News

• Students exhibit at Die Bäckerei in Innsbruck, Austria UPDATED

  Wednesday, May 09, 2018 | By dvivian

  

  We are very excited to announce an exhibition by the students of the MIWSFPA in Innsbruck, Austria!

  see photographs from the exhibition, below.

  Geographies of Process

  presented at …

  Die Baeckerei

  13 June – 6 July 2018 (Opening 13 June 2018, 19:00)

  Learning is process. Students in Visual Arts at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University, Canada put together a series of paintings to illustrate the process of abstraction at work in referencing urban, industrial, domestic, and natural landscapes. Students in Arts and Culture and French Studies continue the process of abstraction through the creation of written texts responding to their peers’ paintings.

  Curators: Catherine Parayre and Shawn Serfas

  With the generous support of the Canadian Studies Centre, University of Innsbruck
  —

  Geographien als Prozess

  Lernen ist ein Prozess. Studierende der bildenden Kunst der Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts an der Brock University (Kanada) haben eine Reihe von Bildern zusammengestellt, um den Prozess des Abstrahierens zu illustrieren, der abläuft, wenn auf städtische, industrielle, häusliche und natürliche Landschaften Bezug genommen wird. Studierende der Fächer Kunst, Kultur und Französisch setzen diesen Prozess fort, indem sie Texte verfassen, die auf die Bilder ihrer KollegInnen
  reagieren.

  KuratorIn: Catherine Parayre und Shawn Serfas (Brock University)

  Eröffnung: 13. Juni 2018, 19:00 Uhr

  13. Juni – 6. Juli 2018
  Bäckerei Innsbruck, Dreiheiligenstraße 21a, 6020 Innsbruck

  

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  Geographien als Prozess / Geographies of Process / Géographies en formation

  Lernen ist ein Prozess. Studierende der bildenden Kunst der Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts an der Brock University (Kanada) haben ein Reihe von Bildern zusammengestellt, um den Prozess des Abstrahierens zu illustrieren, der abläuft, wenn auf städtische, industrielle, häusliche und natürliche Landschaften Bezug genommen wird. Studierende der Fächer Kunst, Kultur und Französisch setzen diesen Prozess fort, indem sie Texte verfassen, die auf die Bilder ihrer KollegInnen reagieren.

  Learning is process. Students in Visual Arts at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University, Canada put together a series of paintings to illustrate the process of abstraction at work in referencing urban, industrial, domestic, and natural landscapes. Students in Arts and Culture and French Studies continue the process of abstraction through the creation of written texts responding to their peers’ paintings.

  Tout apprentissage est un processus. Des étudiant.e.s en Arts visuels de l’Ecole des beaux-arts et arts du spectacle Marilyn I. Walker à l’Université Brock au Canada assemblent une série de peintures illustrant un processus d’abstraction faisant référence à des paysages urbains, industriels, domestiques et naturels. Poursuivant cet enchainement vers l’abstraction, des étudiant.e.s d’Arts et Culture et d’Etudes en français répondent aux œuvres de leurs collègues par la création de textes.

  KuratorIn / Curators / Commissaires: Catherine Parayre / Shawn Serfas

  Mit der Unterstützung des Zentrums für Kanadastudien der Universität Innsbruck
  With the generous support of the Canadian Studies Centre, University of Innsbruck
  Avec le généreux appui du Centre d’Etudes canadiennes de l’Université d’Innsbruck

  KünstlerIn / Artists / Artistes

  Gianna Aceto
  Jessica Angelevski
  Elizabeth Angotti
  Denise Apostolatos
  Teresa Badgley
  Renz Baluyot
  Chris Belanger
  Marilyn Blanchette
  Brandon Boudreau
  Hannah Brown
  Andrea Caruso
  Maddy Cugini
  Thomas Denton
  Chelsea Dietrich
  Amy Doan
  Hannah Dobbie
  Isabella Domaradski
  Mariah Dubeau
  Amandine Faivre
  Alex Finlayson
  Dailia Frigault
  Jill Greer
  Stefanie Gugliucciello
  Kylie Haveron
  Gail Higenell
  Samantha Hilton
  Aimee Hu
  Syerra Jasmin
  Gabriella Jones
  Phuong Le
  Laura Levesque
  Brendan Long
  Craig Maltais
  Sarah Martin
  Jim Maunder
  Katie McGinness
  Kaitlyn Michie
  Avery Mikolic-O’Rourke
  Andrey Mintchev
  Jennie Montes
  Victoria Morinello
  Jaclyn Morse
  Lauren Mucciarone
  Michelle Nazari
  Alona Nyforovska
  Joseph Opara
  Lillianna Pagliaro
  Connor Playfair
  Anna Podvalni
  Jacob Primeau
  Brittany Reitzel
  Curt Richard
  Jessie Richard
  Cynthia Richards
  Keira Robertson-Worden
  Abby Rollo
  Kourtney Spadoni
  Samantha Stein
  Sophia Strachan
  Charlotte Tarr
  Evan Weins
  Zachary White
  Amber Lee Williams

  LISTEN to an interview (in German) by Sarah von Karger with Co-Curator Catherine Parayre for “KulturTon”, Freirad Radio, Innsbruck, Austria, 2 Juli 2018

  Tags: arts and culture, Austria, Catherine Parayre, Die Baeckerei, Exhibition, French Studies, Geographien als Prozess, Geographies of Process, Innsbruck, Shawn Serfas, Visual Arts
  Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, News, STAC Courses

• New for 2018: the Marilyn I. Walker Textile Art Award

  Monday, May 07, 2018 | By dvivian

  

  Beginning in 2018 the Executive of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts will be awarding the Marilyn I. Walker Textile Art Award.

  This award will be made to an undergraduate student who is graduating from the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), Brock University; who is awarded, by vote of the Executive Committee of the MIWSPFA, the top prize for a piece of textile art produced and submitted by said student.

  As the award must be granted to a student for the purposes of his or her continuing education and or development, students must also submit an expression of their intention to continue this education and or development.

  For the purposes of this award, textile art is defined as a work of art that utilizes any and all forms of textiles, either natural or man-made, and in any form of original artistic expression.

  For the purposes of this award, continuing education or development is defined as any form of post graduate education and development which the student may wish to pursue whether at a college, university, by way of apprenticeship at a technical institute or at a research facility.

  For more information about Marilyn I. Walker see: brocku.ca/miwsfpa/marilyn-i-walker

  We thank Marilyn I. Walker and her estate for the legacy of her generosity.

  See the article about the first recipient of the new award, Victoria Reid (Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Studio Art, with First-Class Standing, 2018).

  Tags: award, Marilyn I. Walker, Marilyn I. Walker Textile Art Award, textile art
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Future Students, News

• Collaborative Student Exhibit Opens at the Niagara Artists’ Centre

  Thursday, March 15, 2018 | By dvivian

  

  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 3^rd – 16^th 2018.

  ***

  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.

  Tags: French Studies, Mat Vizbulis, Matt Vizbulis, MLLC, Niagara Artists Centre, STAC, studies in arts and culture
  Categories: STAC Courses, Uncategorised

• Expressions of Today / Expressions d’aujourd’hui

  Saturday, February 17, 2018 | By dvivian

  

  Art by Mat Vizbulis.

  Students in Studies in Arts and Culture as well as in French Studies at Brock University explore contemporary expressions in art and literature and create unusual stories mixing narrative and art-making. Their starting point is a graffiti artwork by artist Mat Vizbulis.

  Des étudiants en Etudes en français et en Studies in Arts and Culture à l’Université Brock explorent des expressions contemporaines dans l’art et la littérature, et construisent des histoires inhabituelles mélangeant narration et création d’art. Leur point de départ est un graffiti de l’artiste Mat Vizbulis.

  Exhibition: Saturday Mar. 3 to Friday Mar. 16 / samedi 3 mars à vendredi 16 mars

  Gallery hours: Wednesday 10-5, Thursday 12-9, Friday 12-9, and Saturday 12-5 / mercredi 10-5, jeudi 12-9, vendredi 12-9, et samedi 12-5

  Opening Reception: Thursday Mar. 8 from 6-8 pm / jeudi 8 mars 6h-8h en soirée

  Location: Niagara Artists Centre (NAC)

  354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON

  This is free community event!

  Tags: French Studies, graffiti, Mat Vizbulis, NAC, Niagara Artists Centre, studies in arts and culture
  Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors

• Canadian Author/Artist Daniel H. Dugas delivers public lectures at Brock

  Monday, January 08, 2018 | By dtemprile

  

  Daniel H. Dugas’ most recent volume, published in 2015.

  The programs Etudes en français (Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures), Interdisciplinary Humanities, Studies in Arts and Culture (Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts) and Studies in Comparative Literatures and Arts of Brock University are pleased to welcome Canadian author/artist Daniel H. Dugas for two public lectures!

  Dugas writes and creates art in a variety of forms. Technology, ecology, and economy are recurrent themes often explored in his work; poetry and video poetry are two favourite platforms. Whether his projects are first accomplished in French or English, Dugas’ motivations remain similar.

  In 2018 Dugas was awarded a major recognition on the Canadian francophone art/literary scene. He is the ‘Artiste de l’année en littérature’, a distinction awarded at the Eloizes 2018 by the ‘Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau Brunswick’. Please see link below:

  ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1099324/les-eloizes-2018-une-celebration-reussie-de-la-culture-acadienne

  Public lecture in English: Thursday January 25, 2018

  Time: 2-3 pm

  Location: MW 156 (Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, 15 Artists’ Common, downtown St. Catharines)

  Dugas will talk about his individual and collaborative practice with a focus on the ecological work created in partnership with Valerie LeBlanc over several years.

  The artist’s talk will be in English.

  —

  

  Canadian Author/Artist Daniel H. Dugas

  Conférence en français : vendredi 26 janvier 2018

  horaire : 1-2 pm

  lieu : PL 410, Campus principal (Brock University)

  Artiste numérique, poète et musicien, Daniel Dugas a participé à des expositions individuelles et de groupe ainsi qu’à plusieurs festivals et événements de poésie en Amérique du Nord, en Europe, au Mexique et en Australie. Son neuvième recueil de poésie L’esprit du temps / The Spirit of the Time vient de paraître aux Éditions Prise de parole.

  La présentation se fera en français.

  This is a free community event.  Tickets are not required.

  For more information contact Professor Catherine Parayre, cparayre@brocku.ca

  Tags: artist talk, Brock University, Canadian Author/Artist, Catherine Parayre, CSTAC, Daniel Dugas, English, Etudes en français, French, Interdisciplinary Humanities, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MLLC, Public Lecture, STAC, Studies in Comparative Literatures and Arts
  Categories: Events, News

• Colour Constructs at Rodman Hall/Constructions en couleurs à Rodman Hall

  Monday, November 20, 2017 | By dtemprile

  

  Pictured is a view of the exhibition Material Girls at Rodman Hall Art Centre. (source: RHAC)

  In fall 2017, Rodman Hall invites visitors to experience the exhibition Material Girls, which brings together Canadian and international female artists from across artistic disciplines and cultural backgrounds. Giving particular attention to the colourfulness and jubilance of this exhibition, in Colour Constructs, students in Visual Arts, Studies in Arts and Culture, and French Studies explore the materiality of colours in their own diverse ways. Student works are complemented by graffiti art by Niagara-based artist Mat Vizbulis, a classroom guest during the semester. Curators Catherine Parayre and Shawn Serfas. /

  A l’automne 2017, Rodman Hall invite ses visiteurs à découvrir l’exposition Material Girls, qui regroupe des artistes femmes du Canada et d’ailleurs, dont les pratiques artistiques et l’environnement culturel diffèrent. En s’inspirant des couleurs et de la gaieté de cette exposition, des étudiants-e-s en Arts visuels, Arts et cultures et Etudes en français explorent dans Constructions en couleurs la matérialité des coloris par le biais d’approches variées. Les graffitis de l’artiste Mat Vizbulis, établi dans la région du Niagara, complètent les oeuvres des étudiant-e-s. Commissaires: Catherine Parayre et Shawn Serfas.

  Article from the Brock News: Bilingual exhibition to shed light on Material Girls
  TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2017 | by Darien Temprile

  A new Rodman Hall exhibition aims to help visitors experience Material Girls in a new way.

  

  Geo, a piece created by third-year Visual Arts student Lilliana Pagliaro, will be featured in the Colour Constructs/Constructions en couleurs exhibition opening at Rodman Hall Thursday, Nov. 30.

  Colour Constructs/Constructions en couleurs, opening at the downtown St. Catharines art centre Thursday, Nov. 30, features works by students in Brock’s Visual Arts (VISA), Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) and French Studies (FREN) programs.

  The exhibition, curated by Brock Professors Catherine Parayre and Shawn Serfas, initiates a sophisticated dialogue with Material Girls, an ongoing exhibition that opened at Rodman Hall Sept. 14.

  Material Girls is a large-scale group exhibition of work by Canadian and international emerging, mid-career and senior female artists from different artistic disciplines and cultures. Curated by a team from the Dunlop Art Gallery, a unit of the Regina Public Library, it explores material process and notions of excess as they relate to the feminized body, gendered space and capitalist desire.

  For Colour Constructs, students reacted to words, colours and visuals directly related to Material Girls.

  STAC students contributed nine texts based on words and expressions found in the curatorial statement of Material Girls; FREN students provided eight written fragments in French, describing colours from Material Girls; and VISA students, in their own paintings, reference the vividness of artwork presented in Material Girls.

  In addition to the work of students, the exhibition will include a new large commission by local graffiti artist Mat Vizbulis, who describes his work as ‘genre graffuturism.’

  “As the images unfold in layers, we understand that it is truly something unexplainable,” he said. “We are then daring to define things.”

  Earlier this year, Vizbulis led Brock students in experiential learning about graffiti and its role in both high art and popular culture.

  The opening reception of Colour Constructs/Constructions en couleurs takes place Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. at Rodman Hall Art Centre, 109 St. Paul Cres. The exhibition will continue until March 4.

  Material Girls continues at Rodman Hall until Dec. 30.

  Admission to Rodman Hall Art Centre is free, although donations are accepted. For more information in French or English, visit ExperienceBU.

  UPDATE:

  French student Amandine Faivre, right,
  speaks about her poetry with French Professor Renee-Claude Breitenstein at the opening of Colour Constructs Thursday, Nov. 30. Curated by Professors Catherine Parayre and Shawn Serfas, the exhibition is a collaboration by students in Studies in Arts and Culture, Visual Arts and French Studies. Student artwork is complemented by work by local graffiti artist Mat Vizbulis, who worked with STAC and VISA students over the course of the semester. Colour Constructs is on at Rodman Hall Art Centre until March 4.
  Exhibition: Thursday Nov. 30, 2017 – Sunday Mar. 4, 2018

  Opening Reception: Thursday Nov. 30, 2017 at 5:00pm

  GALLERY HOURS:
  Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10 am to 5 pm
  Thursday: 10 am to 9 pm
  Saturday & Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pm
  Closed Mondays, statutory and University holidays

  Free community event however donations accepted (suggested $5).

  Tags: Brock University, Catherine Parayre, downtown St. Catharines, Exhibition, French, French Studies, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Material Girls, MIWSFPA, Rodman Hall, Rodman Hall Art Centre, Shawn Serfas, STAC, visa, Visual Arts
  Categories: Current Students, Events

• Music Archive in the Library

  Wednesday, November 01, 2017 | By dtemprile

  

  Pictured is an example of a “Writing for Music” poster displayed in the Learning Commons of the James A. Gibson Library.
  Photo by Evelyn Smith. 

  Each year the fourth-year Music students perform a series of recitals as they proceed to successfully complete their studies in the Department of Music. In order to announce the performance each student must produce a poster.

  Students in the Studies in Arts and Culture program have selected a few posters from previous concert seasons and responded in creative and critical ways to create a music performance poster archive. This playful archive is now on display in the Learning Commons of the James A. Gibson library.

  The fourth-year Music Student Solo Recitals return for the 2017-18 season beginning March 2 through April 2, 2018. For more information on the Student Solo Recitals, please visit the music website. For information on past Student Solo Recitals, please visit the 2016-17 season concert details.

  This mini showcase will be on display in the Learning Commons of the James A. Gibson Library until 8 pm on Saturday Nov. 4, 2017 and is available to view during Library hours.

  For further information, please visit our ExperienceBU page.

  Tags: Brock University, display, downtown St. Catharines, james a. gibson library, learning commons, library, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, STAC, studies in arts and culture, writing for music
  Categories: Current Students, Events, News

• The book as printed space – concept and printed work;

  Friday, October 06, 2017 | By dvivian

  

  based upon an image by Bernhard Cella

  Walker Cultural Leader Series workshop:

  Medium/Media: All media that can be captured on paper. A book making workshop with Bernhard Cella.

  The objective of this workshop is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the medium “book” as a production process, and for individual participants to produce their own small publication or part of a larger one. This workshop focuses on the current status of the printed (analogue) book and associated questions. Participants will design and develop their own publications, from the initial idea through to the finished product.

  During recent years the development of desktop publishing and digital printing has promoted a significant resurgence of micro editions of artistic publication projects. In contrast to industrial manufacture, micro editions facilitate a high degree of interaction between production and conception so that technical processes may influence decisions on content.
  Referring to current examples and historical models, we will analyze various approaches and forms of production for our project. These include analyzing pictorial language, formats and varieties of paper, text production, typography and typesetting techniques. In small groups, we will discuss concepts and prepare mock-ups for various book projects – prototypes that allow a different way of thinking about the space that is a book.

  Friday, November 3, 2017
  Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

  Location: Niagara Arts Centre, 354 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON L2R 3N2
  Limited spaces available. Sign up by contacting Catherine Parayre – email: cparayre@brocku.ca

  For more info, visit: experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/65852

  About the artist:
  A visual artist working in Vienna, Austria, Bernhard Cella is the founder of Salon für Kunstbuch, installed in the 21. Haus / Belvedere, and of the no-isbn project. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and at the University of Fine Art Hamburg. A book maker, Cella published an expanded edition of his No ISBN. On Self-Publishing in 2017.

  The Walker Cultural Leader series brings leading artists, performers, practitioners and academics to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University. Engaging, lively and erudite, these sessions celebrate professional achievement, artistic endeavour and the indelible role of culture in our society. Please join us.

  This education program is generously founded by Marilyn I. Walker.

  Listen to Professor Catherine Parayre interview Bernhard Cella.

  Tags: Bernhard Cella, book making, Cella, kunsthalle Wien
  Categories: Events, News

• Flip, Flip and print: Unfolding the World of Self-Publishing

  Friday, October 06, 2017 | By dvivian

  

  Image by Bernhard Cella

  Walker Cultural Leader Series Lecture/Performance:

  Artist, curator and art book maker, Bernhard Cella (House 21/ Belvedere and Salon für Kunstbuch, Vienna, Austria) demonstrates and performs contemporary book making.

  Wednesday, November 1, 2017
  Time: 6:00 p.m.

  Location: Rodman Hall, 109 St. Paul Crescent, St. Catharines, ON
  Open to the public.

  For more info, visit: experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/65852

  About the artist:
  A visual artist working in Vienna, Austria, Bernhard Cella is the founder of Salon für Kunstbuch, installed in the 21. Haus / Belvedere, and of the no-isbn project. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and at the University of Fine Art Hamburg. A book maker, Cella published an expanded edition of his No ISBN. On Self-Publishing in 2017.

  The Walker Cultural Leader series brings leading artists, performers, practitioners and academics to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University. Engaging, lively and erudite, these sessions celebrate professional achievement, artistic endeavour and the indelible role of culture in our society. Please join us.

  This education program is generously founded by Marilyn I. Walker.

  Listen to Professor Catherine Parayre interview Bernhard Cella.

  Tags: Bernhard Cella, book making, kunsthalle Wien
  Categories: Events, News

• Brock, SUNY art show set to open in Buffalo’s Silo City

  Thursday, April 20, 2017 | By Nikki Prudden

  

  (Source: The Brock News, Thursday, April 20, 2017 | by Maryanne Firth. Photo caption: “Buffalo’s Silo City will play host to a joint art exhibition including the work of students and faculty from Brock University and the State University of New York at Buffalo. (Photo: Derek Knight)”)

  Brock University and the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo have joined forces to showcase artists on both sides of the border while also highlighting a landmark area on the Buffalo River.

  After two years of planning, Post-Industrial Ephemera: Soundings, Gestures, and Poetics will open Saturday, April 22 at Buffalo’s Silo City — an industrial space filled with repurposed grain elevators and other structures built in the first half of the 20th century.

  Several silos will play host to the free art exhibition until Saturday, April 29.

  The exhibition’s opening reception will run from 2 to 5 p.m. and includes, in addition to the artwork of both Brock and SUNY students and faculty, performances by the Harmonia Chamber Singers, Reinhard Reitzenstein, Lauren Regier, Continuous Monument, Catherine Parayre and Jim Watkins.

  Parayre, event co-curator and an associate professor in Brock’s Studies in Arts and Culture as well as Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, said the event developed from like minds coming together through networking opportunities at Brock’s Rodman Hall Art Centre.

  It was co-curator Reinhard Reitzenstein, an associate professor of sculpture at SUNY-Buffalo, that introduced Parayre to Silo City, the inspiration for the showcase.

  “Everyone is mesmerized because the structures there are stunning,” Parayre said of the area that is filled with buildings worn by weather and time.

  The event, she said, is to encourage people to “reflect on the notion of dispersal.”

  “Silos are built to maintain large networks of commodity exchange for human and animal sustenance. Here, however, the workers are gone; the buildings are exposed to inclement weather; the projects we bring with us will disappear, be dispersed or displaced.”

  Silo City, she said, invites visitors to “become more perceptive to the transience of human endeavours.”

  The exhibition is an opportunity to reflect on the aging structures, their history and nature’s efforts to reclaim the partially vacant space, she said.

  Participating artists come from various disciplines including sculpture, arts, comparative literature, English studies, visual arts, studies in arts and culture, and French studies.

  The showcase features an array of installations, neon signs, readings, paintings, prints, videos and sculptures.

  Brock provided funding for the project through a longstanding research agreement in place between the two institutions, in addition to funding provided through Brock’s Dean of Humanities office.

  “We’re very grateful for Brock’s support,” Parayre said.

  Parking for the event is available onsite and guests are advised to dress warmly as temperatures within the silos remain brisk.

  More information on participating artists and performance schedules for the opening reception is available online.

  A one-day symposium held to relive the exhibition is scheduled to take place in September at Rodman Hall Art Centre in St. Catharines.

  Tags: Brock University, Buffalo, Buffalo River, Catherine Parayre, Derek Knight, Exhibition, Lauren Regier, Post-Industrial Ephemera: Soundings Gestures and Poetics, Rodman Hall Art Centre, Silo-City, St. Catharines, State University of New York, SUNY
  Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, In the Media, News