Panel artists Jed Lind, Sarah Anne Johnson, An Te Liu and Rick Rhodes, editor of Canadian Art (from left to right). Photo:Katherine Porter
Tiff Bell Lightbox
Marvel, excitement, and pride filled the voice of Rick Rhodes, editor of Canadian Art magazine, as he presented the theme of last Saturday’s Gallery Hop Panel Discussion: Location3 (Location, Location, Location). As he introduced the Canadian Art Foundation’s 16th annual ‘Hop’, Rhodes suggested that Location be understood both as an indication of progress and as an equation. As the Saturday panel graduates from the unpainted dry wall and exposed electrical of Queen West’s pre-restored Gladstone Hotel to the Tiff-Bell Lightbox, we recognize its progress.
Panel artists Jed Lind, Sarah Anne Johnson, An Te Liu (from left to right)Photo:Mauricio Contreras-Paredes
By pointing to the mysterious worlds of math and science in a subtle pun, Location3 also refers directly to ideas of place and place-less-ness as an equation that is integral to Art (especially in Canada). On the panel, artists Jed Lind, An Te Liu, and Sarah Anne Johnson spoke to the diversity of ways in which location has informed their work.
Sarah Anne Johnson’s presentation. Photo:Katherine Porter
An Te Liu negotiated culturally coded notions of place, non-place and place-ness-less, Johnson spoke of her need to inject bleak documentary-style photography with personality, story, and emotion,
Sarah Anne Johnson:Ripple, 2011 Photo:Mauricio Contreras-Paredes
and Jed Lind spoke to his fascination with location as a perpetual product of dislocation.
Jed Lind’s presentation Photo:Katherine Porter
The result was a (free!) intellectual and visual feast for Canadian art enthusiasts, that promises and exciting event for years to come.
Photo:Mauricio Contreras-Paredes
Text by Katherine Porter