Pics from our current show - Jo-Anne Balcaen

COMPLEMENTS OF THE SHOP

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Dr. Yves Benoist is, indeed, the centerpiece for this week’s curatorial project. The psychology publication, one that encourages the reader, “Master your life,” supplied the complementary colour palate.

Beyond its kick-ass design and presumptive title, the publication encourages contemplation of both personal relationships and the future. “’L’ALCOOL ET VOUS” and “COMBIEN D’ANNEES VOUS RESTE-T-IL A VIVRE?” are some recommended sections. Benoist  closes by urging his patrons, “Choisir des AMIS SAINS, physiquement et moralement.” Just full of wisdom, this one. A treat, really. “POUR VIVRE LONGTEMPS, VIVRE LENTEMENT.”

Another gem in the complementary collection is “The Ladybird Book of British Wildflowers,” by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald, with paintings by Rowland and Edith Hilder (brother and sister, husband and wife, coincidence?). While the book does a downright swell job of pointing out which wildflower is which, it can also serve as a spring of inspiration for parents who just can’t seem to find the right name for their child. My personal favorites include, but are not limited to, Purple Loosestrife, Germander Speedwell, Scarlet Pimpernel, and Heartsease Tansy.

“Citrate Magnesie”, or magnesium citrate, is a saline laxative, but you’d never guess at first glance.

Anyway, next time you drop in, ask yourself, “I NOSTRI TEMPI TURBOLENTI CHE COSA SIGNIFICANO?” Your answer will most likely be one of problem-solving capabilities: buy something to distract yourself from the real answer.

-Tara Slaughter

"J'adore ton travail." by Jo-Anne Balcaen

Jo-Anne Balcaen “J’adore ton travail”

Oeuvres sur papier / Works on paper 2007-2013

Vernissage vendredi 8 mars, 18hr

Exposition 8 - 31 mars, 2013

Les œuvres sur papier exposées ici, y compris encre et gouache sur papier, impression typographique, dactylographiée, et impression au laser, ont été produites en 2007 lors de résidences d’artistes à Toronto et au Banff Centre, et plus récemment à Montréal. La plupart de ces œuvres sont présentées ici pour la première fois.

Bien que le texte ait souvent joué un rôle central dans mon travail, je considère ces œuvres sur papier comme étant en marge à ma pratique principale, qui comprend surtout la vidéo, l'installation et l'impression numérique.

Je suis influencée par la langue vernaculaire de la culture populaire, par l'affichage commercial et le design graphique, du fait que la présentation formelle de ces mots est mise en contraste avec l’émotion ou la psychologie plus profond du message: le besoin normal, mais inavoué de validation, d'acceptation, d'approbation - et la crainte de son contraire: l'indifférence, la critique, le rejet.


Jo-Anne Balcaen (1971, La Broquerie, Manitoba) est une artiste montréalaise œuvrant dans plusieurs médiums, notamment la vidéo, l’audio, l’installation et l’impression. Elle détient un baccalauréat en beaux-arts de l’Université du Manitoba (1994) et une maîtrise en arts visuels de l’Université Concordia, Montréal (2000). Depuis le milieu des années ’90, elle présente régulièrement son travail dans plusieurs festivals, centres d’artistes et galeries au Canada, au Royaume-Uni, en Europe et aux États-Unis. Ces expositions individuelles récentes incluent Sound Ideas au Centre Clark, Montréal, et The Longer I Wait, the Better it Feels, à la Eastern Edge Gallery, à St-Jean, Terre-Neuve. Balcaen à reçue plusieurs bourses de recherche et création du Conseil des Arts et des lettres du Québec, du Conseil des Arts du Canada, et du Conseil des Arts du Manitoba.

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The works on paper exhibited here, including ink and gouache on paper, letterpress, typewritten text and laser prints, were produced in 2007 during artist residencies in Toronto, and the Banff Centre, and most recently in Montreal. Most of these are being shown publicly for the first time.

Although text has often played a central role in my work, I consider these works on paper as being peripheral to my main practice, which is primarily based in video, installation and digital print. Influenced by the vernacular of popular culture, by commercial signage and graphic design, their stark, formal presentation stands in contrast to their deeper emotional or psychological message: the normal yet unspoken need for validation, acceptance, approval – and fear of its opposite: indifference, criticism, rejection.


BIO

Jo-Anne Balcaen (b. 1971, La Broquerie, Manitoba) is a Montreal-based artist working in a variety of media, including video, audio, installation, and print media. She holds a BFA from the University of Manitoba, (1994) and an MFA from Concordia University, Montreal (2000). Since the mid-1990s, her work has been regularly shown in festivals, artist-run centers and galleries across Canada, as well as in the UK, Europe, and in the US. Recent solo exhibitions include Sound Ideas at Centre Clark, Montréal, and The Longer I Wait, the Better it Feels, at Eastern Edge Gallery, in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Balcaen is also the recipient of numerous grants from the Conseil des arts et des letters du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Manitoba Arts Council.