French students Jaclyn Morse, Maddy Cugini, Katie Mcginnes, Mariah Dubeau discuss their 3D-printed photographs at the opening of Expressions of Today/Expressions d’aujourd’hui. The art show, on now at the Niagara Artists Centre, is a collaboration between local graffiti artist Matt Vizbulis and students in Brock’s Studies in Arts and Culture and French programs.
By Craig Maltais
The current exhibit at the Niagara Artists Centre features a collaboration between local graffiti artist Mat Vizbulis, Brock students in Studies in Arts and Culture and French Studies. Expressions of Today/ Expressions d’aujourd’hui, a bilingual exhibit, is one of the first of its kind in Niagara and displays a variety of alternative art forms.
The Arts & Culture students used Vizbulis’ art as inspiration to create their own paintings and collaged them digitally onto posters. These were completed with poetic sentences written by the students, later edited and selected by Professor Catherine Parayre.
The French Studies students’ work on display also features their own poetic phrases, also edited by Parayre on the subject of the title theme: ‘The graffiti dances like…’ These sentences are inspired from Vizbulis’ piece, as well as the work of French-Canadian artist-author Daniel Dugas.
French students created 3D printed photographs and wrote poetry in response to the graffiti.
French students created 3D printed photographs and wrote poetry in response to the graffiti.
The sentences join a series of 10 x 15 cm lithophanes (photographs printed in 3D) of the students in movement which demonstrates the themes of their writings.
Vizbuli describes graffiti as “using energy to express art.” He channels his energy through sweeping movements to create his art, such as the exhibit’s centerpiece An Elephant in the Room.
When asked about being featured along side growing artists, Vizbulis said he was gratified to be the inspiration for so many young artists. He also congratulated Brock University for reaching out to the local community to find home grown artists and to exhibit graffiti art in a gallery.
Expressions of Today / Expressions d’aujourd’hui is on exhibit at the Niagara Artists Centre in downtown St Catharines from March 3rd – 16th 2018.
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L’exposition au Niagara Artists Centre présente l’artiste de graffiti Mat Vizbulis et les œuvres collaboratives crées par Catherine Parayre de l’Université Brock et de ses étudiants d’Etudes en Arts et culture, ainsi que ses étudiants des Études en français. Cette exposition bilingue d’art alternative et de graffiti est une des premières de son genre dans la région de Niagara.
La collaboration est le thème global de l’exposition. Les étudiants d’Arts et culture se sont inspirés de l’art de Vizbulis dans leurs propres créations qu’ils ont associées à des phrases poétiques, plus tard éditées par Professeure Parayre.
Le travail des étudiants d’Études en français contient lui aussi des phrases poétiques, également éditées par Professeure Parayre, au sujet du thème : « Le graffiti danse comme… ». Ces phrases sont inspirées de l’œuvre de Vizbulis et du recueil de l’artiste-auteur franco-canadien Daniel Dugas . Elles accompagnent des lithophanies (photos numériques, impressions 3D) de 10 x 15 cm des mêmes .
En discutant de l’impact d’être l’artiste central exposé en même temps que des artistes débutants, Vizbulis s’est montré flatté et content d’avoir influencé tant d’étudiants. Il a aussi félicité l’Université Brock d’avoir recherché non seulement un artiste local, mais aussi un artiste de graffiti pour exposer en galerie. En parlant du point focal de l’exposition, An Elephant in the Room, l’artiste dit utiliser toute son énergie dans de grands gestes en arc pour créer son art.
Expressions of Today / Expressions d’aujourd’hui est présenté au Niagara Artists Centre à St Catharines du 3 au 16 mars 2018.
Craig Maltais’ blogpost was originally posted on the Brock Faculty of Humanities blog, managed by Alison Innes.