The latest exhibition at be contemporary gallery in Innisfil — titled Past, Present, Pause — explores “notions of difference” by five BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) artists.
Curated by Black Artist Collective member Sean George, it is a thought-provoking look at objects, landscape and imagery through a BIPOC lens. It’s also about pushing boundaries, George says, and re-evaluating context within the framework of this digital age.
“I think what’s great about the internet is it can put things out of context, but can also bring things into context,” he says.
In his work, the Barrie artist challenges the viewer to reconsider meaning and context through the juxtaposition of images. His installation is titled Strange Fruit – “kind of an homage” to the Billie Holiday song Strange Fruit, “the first protest song,” but also a new and personal interpretation, he says.
George was inspired by the “chain of art” that generated Strange Fruit — the 1930 photograph of the lynching of two Black Americans that led to the poem written by Jewish teacher and activist Abel Meeropol. It was turned into a song in 1937 and first performed by Holiday in 1939. The song also contributed to her downfall.
“That song is about power and control and limitation, and the movements that rise up," he says.
It inspired his "idea of a tree" created from power cords, both connected and disconnected, combined with an image taken from the Black Panther movement, and a colourful painting of children playing, mirrored by an equally colourful depiction of slaves picking cotton — a juxtaposition of innocence and subjugation.
Uncovering layers of meaning, the response is visceral and that’s where the idea of Past, Present, Pause came from, George says. In curating the exhibition, he brought together works by artists who similarly revisit and interpret the past through the eyes of the present.
For Mauritian photographer Ryan Osman, it was important to revisit the iconic imagery of the Far North and challenge colonial traditions of art that portray the north as empty landscape, an “absence of presence.”
Osman sees the human element in the landscape as key — “the distinct yet diverse perspective of the life of northern Indigenous communities” within a landscape that is “majestic, and sometimes unforgiving,” but always dynamic and beautiful.
For Dawn Cain, photography is a relatively new field of expression. The multi-media artist, writer, activist and film-maker saw the invitation to participate in the exhibition as an opportunity to “explore my heritage, culture and the contemporary issues that are front and centre for me individually, and my community collectively.”
With herself as model, she celebrates “the beauty of marginalized hair” in a series of three photographs that present images of tribalism, freedom and escape from oppression.
Indigenous artist Tim Laurin, who is Metis, and Nathalie Bertin, who describes herself as Metis, French and Algonquin, also build new vocabularies out of the imagery and traditions of the past.
Bertin’s works are all expressions of her own Indigenous spirit and part of a mission to “present a different view of Indigenous people – one that is positive, powerful, knowledgeable, gentle and kind,” but free of romanticism.
Laurin describes art-making as “a search for belonging and an assertion of my identity.” His works are his version of visual archeology transforming glass, metal and found materials.
“The objects we choose to keep have always fascinated me," he says.
Past, Present, Pause is not so much an ‘exploration’ as a celebration of difference.
“Our window to the world has now become a digital collage, where we question everything, even our own experiences,” says Sean-William Dawson, whose work combines the iconography of television, movies and pop culture with his own family history, and today’s social issues.
“I love pop culture. Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated by the influences of TV shows on society. Now, with social media, tragedies are becoming parallel – we’re blurring the line between reality and entertainment," he says.
Both Past, Present, Pause. and The Age of Spin are at be contemporary art gallery in Stroud, located at 7869 Yonge St., until Saturday. The gallery is open to the public, following COVID protocols that include wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing. No more than five visitors are allowed into the gallery at one time.
To book a visit, email [email protected] or call 705-431-4044. The gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
There was no grand opening of the current exhibitions, but there will be a “grand closing” on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., when the artists will be available to talk with the public about their work.
