Happy accidents and serendipity; the contingency in material agency

This conversation was recorded on Friday February 12th, 2021.

In conversation:  Artists Pedro J. Barbáchano, Reihan Ebrahimi, and Chris M Forsyth, Maya Rae Oppenheimer and Joni Cheung from CICA, and FOFA exhibition coordinator, Geneviève Wallen.

For this third gathering, the panelists explored how slow, process-based practices carve spaces for materials to speak their truth. The notion of acknowledging a medium's agency underlines the possibilities of unexpected results despite the initial calculation and planning: happy accidents manifest as an opportunity to expand beyond the original artistic vision's scope, adding other layers of investigation. Happy accidents can bring forward unconscious hauntings or concealed knowledge, factoring the artist as an enabler of rich narratives. Furthermore, there were questions about archival research's role in one's artistic process and the different cultural ethos defining what constitutes a reliable source. This led to examine the space of documentary in our collective imagination. 

In their work, Pedro J. Barbáchano, Reihan Ebrahimi, and Chris M Forsyth straddle different timelines while tracing multiple histories and how these narratives are remembered, simultaneously looking forward and looking back.  

To know more about Pedro J. Barbáchano, Reihan Ebrahimi, and Chris M Forsyth practices and other musings about how their artworks relate to one another please visit their Artists’ Profiles on our curatorial platform CU at FOFA. 

Follow their respective artistic practice here: 

Pedro J. Barbáchano: @pedrobarbachano, website

Reihan Ebrahimi: @reihan24, website

Chris M. Forsyth: @chrismforsyth, website

About USE 

Each year, the annual undergraduate exhibition aims to represent the diverse art practices and research interests occurring within the Faculty of Fine Arts. Collaborative at its core, this interdisciplinary initiative culminates in an exhibition, publication, and performance event, and combines the efforts of many students, staff, and faculty members. Ultimately, the undergraduate student exhibition aims to foster community among students, while encouraging them to work together through different practices and thought processes.

 More information about USE 2021