Concordia’s Art Volt promotes new loan and sales art service with online events
Concordia’s new Art Volt platform will celebrate the soft launch of the Art Volt Collection (AVC), its new art loan and sale service, with two online events in October.
On October 15, the first art sale hosted by the AVC will take place, featuring seventeen works by seventeen artists who have graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in the last three years. Art Volt’s second event on October 22 will present seven video and sound pieces from its collection.
The goal of the AVC is to provide a loan and sale service to the general public that is sustainable, not-for-profit, and features the work of recent Faculty of Fine Arts graduates.
One of the participating artists, Saba Heravi (BFA’19), who works in drawing, ceramics, and printmaking, is looking forward to the online events.
"Some of the exhibitions and residencies that I had planned on were postponed to next year due to the pandemic. It’s extra helpful to have this sort of online event.”
This initiative will really help alumni with life after graduation, says Heravi.
"We spend most of our time creating when we are in school and rarely learn about what we’re going to do after graduation.”
‘Concordia cares about your future success’
Saba Heravi (BFA'19) is one of the artists participating in Art Volt's online event. Image credit: Amir Saboury
Art Volt officially launched last winter as a new platform in the Faculty of Fine Arts aimed at propelling recent graduates along a professional path to creative practice through mentorships, training, residencies, and now, the AVC service.
Fannie Gadouas (BFA‘15), the Art Volt and Special Projects coordinator, says that Art Volt fills a crucial gap in that often awkward transitional period right after graduation.
“I think the reason I love this job so much is because I’ve been there, I graduated from studio arts,” explains Gadouas. “When you graduate, you lose access to facilities and institutional support. Art Volt really addresses the fact that Concordia cares about your future success, after you receive a diploma. It helps build your professional network and gets things started.”
Art Volt and the Art Volt Collection (AVC) is made possible through the support of the Peter N. Thomson Family Innovation Fund.
“The Art Volt Collection will be run by alumni, for alumni. It will be a platform from which recent graduates will launch their careers by showcasing their work and connecting them with art patrons,” says Annie Gérin, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
The original concept of Art Volt was dear to the heart of Leslie Raenden, who represents the Thomson family, adds Gérin.
“Leslie encouraged us to think big and for that, we’re very grateful.”
‘Patrons will be able to live with an art work’
Still of Creative Process by Tamar Tabori (BFA’20) a recent graduate of the Contemporary Dance program
Importantly, the AVC is not restricted to the visual arts but instead, performance-based practices, video or sound work, and even installation works will be included.
“I often questioned my abilities as a student and having my work as an alumni be included in a platform connected to Concordia feels like a full circle,” says Tamar Tabori (BFA’20), a recent graduate of the Contemporary Dance program.
“To be a part of the Art Volt collection is grounding in many ways.”
These kinds of art works could be on loan to community groups, businesses or office spaces, explains Gadouas.
“People can either book a musical or dance performance for an event or loan an installation work or sound piece for the lobby of their offices.”
Rather than occupying a physical space, the AVC will live in a database, set to launch officially in the spring of 2021, where potential clients can browse for loans and purchases. The set-up, says Gadouas, is designed to be very flexible and user friendly.
“Patrons will be able to live with an art work for a few months and then decide if they want to purchase it. Or can return it and choose another work to live with for a while.”
And if patrons feel unsure or unconfident about buying contemporary art, Art Volt will also offer the services of recent graduates as curators and advisors.
Artworks to be selected by professional juries
Matheo Zaharopoulos and Georgios Varoutsos, sound artists who collaborated on a sound piece in the AVC.
Each year, a professional jury will make a core selection of works by recent graduates and alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts to participate in the collection.
The jury for the arts sale collection included Eunice Bélidor, Director of the FOFA Gallery; artist Joani Tremblay, MFA 17; and Julia Eilers Smith, Max Stern Curator of Research at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery. Each artwork will be presented and revealed by the artists themselves during the virtual event.
Artworks will be available for purchase from AVC’s website for two weeks following the event and all revenues go directly to the artists.
The video pieces for the Oct 22 event were selected by a separate jury, which included Dr. Eldad Tsabary, Associate Professor in Concordia’s Department of Music and Camille Bédard, General Coordinator at LA SERRE – arts vivants.
The works are on view to the public via the Art Volt website prior to October 22, when there will be a round-table discussion with the selected artists.
“I want to give a special thank you to our jury for their support and participation and I also want to applaud all the hard work our participating artists have put into this event,” says Gérin.
The dean has extended an invitation to all members of the Concordia community.
“Come and engage with these young artists. Ask them questions. Learn first-hand the challenges faced by these creative practitioners and enjoy the artworks.”
Register for the October 15 art sale.
Register for the October 22 viewing and listening event.
Visit Art Volt to learn more about the program.