Parachutes, superstars and artificial DNA
the parachute unfolds: follow the thread, by pk langshaw. | Image courtesy of the artist
As the Artists at Work summer residency draws to a close this month, Jennifer Dorner, FOFA Gallery director, is gearing up for the September 12 launch of the Concordia venue’s fall season.
The program is smaller than normal due to the number of incoming exhibits, but for Dorner, this isn’t a limitation. “Fewer artists means we can put the spotlight on those we have and feature them specifically in a more comprehensive and informative way.”
Poetic parachutes
Bringing together fashion, poetry, performance art and video projection, pk langshaw, professor and chair of the Department of Design and Computation Arts, kicks off the season with the parachute unfolds: follow the thread.
“Her practice is multi-layered,” says Dorner. “The exhibit will showcase this by exploring the social and political history of the parachute through a series of beautifully designed works.”
The vernissage will provide a real-life showcase of this theme, as artists perform a choreography wearing billowy dresses made from parachutes. The event takes place between 5 and 7 p.m. on September 15 in the FOFA Gallery courtyard located in the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV).
langshaw's work will be displayed from September 12 to October 21 in the York Corridor Vitrines of the EV building.
Critiquing Canada’s political system
Kim Waldron is a Concordia graduate (MFA, 2013) and the recipient of a Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Fellowship in Contemporary Art. Her latest exhibit furthers her practice of self-portraiture in the context of contemporary social situations.
Superstar follows the issues and events that emerged from Waldron’s experience running in Montreal’s Papineau riding as an independent candidate during the 2015 federal elections.
Superstar, video still, by Kim Waldron. 2016. | Image courtesy of the artist.
Dorner says this exhibit has been in the works for a long time. “Waldron went on maternity leave shortly after receiving the Bronfman Fellowship in 2013 and this show represents all the work she produced since then.”
Curated by Marie-Ève Charron, Superstar will feature an extensive collection of art and memorabilia from Waldron’s campaign, while exploring the deeper underpinnings of Canadian democracy.
Waldron’s exhibition will be based at the FOFA Gallery, with a satellite location at Concordia’s Webster Library. It will run from September 12 to October 21 with a vernissage from 5 to 7 p.m. on September 15.
DNA / The Future Life of Objects
Martin Racine, associate professor and graduate program director for the Department of Design and Computation Arts, will bring the season to an end with DNA / The Future Life of Objects. It's the kind of exhibit more commonly seen in a natural history museum than an art gallery.
DNA/ The Future Life of Objects, by Martine Racine. | Image courtesy of the artist
Originating from a three-year-long project funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture and co-researched by Philippe Lalande, Racine's work imagines a future where DNA is found in artificial objects. The exhibit invites visitors to play the role of investigator with hand-held scanners and X-rays.
“He takes a very scientific approach to breaking down the components of what objects are and the information behind them,” says Dorner. “This leads us to think more deeply about what is involved in the creation of an object and where we go from here.”
The exhibit runs from October 31 to December 9 with a vernissage on November 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the FOFA Gallery.
Check out other Faculty of Fine Arts event listings here.
