Presentations and performances

Greetings! It's been a busy couple of months working on various projects but we're just starting to get to that time of year where we can finally showcase our work! I wanted to share the various opportunities to check out my work.

Today at noon, I'll be presenting my research findings on access to justice issues for gender-based violence survivors in Guyana at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa. I'll be sharing this special lecture with my colleague Andreanne Martel, who did her research on sexual violence strategies in India. The event is free and open to the public, and a light lunch will be provided. More information on the event here.

Tomorrow (Thursday) I'll also be presenting my research on Guyana at the "Global Research for Local Action" Conference at the International Development Research Centre. My presentation will be the second one of the day, so do come check it out if you aren't able to make it to today's lecture. This is also free and open to the public. More information on the conference here.

 

Finally, let's move away from research and towards art: I have the pleasure of performing a special piece at the Mirror Mountain Film Festival this Friday night.  My band Scary Bear Soundtrack has collaborated with Toronto film maker Tim Smith to present "City Fragments", which features Smith's film of projected visual urban images interacting our specially commissioned musical compisution, which we perform live along with the film as a live soundtrack. It's going to be a really cool event - don't miss it! Facebook event here; also read more about our performance here.

Yes, indeed, it's been a busy week, but an exciting one as well! Next week I'm going to Tuscon, for the Change and Economic Development in Arctic Canada meeting - who would have thought that my interest in Arctic research would take me to Arizona? I'll be sure to post photos of my travels.

Iqaluit Composting and Zero Waste

I've been working on a really cool art project lately with Ottawa-based artist Mailyne Briggs, who has been documenting her fascinating journey through the Zero Waste philosphy. The idea is to try to reduce one's garbage output to almost zero. It involves significant lifestyle changes (like not buying things that come in disposable plastic wrapping), but if we all became a little more conscious about waste reduction, you can only imagine the significant impact it would have on our landfills and the environment in general.

This Sunday, at Winston Square in Westboro, we're going to be doing a very unique art installation where Mailyne will be creating a work of art out of all of the garbage she's produced since she adopted the Zero Waste concept in February - apparently she can fit it all in a jar. While she's doing this, I'll be performing music to accompany her, using my synths and my loop pedal to create a soundscape.

I'll also be wearing this dress, custom-designed for me for this event by Ottawa fashion designer Brandi Tweed of Sabrina Jade Modeling.

The music I'll be playing are pieces that I composed for this event, all along the theme of waste reduction. One of the tracks features an interview I did with Iqaluit resident Jim Little, who has been running one of the only composting programs in Nunavut for years. Finding True North wrote a great feature about him a while back, and setting his interview to dance music was a lot of fun.

You can check out some of the tracks I'll be playing here:

Anyway, if this interests you and you're in Ottawa, come see this cool performance!

Winston Square Live Painting Art Performance

Sunday, July 12, 2015 from 1-2PM

Winstone Avenue, Ottawa, ON

Event details

Art in Nunavut

I wasn't much of an art collector when I lived down south, and even now, I wouldn't consider myself to be very knowledgeable about art. But I do know what I like.

Artists often stop by my office to say hi and show me their newest work. There are a lot of talented artists in town - a disproportionate number of them, I'd say - and now that I have a steady job, I like the idea of supporting the local art scene. These artists' visits give me a fascinating glimpse into the world of Inuit art.  After you've been up north for a while, you start getting a feel for the various artistic styles of the different regions of Nunavut, as well as some insight into what your own personal artistic preferences are.

Wall hangings are pretty popular in Cambridge Bay, felt canvasses with various scenes of northern life sewn on to them.  Personally, though, I love the prints.

"Wishing for Food" by Mabel Nigiyok (Ulukhaktok)

This is the print that is hanging in my office, titled "Wishing For Food". I love it. I love the bright colours, the abstract concepts illustrated so vividly, and the raw emotion that you can actually feel in the wolves.  Also, it's a feeling I know well, when I sit in my office.  I'm hungry a lot.

Printmaking was introduced to the Inuit in the 1950s, using stencils.  Each graphic is reproduced only a limited number of times, which ensures that each print is valuable. Ulukhahtok (also known as Holman) is well known for their beautiful prints. It's the only other community on this island, Victoria Island, and is considered to be part of the Northwest Territories. One day I'd like to go there and visit their printmaking studio.

"Any More Down There" by"Wishing for Food" by Mabel Nigiyok (Ulukhaktok)

Inuit carvings are also a famous art form all over Nunavut.  The Inuit have been carving things pretty much forever, especially to make tools like knives, but carving as an art form was heavily encouraged by the Canadian government in the 1950s.  The Baffin Correctional Centre has a carving program in the prison as a rehabilitative program for prisoners, which interestingly means that some of the best carvers in the area learned/perfected their skill while doing time in prison.  

a handmade ulu, traditional Inuit knife, with the handle made from caribou bone.

The sculptures are not particularly cheap to purchase up here, but they sell for a fortune down south.  Someone once told me that if someone breaks into your house, it's likely that all they will steal is your alcohol and your carvings.  They won't touch your TV, which is bulky to carry.  But carvings are relatively easy to grab and have enormous (and quick sale) cash value .

Drum dancer sculpture, by Jorgan Klengenberg (Cambridge Bay)

The drum is made from baleen, the drum stick is made from muskox bone, and the rest of the sculpture is made of soapstone.

Carvings can be made from all sorts of material, including soapstone and soap stone.  In Cambridge Bay, the stone materials are usually brought in from somewhere else, like Gjoa Haven, because as far as I know, most of the rocks around here are shale, which is fun to collect and take home as sushi platses, but break way too easily to use for sculptures.

My personal preference for carvings are ones that are made from bone.  Especially muskox bone or horn, because muskoxen are pretty much unique to this area.  

Ulu-shaped muskox horn earrings

snow goggles carved out of caribou bone.  

We bought this as art but it's actually quite functional and wearable, 

in terms of blocking your eyes from the glare of the snow

I also really like carvings made out of baleen, which is the "teeth" part of certain whales, like bowhead whales, which is not particularly easy to get.  You know, because you have to first catch a whale.  The carvers usually get their baleen materials from out of town (like Pangnirtung), because I don't think anyone's hunted a bowhead whale in Cambridge Bay in years.

Inukshuk-shaped baleen earrings shaped as inukshuks

knife with baleen blade, caribou bone handle

Cambridge Bay also has some very talented non-Inuit artists. Denise LeBleu is a local photographer who takes lovely photos of the northern landscape, photos which are often featured in the newspaper. Miguel Chenier is a local artist who makes breathtaking landscape oil paintings with brilliant colours that I just can't stop looking at. I guess it's not so surprising that there is so much beautiful art here, for a relatively small town, if you consider the gorgeous Arctic scenery that we have as inspiration.

so, what should we do with this muskox horn we got?