Meet Emerging Artist in Residence Florence Yee

We are pleased to welcome Florence Yee to the RMG as part of the RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program. Florence’s residency will be taking place virtually. To learn more about Florence’s artistic practice visit their profile.

In this blog post, Florence shares what they are currently working on and thinking about.

I’ve been working on a few iterations of my embroidered watermarks in the last few months. The first one featured the Chinatown Anti-Displacement Garden in Toronto’s Chinatown Centre Mall, seen in the midst of a conflict of commodification. The second embroidered photograph features the feet of two people on a bed. The most recent one shows a hand pointing through a recipe booklet handwritten in Chinese.

The word PROOF has been my departure point in queering memory, particularly photographs. As the main medium of archives, they set a precedence for what evidence should look like. The emphasis on the legible subject relies on our familiarity with it, or how much is made available to the viewer.

Florence Yee, PROOF – Chinatown Anti-Displacement Garden, hand embroidered thread on inkjet-printed cotton voile, 51” x 37″, 2020.

This leads me to also question the power of visibility. It is used as a tool of representation in queer communities of colour, but can easily be a trap of marketing, tokenization, and performativity. How can the image and its endurance best serve us? The PROOF watermark has been a reclamatory gesture for me, as it brings the image back to an unfinished, unowned, and “unusable” state. They are still drafts of an archive.

The durational aspect of this work has been a double-edged sword in my practice. As a recovering workaholic, the isolating times have left me with little of the collectivity I seek to imagine better conditions for ourselves. It brings me back to a certain futility that doesn’t feel helpful at this current moment, but it longs for more.

Join me in the Studio!

Open Studio Sessions

Dates:

June 24 and July 8, 2021

From 2-3PM, I invite you to virtually drop by my open studio to chat about your ideas, my ideas, our gardening habits, or just ask each how we can be better at not burning out in this moment.

Follow this link to my virtual studio: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82704612271

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program is generously sponsored by the RBC Foundation and the RBC Emerging Artist Project.

Gallery Closure Update

While the RMG could be open to the public now within current public health and Provincial guidelines, we are taking this opportunity to undergo some essential and critical maintenance to our building. We know many folks are anxious to visit once again, however the work is necessary for the ongoing health and safety of our collection and visitors.

We appreciate your understanding and hope to confirm our opening date by the end of March.

In the meantime, please check our Virtual RMG and a special series we’re launching with our cultural partners in Oshawa, Culture Chats @ Lunch.

Take care,
Lauren

The RMG Remains Closed for Now

As of February 16, Durham Region was placed in the Red – control category of the provincial framework. In this stage, and within the provincial framework, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) can reopen with restrictions and appropriate health measures in place. At this time, we are staying closed. The City of Oshawa recreational facilities remain closed and we are awaiting their reopening date in order to align with their plans.

We are all looking forward to having visitors back in the gallery to experience our exhibitions in person. In the meantime, I encourage you to check out Virtual RMG and our upcoming live digital programming and weekly Friday Frames for schools.

Take care of each other,

Lauren Gould, Chief Executive Officer

Meet Emerging Artist in Residence Joy Wong

We are pleased to welcome Joy Wong to the RMG as part of the RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program. Joy’s residency will be taking place virtually from their home studio until the RMG reopens to the public and it is safe to work on-site. To learn more about Joy’s artistic practice visit their profile.

Joy shares what she is currently working on and looking forward to as artist in residence.

What are you working on right now?
Currently I am working on growing the SCOBYs (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) from kombucha brewing. This pellicle is a natural product of the brewing process and is largely composed of cellulose as the colonies consume the sugars in the kombucha. I’ve been drying these skins, oiling them up so they stay supple, and working on manipulating the surfaces – whether it’s through embossing with textures or folding and pleating the dried pellicles.

What are you looking forward to over the next several weeks?
Over the next several weeks, I’m looking forward to learning more about biomateriality and biofilms as an extended metaphor for the surface of the body. I hope to create larger SCOBYs that can act as surfaces for painting and drawing manipulations, and to use them as sculptural materials as well. I’m excited to continue my research about the history of tea, motherlands, origins, and contamination. And lastly, I’m looking forward to the day that I may get to work in the Incubator Lab!

What will be different about working virtually and offsite?
Working offsite is different as I conduct all my meetings with RMG staff online. Because my work consists of material investigations, there is an apparent lack of touch when it comes to interacting with my work right now. I suppose this is fitting, given our current situation – our own bodies lacking touch from loved ones who we have to socially distance from. If I were working onsite, perhaps it wouldn’t change anyway as visitors have to wear masks/face coverings, but there is also a certain… funk to fermentation. That element of smell is also missing from online interactions too. Try as we might, I think everyone knows that viewing work online can never match up to seeing works in real life. I hope we get to be around one another someday soon.

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program is generously sponsored by the RBC Foundation and the RBC Emerging Artist Project.

Black Lives Matter: Solidarity + Resources and Support

Dear RMG Community,

We all have a part to play in dismantling systemic racism.

We must do more than simply watch what’s happening in cities around the world and feel shock, disbelief, and outrage at the anti-black racism that has continued for hundreds of years. We must ask ourselves, what is our role? How can we invite dialogue and conversation that isn’t hollow? We have work to do and need to take concrete actions supported by our values.

We believe that none of our goals are achievable without diversity, equity, and inclusive practice. As an organization we acknowledge our inherent bias and that not knowing is not an excuse.

We need to do the work, the research, and to listen and learn. These are necessary, uncomfortable conversations. We hope that by continuing to engage in this work we can confront and break down the structural inequity that creates barriers to the inclusion we want to nurture.

Museums are not neutral. Art has the potential to ignite social change and we empower artists as essential communicators and navigators of our complex times.

We will continue to make missteps on this journey, but if we don’t keep moving forward we risk standing still and not doing all that we can to amplify Black artists and community members.

On our website, we’ve posted links to Black-led organizations you can support and resources we’re turning to on our learning journey.

Take care of each other.

Cheryl Blackman, Chair, Board of Directors Lauren Gould, CEO

Here are a number of Black organizations and anti-racist groups whose work you can support:

We acknowledge that this list may be incomplete. Please email [email protected] if there are any resources/links that you would like to see added or changed. We welcome all feedback, comments, and conversations.

Local Organizations (Durham Region)

Durham Black Educators Network

Durham Black Students Network

Womxn of Colour Durham Collective (WOCDC)

Black Queens of Durham

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham

Ontario/Nation-Wide Organizations and Opportunities to Show Support

Black Health Alliance

Black Led Mental Health

Black Legal Action Centre

Black Lives Matter Toronto

Black Liberation Collective

Black Youth Helpline

Food Share – Not Another Black Life

Justice for Regis

Freedom School

Nia Centre for the Arts

Toronto Black Film Festival

Black Women in Motion

Canadian Anti-Racism Education and Research Society (CAERS)

Federation of Black Canadians

Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue

Canadian Authors on Anti-Black Racism

Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole

Until We Are Free, edited by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson and Syrus Marcus Ware

#blacklivesmatter

In Memory of David Aurandt

The RMG family was saddened to hear of the passing of its former Executive Director, David Aurandt. David led the gallery from 2000 to 2010.

David was a scholar, a Latin-speaking intellect who was deeply generous. His passion was education and he epitomized the maxim “lifelong learner.” His was the unique gift of being able to share from his vast well of knowledge on any number of subjects, and he loved nothing better than the art history classes he taught at Oshawa’s Senior Community Centre, and leading discussions with the RMG’s docents about the exhibitions and gallery collections.

David Aurandt giving a lecture to seniors at the RMG, 2007.

He was a story-teller extraordinaire and you knew if he started one of his tales with “when I was in Thunder Bay,” you may as well make yourself comfortable. Never one to take himself too seriously, he had the ability to tell eye-ball rolling puns and loved people’s reactions to them.

For David, art was a journey of discovery through looking at painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, installation, and anything else one might consider art. He helped so many appreciate our world more completely through that enthusiasm for the visual.

We offer our deepest condolences to David’s wife Anne, his children, grandchildren, and many friends.

The RMG Team

David Aurandt’s retirement dinner, 2010.

RMG Shop artists using colour

The RMG Shop features creations by local artisans and artists. We’ll be profiling these artists and introducing them to you. Visit the shop to purchase one of these unique items!

For the first instalment, we’re featuring three artists who use bright colours in their work. From prints to handbags to scratch-boards, all three artists use colour in a unique way.

Kelly Grace in her workshop.

Kelly Grace

Kelly has two approaches to creating art. One is a more traditional style of painting and the other combines elements of more than one different art process. Kelly’s mixed media style combines drawing, painting and a print making process called pigment transfer. Typically this image transfer is used as a photo transfer technique but Kelly is transferring her own pencil rendering images instead of photographs. One pencil sketch acts as a collage template for a small edition.

Some of Kelly’s Wizard of Oz editions.

Every piece of art that Kelly makes goes through several layers of hand applied process. Despite the images of the one style being made in editions, every piece has it’s own unique qualities and no two pieces look the same.

Kiri Martin posing with one of her handmade bags.

Kiri Martin

Kiri has been sewing since she was a kid, but only recently took that passion and turned it into a business, instead of just doing it for family. Kiri’s shop came about as a result of her love for fabrics, sewing and creating unique designs.

Some of Kiri’s bags on display in the RMG Shop.

One thing that gives Kiri distinction from other fabric based artists is her variety of fabrics. She also works with her clients to bring their ideas to life, making connections with her supporters. Kiri likes the challenge of taking someone else’s vision and doing collaborations with her clients.

Lisa posing with one of her etchings in the RMG Shop.

Lisa Martini-Dunk

Lisa takes her daily life and puts it into her artwork. Everything she sees, feels and experiences influences her art. She has a strong pull toward nature and architecture. As wide as her influences, Lisa’s use of different mediums gives her work a sense of a primitive state, as if her art doesn’t comply to a style, but merely her untouched thoughts.

Lisa uses her artwork to tell the stories of life. She has always felt like an observer and can now tell the stories to her personal audience, through her artwork.

Father’s Day is Fast Approaching

Mark down Sunday, June 19 in your calendars! Father’s Day has been around for over a hundred-years and we continue to celebrate all that our Dads have done for us. From teaching us how to ride a bike to driving a stick shift, they have always been there for us and it’s time to pay them back for their efforts.

Father’s Day is fast approaching, but no need to worry because we have the perfect gifts for Dad in our shop.

Wooden Kitchen Utensils by Hardwood Hill.

Here’s a set of handy kitchen utensils made by Hardwood Hill, handcrafted by Darren Neil. The Muddlers and spice boxes are perfect for any father that enjoys homemade drinks.

Assorted wooden housewares.

We also have an assortment of wooden utensils, not specifically for the kitchen, but are still perfect for Dad. There are prism corkscrews, magnetic wooden bottle openers and even cutting boards by Brent Rourke Designs.

Lemon Mint and Barley beer soap by Aide Body Care.

If your dad loves beer why not get him one of the special lemon mint and barley beer soaps by Aide Body Care, made in collaboration with local brewery, 5 Paddles Brewing Co.

Gentlemen’s Shaving Bar by Aide Body Care.

Grab some more products by Aide Body Care made especially for men. Aide Body Care’s Gentlemen’s Shaving Bar is perfect for Dad when paired with a shaving brush.

Treat your dad to something special and stop by the RMG Shop to pick up on of these, and more, fantastic gifts for Father’s Day.

A Blast From The Past Through the Eyes of an Intern

Alex Ross is a second year Journalism student at Durham College. He is completing his placement at the RMG as a communications intern.

Over the past two years in my program I have started to narrow down my niche as a reporter for the school newspaper, the Chronicle. I have taken the spot as an arts reporter in the class and even my teachers have gotten in contact with me about artistic events happening around town.

I had never been to the RMG before I started at Durham College because I only moved to Oshawa three years ago. Living in a new city can be difficult because I didn’t know anybody from Oshawa and all of my friends from my old town were away at university in places like Waterloo, Windsor and Kingston. Being a part of the arts scene in Oshawa, and the RMG, helped me make contacts I never had the chance to before.

The RMG is a local treasure that some people don’t even know about. There are so many important connections the Gallery has that help bring people from the community together.

Part of my job here was to schedule some special day posts for May. These special days included a Throwback Thursday for each week of May, as well as a Window Wednesday for each week. For the Throwback Thursday, the gallery has chosen to dig into its extensive collection of the Thomas Bouckley Collection. There is no theme to the Throwback Thursday so all I had to do was go through the collection and pick some of my favourite photos.

After scrolling through the thousands of photos in the Thomas Bouckley Collection, it soon became one of my favourite collections in the gallery. A couple images stood out to me in particular, one of an “amusement device” sitting on the lakefront in Oshawa and another of a plane crash right downtown at King and Simcoe.

“Ocean Wave” At The Lake
Thomas Bouckley, 1912.

These images caught my attention because of their oddness. Ocean Wave is odd because the men on the ride are all wearing suits, despite the leisurely activity. The plane crash is astonishing because of the proximity to the community. If a plane crashed today there is no way it would simply be suspended in the electrical wires running along the street and only knock a few bricks off a building.

Plane Crash on King Street West
Thomas Bouckley, 1918.

The Thomas Bouckley Collection is one of my favourite collections because it gives young people like me a look into the past. Being young makes me feel like I don’t have a connection to the history of the town because as far back as I can remember is the old Famous Players and Zellers that used to be in the Oshawa Centre. Being able to look back at specific events through the Thomas Bouckley Collection gives me a sense of community and connection to the history of my town.

The late Thomas Bouckley donated the Thomas Bouckley Collection to the RMG. He was a collector and history enthusiast of Oshawa and Durham Region. The collection contains more than 3,000 photographs of Oshawa and surrounding communities. The collection is a good source for understanding Oshawa’s past and helping people engage with the history of Durham Region.

The RMG is an integral part of the Oshawa community and it is certainly a great place full of great people, not only staff, but the visitors as well. Being an intern at the RMG is a great experience for anybody that has an interest in arts, in any department of the Gallery.

Museum Month: Visit our Neighbourhood Museums

In celebration of Museum Month, we’re shining a spotlight on the other galleries and museums around Oshawa and the Durham Region.

The Whitby Station Gallery and the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington also play important roles in the cultural community of Durham Region. The Oshawa Community Museum and Archives(OCMA), Parkwood Estate, the Canadian Automotive Museum and the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum are sharing the cultural history of Durham Region.

The Oshawa Community Museum and Archives:

Oshawa Community Museum and Archives, Guy House.
Photo courtesy of the OCMA

The Oshawa Community Museum and Archives works to preserve and present Oshawa’s history and help the public better understand and appreciate the City’s heritage. The OCMA tells Oshawa’s story from the first native settlements and to the present day.

The OCMA holds a photograph collection from Thomas Bouckley, artifacts from the Henry, Robinson and Guy families, a medical instrument collection and vast artifact and photograph collection showing historic Oshawa. The Oshawa Historical Society administers the OCMA to ensure all funding received from the City of Oshawa goes to support the operation and administration of the OCMA.

The OCMA is a leader in promoting Oshawa’s history and connecting people and communities with their past. Now that the weather has gotten nicer the Heritage Gardens are perfect place to go to enjoy the history behind some of Oshawa.

Parkwood Estate:

Parkwood Estate, Oshawa.
Photo courtesy of Parkwood Estates.

Parkwood Estate is a mansion located in the heart of Oshawa, decorated in classic period representation of the early 20th century design. The rooms are made to highlight the lifestyle of a wealthy family and their guests. The collection is so complete it gives an impression that the family still lives there!

In 1915, the McLaughlin family had gained notability and achieved “First Family” status in Oshawa. They purchased Prospect Park to be the site of their new home, Parkwood Estate. The mansion was designed by Darling and Pearson, a team of architects who had a large influence on Canadian institutional architecture. The mansion began construction in 1915 and finished in 1917.

The gardens around the house provide an elaborate distraction for families and visitors to the estate. Parkwood Estate offers an opportunity to see the last and finest remaining residential gardens designed by Harries & Hall, Dunington-Grubb and John Lyle.

Whitby Station Gallery:

Train car outside the Whitby Station Gallery.
Photo courtesy of the Whitby Station Gallery.

The Whitby Station Gallery started as a community gallery run by a group of art enthusiasts in Whitby as Whitby Arts Incorporated. The group, along with benefactors and supporters, purchased Whitby’s Grand Trunk Railway Station in 1969. The station was set to be demolished, but the purchase by the group saved the building and it was moved in 1970 and given the name Whitby Station Gallery.

The gallery’s permanent collection houses more than 300 original pieces, including works by Anne Meredith Barry, David Blackwood and Kim Ondaatje. The gallery is also about to start its SG Pop-up Studio, which brings free art experiences to events in the community. The events start on the weekend of May 14 at the Food Truck Frenzy in the Iroquois Park Sports Centre and Artfest on the Esplanade in Pickering.

Visual Arts Centre of Clarington:

The original Mill that was later turned into the Visual Arts Centre.
Photo courtesy of the VAC.

In 1973, the town of Bowmanville purchased the Mill, a historic landmark of Bowmanville with rich history, and council agreed to turn the building into a Visual Arts Centre (VAC). Mills were seen as a life source for towns in the past, and now that hasn’t changed, except the type of life it brings to the town. The VAC still brings life to the community in the form of art, something that most people didn’t have the luxury in taking part of in the past.

The VAC of Clarington is located along Soper Creek, along a path through the Rotary Centennial Gardens and along the Soper Valley. The VAC is currently exhibiting Maralynn Cherry’s Water Stations (a pilgrimage). Cherry is a non-status indigenous artists of Odawa heritage.

Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum:

A CVRT Scorpion on display at the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum.
Photo courtesy of the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum.

The Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum is home to Canada’s largest collection of operational military vehicles. They host a program called ‘Tank Sundays’ which lets visitors of all ages experience the world of tanks first hand.

The museum also hosts a static display to display their collection, including medals, manuscripts, photos, uniforms and more. The display tells the story of the Ontario Regiments 150 year history, spanning through the World Wars, the Cold War and modern times. The museum also focuses on the Militia’s evolution from the early 19th century, while highlighting the historical relationship between the industrial development of Oshawa, General Motors, and the Regiment.

Canadian Automotive Museum:

The historic Canadian Automotive Museum.
Photo courtesy of the CAM.

The Canadian Automotive Museum maintains a former car dealership from 1921 at 99 Simcoe St. South. While the main floor holds mostly European vehicles, the second floor keeps the history of automotive manufacturing in Canada. The museum is also home to an extensive library, and a lot for drive-ins and car shows.

The CAM currently has the European Masterpieces from the McDougald Collection on display on the main floor and the Cars Built in Canada – 1900-1980 exhibit on the second floor. Also the exhibit A Rolls-Royce for Royalty: Canadian Aristocracy after the Great War opened on May 5. The exhibit shows the story behind the 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, the vehicle Edward, Prince of Wales used during his 1919 Royal Tour of Canada.