness.Much of his work deals with relationships between the past, present and future, linked with changes in technology, which have affected how we view the world.  

Holmes is a young artist, who currently works with many media under the “Thrush Holmes Empire” in Toronto, Ontario.Aside from photography and painting, he is also a recording artist who has worked much of his life in southern Ontario as well as in the United States.His artwork is renowned just south of the border for its edgy and audacious manner, and appreciation of his work in Canada has only begun to develop more recently.It is interesting because this particular photographer did not take many of the photographs himself, but rather appropriated old photographs, from which he then altered and cropped to his likings.Despite a disturbed past with his family, Holmes has been working more thoroughly with images of his own family, perhaps in an attempt to mend what has happened in the past.Photography is such an immediate art form that in its earlier days, what was captured was seen as the ultimate depiction of truth and reality.However, as technology has improved it has gone further away from this idea, and it is now easier to manipulate images and change their meanings entirely (for example, what is done in almost all tabloid magazines).Things therefore are not always as they seem.Holmes plays off these ideas in his current exhibition, by selecting photographs from his family archives and altering them through use of technology, text, paint, colour and resin.His unique process gives the images new life and allows them to take on new meanings.If anything, this exhibition has allowed him to revisit his painful past by altering the realities, making it easier to make peace with those whom surrounded him.

Upon entering the gallery, the viewer’s gaze first settles upon a large picture on the opposing wall.This particular image titled, “Press” was so striking because of the large size, vibrant colours contrasted with the neutral photography, and the intense alteration by Holmes.This is evidently an old photograph of a park littered with clusters of people dressed in formal attire, as if coming from an important event.Particularly interesting in this work is the middle aged man holding a camera in the foreground of the photo as he captivates you with his gaze, making you feel as if you caught him in the middle of something important.His gestures are oddly unsettling which forces the viewer to indulge in the piece, with hopes of understanding it all.This asymmetrical composition only adds to the uncomfortable nature of the photograph, and the simple linear perspective allows the figures in the foreground to appear as if they exist in real time, making you feel like you are part of the picture.The old photograph of dull, neutral colours is sharply contrasted with a panel of stripe, coloured wall paper in the upper right corner of the picture, which interestingly enough represents wall paper that reminds Holmes of his Grandmother’s house from when he was a child.The contrast of reality and abstract work amplifies the contrast between the times, differentiating the authentic aspects of the photograph from the intentional alterations which were carried out by Holmes for effect.In order to enhance ideas of the past, he allows imperfections from his process remain to show that the past was not perfect but we must learn to appreciate it (such as the blurriness of the photographs and allowing things such as scotch tape marks and fingerprints on the original photos to remain).And the use of text drives this idea of the past, present and future, by contrasting all three within his work by stamping the date, “10 JAN 2016" (a date from the future) across the picture.These intentional choices made, allow us to think about what things were like in a simpler time, and where we will be in the near future.

8.)

Why does IMAGE MATTER?

By: Sandra Jensen

Image Matter is an exhibition of photographs on display at the IPO Gallery in Ottawa. The photographs are the result of collaboration between artist Dave Kemp and physicist Dr. Kevin Robbie. The exhibition revolves around challenging the viewer to see photographs from a whole new perspective. All of the obvious content has been removed from the photograph, forcing the viewer to look at the image and the artists’ statement in order to fully consider the photograph’s content and value. The exhibition also deals with the role of science in art, because the photographs in Image Matter could not have been created without the use of modern technology. Technology has also been explored as a method of distribution. Dave Kemp has released many of the photographs for download on his website. It is the combination of these visuals and themes that make Image Matter a compelling exhibition.

Image Matter is the creation of two individuals who merge their specialties together in a unique visual format. Dave Kemp is an artist who takes full advantage of the modern world. He has bachelor degrees in Mechanical Engineering and the Photographic Arts as well as a Masters in Visual Studies. Kemp has taken part in the collaborative program at the University of Toronto’s Knowledge Media Design Institute. He also participates in Project Open Source (Kemp). The Knowledge Media Design Institute at the University of Toronto started project Open Source in November 2004. It began with the intention of creating a network of people to explore and advance the concepts of open source and open access. Open source is a process for the collective production and sharing of knowledge, and open access refers to scholarly literature that is produced digitally, posted online and generally available free of charge (Project Open Source). Dr. Kevin Robbie holds a Canada Research Chair in Nanostructured Materials and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Queen’s University (Robbie). The creative collaboration between Kemp and Robbie is important because Kemp’s concept may never have come to fruition without the help of Dr. Robbie. 

Upon first glance, the photographs in Image Matter could be anything. All of the photographs are black and white printed on a semi-gloss stock with a pronounced white border. My Grandfather’s (Albert R. Bowles) Military Identity Photograph is one of the more prominent photographs displayed in the entrance of the gallery. The photograph is tall, thin and hung vertically on a wall using tacks and no frame. There is minimal foreground, middle ground or background and the composition is arranged in a division of thirds. The image is graphic, organic, and almost other worldly. You are drawn into the photograph by lustrous contrast between light and dark instead of recognizable subject matter. There is no primary focal point so the eye wanders through the detailed fibrous texture bouncing between the areas where contrast is most vivid. The lack of obvious visual reference frees the mind to question what the eyes are seeing; at first I thought this image looked like dry split wood. All of the photographs challenge the eye and mind in this manner. One photograph might look like an image of bacteria where another may look like a magnified hair. The possibilities for the imagination are endless.

However, when you read the artist statement the seemingly abstract images have to be observed again with brand new perspective. An initially unknown subject matter suddenly takes on the form of a tangible object. Kemp and Robbie have taken a scanning electron microscope and imaged the edges of various photographs. This edge view is then taken and blown up to a massive scale (Kemp). The only indication of what the subject matter is comes from the text provided with the photograph. What was once just a fascinating image now challenges our physical perception of the photograph.

With the removal of all obvious content you are now forced to look at both the photographs in Image Matter, and photographs in general, from a new perspective. Ordinarily, the value and meaning of a photograph lies strictly in the content of the image. However, Image Matter forces you to see photographs as technological, physical and molecular objects and to appreciate them on a more scientific level. Photographs and technology come to us so easily now we never think about the physical material or technology that freezes moments in time. In the example of the military photograph described above, we are now exposed to the worn edges and materials of an item that actually went through war. The value of the photograph is no longer just in the image, but in the physical item itself (Kemp). You begin to think about the material the photograph was printed on and what other elements of history might have been absorbed into the actual object. These images remind us that the photograph is a means of communicating information, a source of creativity and a work of science.

Galleries such as IPO are very complimentary to an exhibition like Image Matter. IPO is a non-profit gallery that strives to provide both a venue and financial support to developing artists. The gallery is located in the public areas of a commercial business space in Ottawa’s financial district (Francesco Corsaro and Randy McIntyre). The combination of gallery space and commercial business attracts the type of patron that is likely to support a developing artist. In a gallery like IPO the patrons are people who have both the means and the desire to fund art. They want to support the community and many are just as invested in the growth of culture as the artist themselves.  

Where IPO fails the photographs in Image Matter is on a practical level, not a promotional or conceptual one. First, the space is small and confined to narrow hallways and a boardroom. Lighting and decor cater more to the needs of a business than a gallery. This makes it difficult to properly view photographs, especially given that some of the images are several feet long. You do not have the opportunity to step back and take in the photographs in the same manner afforded by an open gallery space. Second, while the people working in the space are accommodating and pleasant, it is awkward to go into someone’s business and spend the time necessary to truly appreciate the artwork. As someone walking in off the street I felt a bit strange and in the way, as a result I did not spend as much time with the work as I would have liked.

In addition to utilizing a traditional gallery, Kemp has taken the display and distribution of Image Matter into the online world. Not only are the images themselves created with technology, but you can access them through technology as well. With the aid of Project Open Source and a Creative Commons License you can access and download photographs from Image Matter free of charge on Kemp’s website (Kemp). Creative Commons is a charitable company that provides people with a method of sharing their work within the public domain while protecting themselves and still maintaining a degree of control. It utilizes various forms of copyright licenses to allow the artist to choose where and how their work is used (Creative Commons). Kemp has chosen a license that allows for a wide range of non-commercial uses. 

Project Open Source and Creative Commons have opened a powerful avenue of distribution to artists. With the globalization of the creative world there has been a vicious movement to protect individual innovation. Fearing loss of control copyright laws has almost shut the door on the option to share creativity within the community without attaching a cost. As a result the public domain that once perpetuated culture and innovation is suffocating (Kemp). Project Open Source and Creative Commons unlock an area of compromise that gives the artist freedom to determine the purpose and value of their own work. This freedom also provides the artist an opportunity to draw inspiration from new sources. The concepts of Project Open Source and Creative Commons provide artists with the means to reach a greater market than is possible in any traditional gallery (Kemp).

The concepts and themes explored in Image Matter are creative and extremely relevant to the art world today. Modern art is about exploring the world, testing boundaries, seeing things from a new perspective and using creative means to express yourself. The use of technology in Image Matter to make us see the photograph in a new way is both beautiful and effective. Aesthetics and written information draw you into the photograph and challenge what you think and see. The magnified images are a unique view of the photograph and as a result influence our perception of photographic value. Dave Kemp also explores where and how we experience the photographs from Image Matter. Along with the ability to view the photographs in a traditional gallery, we have been given the opportunity of accessing the photographs online. It is both modern and exciting to be granted this form of free access to images. Through controlled access and globalization, we can safely open the door to a market that might be unattainable otherwise. Open access to images and innovation provides the opportunity for artists to share inspiration and build upon good ideas to make them great. Image Matter works with these concepts and takes the photographic medium in a new and exciting direction worth exploring. 

9.)

Review of the Media Povera Exhibit

By: Evan Woods

The Media Povera exhibit features works by Alexandre Castonguay, William Eakin, Darsha Hewitt and Stéphanie Brodeur, Calum Stirling, Michael Waterman and is curated by Emily Falvey. The exhibit is currently on display at the Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa's municipal independent non-profit public art gallery founded in 1988, and located at 2 Daly Avenue in the heart of downtown. Though not strictly a photography exhibit - William Eakin’s series of photographs is the only explicit use of the photographic medium - each artist’s work is unified by their commentaries on commercial technology. The title itself is a reference to the Italian art movement of the late 1960s, Arte Povera, and much like the Italian artists who used cheap or free materials to challenge European and American conceptions of art, the work on display, as Falvey notes, “aims to question the role of new technologies in contemporary artistic practice”. However, despite the range of mediums and materials involved and the thematic unity, I will focus primarily on William Eakin’s series of photos, Ghost Month (2003–2004), how they work to re-contextualize the images, address the theme of commercial technology through formal and visual techniques, and how they relate to his previous works.

Such a visual experience has often, for Eakin, dealt implicitly with re-contextualization, but with his Ghost Month series this theme is made explicit. Consisting of digital images he made of paper models of consumer electronics in Taiwan which were intended to function as gifts to departed ancestors according to the Chinese tradition of the Ghost Month, Eakin preserves these objects which were intended to be burned, and resituates them within a commentary on the role that technology plays in daily life. In Anne Brydon’s examination of Eakin’s Home Sweet Home (1994) series, she states “objects are dumb; it is we who animate them with significance by means of our relationship with them” (27). This statement, written about his 13 year old series of photographs, is directly applicable to his most recent series. With Ghost Month, by locating these meaningful objects in an art exhibition about the role of consumer technology in society, he “recontextualizes them within Western consumerism [… and] thus underlines the speed with which technology becomes obsolete in the digital era” (Falvey). Additionally, by locating the objects in a Western context, they become an ironic critique of consumerism, and serve as an illustration of a type of commodity fetishism.

This sense of critique in Ghost Month is much stronger than in some of his past works. The objects in the pictures are representations of electronic commodities, such as keyboards, computers, Nintendo Gameboys, VCRs, cell phones, walkmans, and stereos. Perhaps the image that best represents the theme of the series is the image of the VCR. The background, like the background of each photo, is entirely white, while the VCR is located in the direct centre of the image, both horizontally and vertically, and is predominantly black. The direct contrast of black and white, along with the use of lighting from at least two locations above the VCR causing multiple shadows to be cast further emphasize the objects presence in the white space. Ultimately these aspects, the centralized location, white background and shadows give the impression that the object is of some grand importance, worthy of praise, as if it is placed on a shrine. The image of the Nintendo Gameboy is perhaps the most playful photo of the series, as the Gameboy is coloured blue, red, orange, black and white, and is slanted to the right, located again in the centre of the frame. Here the white background emphasizes the playfulness of the object. The white background of all the photographs draws the eye to the direct centre of each image, a location that seems inherently sturdy. The total absence of a horizon also gives the impression that the object is completely isolated and Additionally, the incredible impression of focus created by the contrast of white and black or bright colours allows Eakin to maintain the “restrained and disciplined approach to visual experience” (Brydon 32) that he has used in the past to great effect. 

Known for taking pictures of objects as various as found photographs, plates, and souvenirs, Eakin seems fairly eccentric, but also extremely aware of the implications of the pervasive nature of technology in contemporary society. At around age five or six, he began “to collect hockey cards, then football and baseball cards, followed by coins and stamps, beer bottle caps, toy soldiers, license plate places (recorded in a small notebook), comic books, and toy model kits” (Brydon 31), and has continued his obsessive collecting to the point where “tens of thousands of things occupy shelves, floor, and table tops in Eakin’s Winnipeg studio” (Brydon 31). With this in mind it becomes quite clear that he has an intense interest in the emotional and contextual value of objects, and must find some kind of joy in the act of collecting. The most interesting aspect of this obsession is how it manifests beautifully in his work. There is an incredible sense of playful joy, wonder and nostalgia that permeates his early work, such as “Mare Tranquillitatis,” part of his Home Sweet Home series. It is a picture of a toy moon that dates between 1966 and 1969, and has inscriptions of information concerning various unmanned moon landings. This imagery is extremely evocative of a time of “abandoned boyhood dreams of space exploration” (Eyland 34). These qualities are also evident in the Ghost Month series, most clearly represented by the original context of the paper models, which were meant to be ceremonially burned as gifts to deceased loved ones – an extremely emotional and evocative ceremony.

Ultimately, with William Eakin’s Ghost Month series, he has crafted an insightful and intelligent commentary on commercial technology and its effects on artistic mediums by situating the objects firmly in Western consumerism, addressing the theme of commercial technology through formal and visual techniques such as black and white contrasts and lack of a horizon, and by working firmly in a familiar, yet slightly more pronounced manner than he has in the past. Ghost Month is an extremely effective and affecting series of photographs that are conceptually, thematically, and visually stunning.

10.)

On The World’s Stage - Carisse Studio Café and Photography Gallery

By:Halley Goulet

Jean-Marc Carisse has worked as a photographer on Parliament Hill for over twenty-five years. He worked as the official photographer for Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau, John Turner and Jean Chrétien. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a BA in visual arts. The Carisse Studio Café and Photography Gallery exhibition was a relaxing and enlightening display of the lifelong works of a photographer that takes you to pinnacle moments in history. This exhibit shows a candid display of various politicians, musicians, other world leaders and celebrities. It was very exciting looking at the large variety and number of photos in this collection and I found myself getting caught up in each moment that was captured on film. By placing politicians and other world leaders along side musicians and other icons, Jean-Marc Carisse has made a living out of making his subjects have celebrity status and appeal that unfortunately have some biases attached to them. 

The theme of this collection in my opinion is to present a compilation of the lifelong works of Jean-Marc Carisse showcasing images of world-renowned leaders in their most honest and truthful moments. However, there is another theme of this exhibit. All of Carisse’s subjects are famous or iconic in some way. Capturing these celebrity figures in the candid moments that Jean-Marc Carisse does, it affects the way viewers perceive his work and perceive his subjects. He is in a sense making these world leaders into celebrities by showcasing them in such honest or unexpected moments.

The Carisse Café is a small and inviting venue that allows people to relax and enjoy the exhibit in a comfortable atmosphere. The cafe is tucked away amongst the busy Ottawa market streets and acts as an escape from the world outside. When you enter the café you are overwhelmed with the number of photographs all over the walls and your eyes are immediately drawn to them. The café brings visitors into an inviting atmosphere that is very comfortable and allows people to really absorb the works of art. I found myself spending more time in front of each piece compared to a more formal gallery where I sometimes feel intimidated by the surroundings. The music and friendly staff working in the café also added to this comfortable, relaxing mood. I also found that the light-hearted and uplifting content of these photographs made the mood in the café even more calming. One of his most famous photos of Jean Chrétien and Bill Clinton breaching a security wall in London is an example of this light-hearted content that amuses the viewers at the café.

Jean-Marc Carisse uses mostly black and white images but does use colour for other photographs and portraits. The image of Jean Chrétien and Bill Clinton jumping over a stone wall in London is in fact a colour photograph. The technique that Carisse is known for is capturing action shots that allow the viewer to see these politicians or icons in a new candid way that they haven’t seen them in before. This image is generally centrally organized and focuses on the foreground of the photo frame. With Jean Chrétien directly in front of you in the photo, your eye moves from him along the straight, horizontal, London wall to Bill Clinton who is in the mid-ground. The background of the photograph is a charming London courtyard that helps to show these two men in their most relaxed, candid light. These formal elements in the photograph help to communicate the theme of candid honesty throughout the exhibit. Instead of having these two men formally photographed they are captured in a way that makes it easier for the viewer to relate to them. 

Normally we see politicians in election photographs or on television in debates but Carisse chooses to capture these leaders in a new light, one that makes them seem more down-to-earth. After thoroughly enjoying my visit to the Carisse Café and Gallery I started to think about certain biases that viewers would take away with them when they leave Carisse’s images. Jean-Marc Carisse has worked as Parliament’s official photographer and also as a privately commissioned one. What the viewer has to keep in mind when looking at his photographs is that he tries to capture these leaders in ways that will allow the average viewer to connect with them. After looking at this image of Jean Chrétien and Bill Clinton you have a new perspective on them as human beings and as leaders. By expressing these leaders in more down-to-earth ways, Carisse is essentially creating celebrities out of politicians. He takes political figures and shows them in moments that you would normally see in celebrity magazines. You wouldn’t conventionally see Jean Chrétien and Bill Clinton breaching a security wall in a political campaign, but Carisse’s candid celebrity displays allow you to see this. 

After assessing this exhibit I have mixed feelings. On one hand I felt that the café and collection itself to be relaxing and refreshing. I wasn’t bored or confused as I walked around the café admiring these amazing historical moments. Each photograph leaves you both star-struck and amazed at the people captured in front of you. Carisse has a remarkable way of displaying iconic figures so that his viewer can have a new perspective on them. There is a saying that you shouldn’t believe everything you see on television and well, in this case you shouldn’t probably believe everything Jean-Marc Carisse captures in his photographs. There are biases that come with the territory of working as the official photographer of Parliament. He is meant to capture these political figures in ways that get the viewer to see them in more down-to-earth moments. Carisse is meant to connect you with the political or iconic leader directly so that you can form new opinions on them. We must remember that these images do broaden our perspectives on these world leaders and can change our opinions on them. We must realize that these are mostly commissioned works and that does affect their formal contents. In short, the Carisse Studio Café and Photography Gallery exhibition was an enlightening and relaxing event that allows visitors to escape from our busy, formal worlds. It allows viewers to connect and form new opinions of iconic people that are shown in amazing or comical moments in time.

11.

Shake Hands with the World Leaders – Studio Café by Jean-Marc Carisse

By: Maiju Makiporhola

Did Bill Clinton sign a book for me? Was I there with Mother Teresa when she stayed awake beside her patient all night holding his hand? Was the water cold when I went swimming with Canada’s former Prime Minister Trudeau? Sitting in Jean-Marc Carisse’s Studio Café surrounded by photographs of political and religious world leaders, celebrities, and other persons of importance makes you doubt your own memory. By showing an intimate glimpse of the lives of his subjects, both public and private, the exhibition On the World Stage gives the viewer an illusion of actually meeting and getting to know the persons in the photographs. My intention is to discuss the artistic and technical means Carisse uses to create the personal ambience of his works, as well as ponder reasons for that. It is worth evaluating the consequences of Carisse’s actions, his way of depicting his subjects, and how it relates to reality. Similarly, Carisse’s exhibition emphasizes the recent phenomenon of likening political and religious leaders to celebrities, and even forming fan culture around them.It is interesting to consider how these images of world leaders contribute to celebrity culture.

The idea of offering the customer a piece of culture, something to see, read and think about, with a cup of coffee has always enticed me. When walking inside the gallery of well-known Canadian photographer Jean-Marc Carisse I understand that I am not going to be disappointed.The relaxed atmosphere of the gallery is created with gentle music, small space, aromas of freshly brewed coffee and Italian patisseries, and dozens of photographs hung on the walls from floor to ceiling. I am warmly invited to make myself at home, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the exhibition. “Not just any gallery - but a pit stop of cultural delights” (Byward Market) as Carisse’s wife and the owner of the café Patricia Carisse describes the venue. Of course, it depends on the visitor whether he sees the place more as an exhibition or a café. The seemingly unintentional order and ordinary black frames of the photographs on the walls can function just as décor of the room for some people. While the others see the disorder as an opportunity to try to find and understand connections between the images and are glad that they are not disturbed by decorative, suggestive frames or linear rows of pictures, and stay hours marvelling the works of art.

After I have finished up the first piece of that delicious chocolate cake, I start to notice similarities between the photographs. The pictures in the permanent collection mainly relates to Jean-Marc Carisse’s career. They are the result of working more than twenty-five years on the Parliament Hill and in the political scene all over the world (Carisse Photography Gallery). Through his work as an official photographer for the former Prime Ministers Trudeau and Chrétien and an independent photographer for the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, he gained access to high profile people and eventually created the pieces of this collection (ibid). It is not surprising that most of the pictures are of political and spiritual world leaders, containing photographs of the US presidents, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Princess Diana. Nevertheless, almost the same number of pictures presented are of international artists and celebrities like Bob Dylan, Céline Dion, and Paul Anka. 

In my opinion, it is especially interesting how Jean-Marc Carisse portrays politicians and political world leaders; what kind of impression he wants to give us of them as persons. It is true that over the last couple of decades the way we see our leaders has changed, partly due the fact that they have lost their inherited and, thus, ultimate power over us. Even the best and most influential politicians in the Western countries are compelled to step down from their pedestal among us, at least once the elections approach. Probably as a result, the earlier stiff poses on leaders’ faces have changed into huge welcoming smiles and stress-free postures, which are evident in contemporary photographs such as Carisse’s. Carisse’s photograph of former Prime Minister Trudeau titled Trudeau at the lake/au lac takes this even further, and shows an extremely informal image of the former Prime Minister swimming in a lake. Clearly, the photograph does not follow the conventional rules of portraits; you are able to see just the side of his head, his body is beneath the surface, and because of the disposition of the image it is mostly a photograph of the glittering surface of the lake and just a long shot of Trudeau. Still, because Trudeau is undoubtedly the only subject in the picture and he is placed in the glimmer of light I get a strong feeling of an intimate portrait. Furthermore, Carisse’s way of using soft lights and shadows rather than studio spotlights, and giving the viewer an impression of casualness and unintentional shots over staged ones enforce the illusion of intimacy.

Imagine seeing a close-up of a person holding a microphone. His lips are rounded and the face muscles tense, but it is impossible to say whether he is signing, preaching or giving a passionate speech if you do not know the person in the picture. Thus, it demands knowledge of our own culture to fully understand Carisse’s pictures, because he is using different kinds of allusions to refer to our religion, history, and art. This can be seen as one of the technical means he utilises in order to familiarise us with his subjects. Without knowing the connection between the photographer Yousef Karsh and one of his most memorable photographs of Ernest Hemingway, the reason for placing Karsh in front of this picture does not open to the viewer. Similarly, someone who has never seen Raphael’s fresco The School of Athens is unable make the association between this piece of art and Carisse’s photograph of the world leaders marching in SharmEl-Sheikh in Egypt. Whether it was his intention or not, this comparison gives new meanings to the photograph; not least because he placed the US President Bill Clinton in the middle of the picture to the place which is in the fresco taken by the philosopher Plato, even the posture is alike. Neither would I appreciate Carisse’s images of Mother Teresa and Princess Diana, despite their technical brilliance, if I was not familiar with the subjects.

When looking at the peaceful photograph of Trudeau swimming it is easier to imagine the photographer hiding in the bushes capturing a moment of Trudeau’s personal life than wanting to understand that Trudeau and Carisse made an effort to show him in a certain light. Although it feels like Carisse’s subjects were entirely unaware that they were being photographed and, in this way, would reveal their true personas in the pictures, Carisse himself admits that Trudeau was well aware what kind of public image he wanted to convey and many times chose his poses himself. It is quite apparent that politicians want to make people think that they have a close affinity with each other; it is an advantage to be an everyman, but it is just one of the aspects which can be highlighted when building the desirable persona of yourself.

Although Carisse’s collection mainly consists of two types of pictures – the leaders and the artists – the way he shoots his subjects does not differ that much. In fact, two pictures from different categories can be superficially quite similar. Even the name of the collection, On the World Stage, encourages us to juxtapose and compare them furthermore. I think it is fascinating how the juxtaposition of political leaders with similar pictures of celebrities affects our vision of the status and position of world leaders in our society. Placing side by side a photograph of the artist Tom Waits singing and the head of government Trudeau giving a speech transfers some of the attributes artists in our vision carry to our image of politicians, and vice versa of course. Naturally, this makes us see politicians from a bit more artistic perspective, and their personas might get a more positive image, but what makes this juxtaposition interesting is how it connects politicians to our popular celebrity culture. In Carisse’s photographs of Trudeau and the singer Paul Anka, both of the men are greeting and thanking their audiences in a similar fashion. You can sense the excitement of their audiences when they reach their hands towards their idols. Carisse’s work is a wonderful example how photography can be used to raise somebody on the pedestal and used as a means to create fan culture around the politicians. 

Over the last couple of decades we have begun to think politicians and political leaders as celebrities as well as film stars, artists, and models. It is not only important how well they perform their work but we are more and more interested in their private life and we see that it is our right to more about their lives beyond their work. Also, Carisse would have had the option to feed our scandal greedy eyes, but first, as an official photographer of the Prime Minister, his primary concern was to promote Trudeau’s career. Later, as a freelancer Carisse would have been more able to be more critical, but he carries on his consistent way of shooting his subjects in a positive light and contributes to forming fan culture around his subjects. 

In our time, we usually encounter photographs of politicians, monarchs, and celebrities on the pages of newspapers and, increasingly, on tabloids. Because many of Carisse’s photographs hang in the halls, rooms and offices of Parliament and the walls of galleries, and have appeared on the covers and pages of history and political books the viewer is asked to approach the photographs with different expectations (ibid). Although his pictures affect our view of his subjects and even our society, still I think they are best appreciated just by admiring them as works of art, not ways of trying to influence or change me. This thought in my mind, I order my second cup of Italian espresso, lean back on my chair, and enjoy the art of photography just as it is.

12.

Red Wall Gallery’s Female

By: Robyn Penney

Up the wet steps on a gloomy Saturday afternoon I attend for a final time the Red Wall Gallery’s exhibition Female. Located in the School of Photographic Arts Ottawa; this brightly coloured one- walled exhibition space is housed in the tight quarters of the main entrance to the small school. Featured are eight different artists, all with unique backgrounds and one common passion in photography from September 2nd to October 16th. The atmosphere is generally infused with talk amongst teachers and students, with the occasional greeting directed towards myself. Once I sit down in a green antique love seat, getting comfortable I am “greeted” by the 14 images before me. These images are raw in nature, unedited realities from the perspectives of the woman as they see life in society. They represent what it means to be female not as objects or as genetically defined but the emotional force of being that they are because of their personal journeys in life. What is hung in front of me transforms from paper and printed images to conveying a connection between each individual artist. In every artists’ perspective uncover to the naked eye is positive and negative emotions exposed concerning a person’s outlook on life related to their pain and their strength. 

The themes in Female are subjective and wide open to debate. It depends on how well the viewer can connect with the image and the artists’ purpose.However the main focus for the eight artists: Lynne Anderson, Karina Kraenzle, Angelina McCormick, Doris Lamontagne, Michelle Wilson, Annalise Lallemand, Izabel Barsive, Maggie Knaus in general are exposing a truth to how every woman sees herself and is viewed in society. The shots range from women candid in their daily pampering routine to posed portraits or dramatic body poses.Does one conform to the Blonde stereotype in order to achieve status or can some one live their entire lives without wearing make up and dying their hair? An idea that can relate to both genders is that in a symbolic sense we all wear masks to act as if we deflect society’s pressures. Female removes the mask we wear, exposing a harmonious idea that we are not alone with dissatisfaction in ourselves, exhibiting hope and a more positive outlook. 

One particular artist’s work that is centrally located on the wall, immediately grabbing my attention every time I entered through the doors, is Angelina McCormick’s Beauty #1, Beauty #2, Beauty #3, and Beauty #4. McCormick is a woman whose love of photography was discovered later in life. She first attended Carleton University graduating with a Mathematics degree. After university, she decided for a while to be a stay-at-home mom. It was not until she stepped inside SPAO that another of her passions was exposed. After graduating with highest honours in a certificate program at SPAO, she participates regularly in exhibitions and teaches photography. McCormick’s works relate to her desire for lifelong learning and the never-ending exploration of the truth. 

An exploration of truth is certainly displayed in the conveyed message of strength and sorrow in a person’s life cycle though black and white imagery. The silver gelatin prints display woman as they are coming out of a cocoon. The “cocoon” being a safe place that does not expose a person to the harmful effects of society, is a shelter from insecurities. As the models emerge from the “cocoon state” McCormick describes a metamorphic cycle explaining the evolution of having insecurities to personal happiness and return to negative attitudes. This relates to the only way we know how to deal with life’s arising issues in the moment. McCormick using the beauty of photographic art captures the un-jaded female, in various poses, alone and also grouped, from different age groups gaining a broad range in viewer appeal. The image perspective is frontal to show detail in the facial expressions of the woman. The centralization of the images on paper gives strength to the subject even when the negative emotions are displayed. Overall the series is standard in its message of overcoming obstacles and realizing your demons, however the provocative way McCormick visualizes her message enlightens the female spirit. 

The way McCormick wraps her subjects like a cocoon is similar to Maggie Knaus’ drowning woman in Under Water.As the naked woman tries to escape from drowning, the struggle to escape seems it will ultimately be unsuccessful. This woman’s struggle can be interpreted in relation to McCormick’s wrapped subjects because of the contrast between hope and overcoming obstacles to the overwhelming feeling of drowning in self-doubt as I interpret Underwater. The thought looms in relation to the theme of society’s expectations that we have a choice to drown or try to escape and avoid the white noise of expectations in stereotypes and physical expectations that is never fully accomplished in anyone’s lifetime. The fact of life is that we must embrace the beauty in our shortcomings and attributes in order to appreciate our relationship with each other and ourselves.

After going to this exhibition I analyze my daily pampering routine of multiple types of makeup, my desire to buy clothes on a regular basis when unnecessary and the fact that whenever I hit a road block in life I dye my hair. All of these things are my masks to cover and push aside my personal issues, to “get over it” and be strong, as I’ve always been told. These materialist things don’t really help me; they are simply placebos that throw more layers upon my unconscious feelings of dissatisfaction. I know I am not alone, now that I’ve viewed and analyzed this exhibition I feel more strength I cannot really describe much further. It’s a comfort, like buying new shoes, but more transcendent and permeable. My own personal therapist, without verbal agreement or disagreement, is what this exhibition is to me.