Prairie Ribbons Performance, Arts Building, University of Saskatchewan

Медленно минуты уплывают в даль,
Встречи с ними ты уже не жди.
И хотя нам прошлое немного жаль,
Лучшее, конечно, впереди.

Припев:

Скатертью, скатертью
Дальний путь стелется,
И упирается прямо в небосклон.
Kаждому, каждому
В лучшее верится...
Kатится, катится
Голубой вагон.

Может мы обидели кого-то зря,
Kалендарь закроет старый лист.
K новым приключениям спешим, друзья...
Эй, прибавь-ка ходу, машинист!

Припев.

Голубой вагон бежит, качается,
Скорый поезд набирает ход...
Ах, зачем же этот день кончается,
Пусть бы он тянулся целый год!

Champagne makes me giggly

One critique done, two more to go and one year end review and a paper by the end of next week. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today I got a Dairy Queen ice cream sandwich in short sleeves only. That alone was a reason to have a mini champagne party at my studio. K and J came and we had a great bottle of NZ sprakling wine, very dry yet a little buttery. Yum.

Recently

I know, I am super blogger today. This is what happens when one procrastinates when writing a curatorial proposal on (failed) socialist utopia and just rediscovered FB. Here is a quick update on things that have been happening recently:
Have been trying to finish the semester, I can't believe we have two more weeks left. Have been preparing for my last two crits, nothing new, drawings of Tabloid Headlines in watercolour. I feel like I am on autopilot, just trying to get to the finish line.
I am also going to be looking for a new place in Saskatoon, as my roommate is going to be doing research in Germany. What else? I might go up to Emma Lake to do a printmaking class. I am not sure as I am the most impatient printmaker and I am afraid of bugs. First signs of spring are appearing here, and that makes me very delighted.

I Cloned Dolly

This is another contribution to my new blog series. It is a review by Karla Griffin of show that was recently shown at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery in Saskatoon.

I Cloned Dolly
Aaron Godard
Reviewed by Karla Griffin

The title of Aaron Godard’s Bachelor of Fine Arts graduating exhibition I Cloned Dolly, is a cheeky pun that points to the 1996 birth of Dolly the sheep; the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. The sheep’s birth was touted as the most significant scientific breakthrough of that decade, although it raised controversial ethical concerns not only within the scientific community, but within the general public.
The reproduction of multiples from the same genetic source acts as the catalyst for Godard’s latest body of work. Like a production line efficiently producing identical manufactured goods based on a single prototype, Godard acts as the solitary manufacturer, or creator, of a mass-produced standardised dolly. Using a dolly from Home Depot that he purchased and then returned for the project, Godard explores the possibilities of accessible and seemingly banal objects, by imbuing them with complicated layers of social understanding.
Entering the gallery, viewers are greeted by what appears to be an abandoned warehouse, or broken down production facility. Dollies in varying states of completion stand alone while others seem to huddle in groups. A closer examination of the dollies, viewers are left to question what kind of manufacturing has occurred in order to produce the results that stand before them. Half formed, misshaped tires, drooping handles, incorrect proportions and missing parts, Godard’s dollies lie in the realm of science experiment gone terribly wrong, which suggests that science, like everything else, is fallible.
Through excessive repetition and incessant labour, Godard reveals a kind of Frankenstein-like love for his malformed creations. Using the dolly as a point of departure and working on a 1:1 scale of representation, he anthropomorphises these objects through the mutable possibilities of material - bringing to mind Claes Oldenburg’s soft sculptures of the 1960s and 1970s, and the more recent foam installations of Chris Hanson and Hendrika Sonnenberg.
Like Oldenberg, Hanson and Sonnenberg, Godard’s pieces are all handmade, and the work suggests a kind of satisfaction with the handmade process. Using pink (Pepto-Bismol pink) extruded polystyrene foam, each dolly is meticulously carved and every detail has been acknowledged: from the grips on the handles to the tread of each tire. Inspecting the workmanship, small glitches and idiosyncrasies mark these pieces as handmade one of a kind objects; each one is unique from the next.
Taking into account that Godard has individually carved more than twenty versions of one object, in what appears to be a quest to render the perfect specimen; the fragile and flimsy quality of the polystyrene foam contradicts the solid functionality of the original manufactured dolly. However, more than that, Godard’s installation suggests not only the fragility of his art objects, but possibly the fragility of life: the fine balance between nature and science, where the pursuit of knowledge becomes the creation of monsters. Like Victor Frankenstein, from Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein, Godard has “collected the instruments of life around [him], that [he] might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at [his] feet.”

“I Cloned Dolly,” was exhibited at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery at the University of Saskatchewan from March 16 to March 20, 2009.

New series on my blog

I have decided to start a new series on my blog entitled "Art that my friends do" as a new platform to showcase some new and exciting projects. I started with Maudlin & Joy and few posts ago and today I would like to debut my friend Jason's new project Rudy and Roy. It a charming children's show and if I may say so, Jason is the sweetest ten year old with a moustache. Enjoy!

Back on FB

After almost two years, I reactivated my FB account. The weird thing is that it was still in existence. It was never really gone. I am back on, hopefully it will make those cold nights a little warmer (it snowed here last night).

First Day of Spring

I believe today is the first day of spring. I don't know, it is hard to say as we got another snowfall and the trees were frozen over with pretty garland like icicles. I have decided to stay home, cook a salmon, have some wine, listen to Elis Regina and read Marx.

Maudlin & Joy

Glamorous, comfortable, natural. A great article on my friend Erin's new fashion label Maudlin & Joy at the Georgia Straight. Congratulations Erin! I love the old Hollywood inspired designs.

Bob Wiseman and Geoff Berner at All Citizens!

Last night was a special night in Bruno, Saskatchewan. All Citizens presented an enchanted concert featuring Bob Wiseman and Geoff Berner. We surprised them with a key to the city, it was all very official! Thank you to Tyler for designing it, Jordan for making the carrying case, the deputy Mayor for presenting it and to Bruno's new sons, Geoff and Bob! I should clarify that I am not from Bruno but it was my honor to be included in this ceremony. But somehow Bruno reminded me of a small charming Bulgarian town.

New Hat

I got a new hat today at Folks Furs, Saskatoon's finest fur dealers. Sadly they are going out of business and with that a part of local history and a great sign outside.

Tropical Saskatoon

When I first moved here six months ago, I noticed that there are many indoor places trying to mimic environments that are not natural to Saskatoon. Whether it is lush astroturf greens at the mini golf at Market Mall, drywall stalactites at the Cave Restaurant or plastic palm trees at Jax nightclub, these are environments that are foreign to the city. I thought it was interesting to have such an abundance of these make believe “natural” places. Was it so Saskatoonians can escape the winter into a place with lush palm trees and play some mini golf? Or have a romantic dinner within Mediterranean like cave formations? I decided to take photographs of these environments and place them within actual familiar sites around Saskatoon. The images of the city were taken from found postcards.

Singing Telegram

A secret singing valentine performance of "I say a little prayer for You" in harmony. Chocolate rose and a note saying " I met a wonderful man. He is fictional, but you can't have everything". February 12, 2009. Thank you to the Greystone Singers.

Bulgarian Lovers

I just found this movie and it is also a book. "Bulgarian Lovers: Beware of Love in Radioactive Packages". I thought it was a joke but one can order it from Amazon. I am not sure if the radioactive comment is about Chernobyl, but it certainly makes for a great title.

Liberace

I just posted some photos of my visit to the Liberace's museum. It is quite a large operation, it consists of two buildings on "Libearace Plaza", which a linked to an Italian restaurant which he owned. One building houses his collection of rhinestone cadillacs and pianos and the other is only for his capes and costumes. We also got treated by a one hour long concert on his famous mirrored Steinman.

Venice Venice

It is nice to be back home

I spent the week house sitting which was lovely but it is nice to be back home. I am sitting at home, listening to Coltrane, looking at the window and trying to read McLuhan. I am turning into a real Woody Allen geek.