RMG Fridays Presents: Durham Storytellers

Join us for an evening of storytelling! Beginning with a behind the scenes artist talk of The Sire of Sires with Oshawa-born artist Jordan Elliot Prosser, the evening will continue with performances by the Durham Storytellers and violinist and fiddler David Shewchuk. DRIFF is also onsite to deliver a double feature and Q&A with filmmaker Patrick Weiers.

7:00 – Doors Open
7:15-8:00 – Artist Talk with RBC Emerging Artist in Residence Jordan Elliot Prosser
8:00-8:30 – Performances by Durham Storytellers

Micki Beck – Apsley, ON
Micki is a storytelling elder, starting her storytelling journey some 60 years ago. Over the years, she has worked as an individual, and in groups through schools and universities to the theatre stage and television studio.

Kesha Christie – Ajax, ON
Kesha Christie is an animated storyteller who ignites the imaginations and carries you on an amazing journey from tale to intriguing tale. She tells Anansi stories, African Folklore, Aesop Fables, Historical and original tales.

Angelica Ottewille – Havelock, ON
Angelica Ottewill is a classically trained harpist and vocalist, who combines the art of storytelling with music. Her repertoire includes medieval, Celtic and historical stories, as well as folktales from many cultures.

8:30-9:15 – Performance by David Shewchuk
9:15-9:45 – Performances by Durham Storytellers

Judith Shaw – Oshawa, ON
Judith believes that there is magic in words that are spoken, either through poetry or storytelling. She feels the words capture her heart; ignites a desire to combine words of her own; and share her creations openly with others. Judith finds her journey into storytelling… enchanting!

Peter Dowse – Ajax, ON
Peter is now branching out, using his speaking skills from Toastmasters and applying them to his new passion of storytelling. He enjoys researching historical events and presents them in a storytelling format, personalizing the characters to add impact to the story.

Dianne Chandler – Port Perry, ON
Dianne has been weaving words of story magic, myth and mystery for all ages for many years. She performs a repertoire of global folk/fairy literary tales, and special seasonal programs with drama, passion, sensitivity and humour, often in costume.

Kathleen Smyth – Bowmanville, ON
Kathleen has been telling stories most of her life, as both a writer and a storyteller. She enjoys recanting stories about historical characters, especially strong women. Kathleen enjoys telling personal stories that amuse, inform, and inspire. And she likes to help others embrace the stories within them.

Downstairs in the Lookout

Join DRIFF downstairs in the Lookout for two short films that explore youthful experiences through two different lenses. Patrick Weiers will be present to share behind-the-scenes stories and answer questions from the audience.

Screenings and Q&A will repeat at 7:15pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm.

The Beach Raiders (8 mins)
Directed by Tyson Breuer
This story is a fun escape to end-of-summer shenanigans. Mel and James try to keep the fun alive for one more night, knowing this life won’t last.

i hope they remember my name (11 mins)
Directed by Patrick Weiers
Struggling with depression, a famous vlogger travels to Asia and documents his search for dopamine.

Durham Storytellers is an enthusiastic group that aims to keep oral storytelling alive, promote an awareness of storytelling and illustrate how stories fit into today’s society. They convey each story without books or notes, and are considered part of the performing arts.

Jordan Elliot Prosser

Join our summer artist in residence in Gallery A for an artist talk that accompanies his solo exhibition The Sire of Sires. Featuring surprising ties between 19th century poetry, Russian ballet, and Oshawa’s own Northern Dancer, you’ll learn more about Jordan’s experience as an artist in residence and his exciting installation and video work, which explores the relationship between reproduction, legacy, and identity.

Dave Shewchuk is a Canadian violinist/fiddler who has performed as a soloist from Ontario to Vancouver and everywhere in between, winning the hearts of audiences with stunning creativity and originality. He performs original compositions and popular favourites in various musical styles – classical, jazz, folk, rock, and more – and has performed with many orchestras in Canada and the UK including The Hamilton Symphony, The Ontario Philharmonic, The National Academy Orchestra, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Arch Sinfonia and The London Graduate Orchestra, just to name a few.

Special thanks to DRIFF in a Jiff and Canada Council and the Arts Reopening Fund for their support with this event. We acknowledge the financial support of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

Indigenous Creative Arts Showcase

This event is free and open to everyone.

From the collaborators of Durham Indigenous Voices, the four-part Anti-Indigenous Racism Panel Series in 2021, we are joining as a collective again for a one-night, in-person event!

We invite you to come celebrate the creativity of the local Indigenous community through music, poetry, and dance performances.

Presented in partnership with the Durham Region, Durham Public Libraries, Durham College, Durham College Student Association, Ontario Tech University, and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, with support from the Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board.

Light refreshments from local Indigenous caterers will be provided for this free, drop-in event. Find us on Facebook here.

Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone embodies a beautiful mixture of Anishnaabe/Ojibwe, Irish, and French heritage. They are an artist and activist in their community Tkaronto, while running their Indigenous Arts business Aqua Music. They lead hand drum circles, ceremonies, workshops, and perform their beautiful medicine music solo and with their band, Red Rhythm & Blues, where they are the creator, lead vocalist, and drummer. Aqua thoughtfully crafts each song from their life experience as an IndigiQueer person of mixed ancestry.

Sarah Lewis is an Anishnaabe Kwe (Ojibwe/Cree) spoken word artist, activist, and mother from Curve Lake First Nation, Ontario. She is currently Peterborough’s first Poet Laureate. She has been featured on Global News, CBC radio, CBC Arts’ ongoing video series: Poetic License. She has also recently been published in the poetry anthologies: ‘The Condor and the Eagle Meet’ as well as ‘A Manor of Words’. Her poetry uncovers the ongoing effects of colonization but more importantly, how Indigenous communities are reclaiming their identities, culture, strength and sovereignty. She also explores love, women empowerment, friendship, and her connection to Mother Earth.

Auriele Diotte has been a Métis Jigger for over 10 years. She learned to jig through the Oshawa Durham Métis Council and became part of their dance troupe, The Olivine Bousquet Métis Dancers, soon after. She has enjoyed many years of learning about her Métis heritage through dance as well as teaching others through jigging with some fancy footwork. As of August 2021, Auriele became the new owner and artistic director of the Fairytale Factory, a children’s entertainment company at which she was a performer for three years prior. As a graduate of Theatre Performance, she has been implementing the skills of storytelling, audience experience, and authenticity in every area of her life.

Virginia Barter is a Toronto based Métis/Cree historical writer, storyteller, musician and filmmaker. She is a passionate advocate of Métis culture and history. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Virginia is always seeking to discover new paths to truth and reconciliation through music, visual arts, language and poetry. She is a cultural advisor and knowledge keeper for the Toronto and York Region Métis Council, an Art Educator at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and an Indigenous Education Partner with the Toronto District School Board. As a filmmaker and writer, Virginia produces projects with strong Indigenous perspectives of land and place. Most notably, she was Producer and Host of the television series, URBAN ABORIGINAL, which highlighted the rich and culturally diverse contributions that Indigenous people bring to life in the City of Toronto.

Jordan Mowat is a Michi Saagiig Ojibwe Powwow & Round Dance singer/composer as well as a contemporary music artist from Alderville First Nation, ON, Canada. Over the past 15+ years, he has travelled extensively across Turtle Island on the powwow trail and currently sings with notable drum group Bear Creek Singers. Through this experience, he wanted to take a big step and start sharing his round dance songs on YouTube for the sole purpose of “sharing the gift of song.” Amongst his travels he has also been able to share and perform his contemporary music and his since released tracks on most digital platforms under the name My Friend The Moon. Aside from his musical journey and cultural experiences, Jordan is an Indigenous Graduation Coach with the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board. Through advocation, mentorship, and both academic/mental health support; his goal is to help Indigenous youth realize their full potential, that they have a purpose, and to always be proud of who they are.

Mary Kelly is from the Ojibways of Onigaming and is a citizen of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty Number Three. She is lynx clan. She is a grandmother, avid reader, and poet. Mary is a survivor of St. Margaret’s Indian Residential School in Fort Frances, Ontario. She is fluent in the Anishinaabe and English languages. “You tore me down and left me broken, but the blood that flows through me is all I needed to rise up and fight for myself, my culture, my life.”

Born on a First Nations Reserve in central Ontario, Cale Crowe was fueled on music from the time he had a heartbeat. Performing using an acoustic guitar, an electronic drum pad, and a loop station pedal, Cale has performed at bars, theatres, and festivals from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Cale describes the songs that make up his discography as chapters of his life – not necessarily told in order, but made to encapsulate moments of his life and the lives of those closest to him. Cale only hopes to continue to connect with people and uplift them with his music. Wherever life takes him, Cale will keep telling his story behind the strings of an acoustic guitar and a microphone.

The RMG is wheelchair accessible. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Erin Szikora at [email protected] to submit an interpretation request by October 20, 2022. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

The RMG strives to make our building, collections, exhibitions, and programs accessible to people of all abilities. If there are other ways we can support your participation, please reach out to Erin at [email protected]. We welcome your feedback.

The Ties That Bind

Experience this exhibition through a new 360 tour!

Feeling connected is a fundamental psychological need. In nature, ecosystems depend on interactions and connections in order to thrive. Similarly, humans flourish through connections that are physical, emotional, and social. However, the desire to connect can go beyond relationships. As we have seen through the pandemic, there are benefits to connecting to nature—it can calm your nervous system and help to experience the world around you more deeply. Exploring personal and collective histories can also connect us with our roots, and situate us within the wider community. It provides a sense of belonging and understanding that can help shape perspectives and a sense of self.

Sean McQuay (Canadian, b.1956), Island Pipes (The Maither/The Faither), 1992, oil on canvas. Purchase, 1993.

The RMG believes that art cultivates connected and caring communities, and engagement with the Permanent Collection plays an important role in fostering this. With over 4,700 artworks, the shape and understanding of the Collection is continuously evolving through the acquisition of new work and exploration within exhibitions. This thematic Permanent Collection exhibition takes inspiration from the title of a new acquisition by Shellie Zhang entitled The Ties that Bind.

Shellie Zhang (Canadian, b. Beijing 1991), The Ties that Bind, 2018, chromogenic print. Purchase of the RMG, 2021.

After two years of feeling disconnected, this exhibition pulls together artwork that reflects on the different ways we seek connections, whether through relationships, finding peace and perspective in nature, or exploring shared histories.

This exhibition is funded in part by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

RMG Fridays Presents: The Ties That Bind

Celebrate the opening of the new Permanent Collection exhibition The Ties That Bind by renewing connections at RMG Fridays! Come with an old friend, make a new friend, and discover new musicians and filmmakers at the first indoor RMG Fridays since winter 2020.

7:00 – Doors open

7:30 – Performance by EQUAL

8:15 – Tour of The Ties That Bind

8:45 – Performance by L CON

Downstairs in the Lookout

Films from DRIFF will be playing throughout the evening at 7:15pm, 8pm, and 9pm.

Black Bag (10 mins)

Directed by Lee Foster

Two US Marines are trapped behind enemy lines with vague mission objectives, and an even more mysterious package.

The Other Side (8mins)

Directed by Jordan Settembrini

An enthusiastic hiker leads his city-boy friend through a strange forest, after claiming to have found the discovery of a lifetime. It is soon learned that some things are better left undiscovered.

Each screening features special Q&A time with the Filmmakers from both films!

About L CON

Lisa Conway-Bühler (b. 1988, Canada) is a Swiss-Canadian composer, sound artist, songwriter, producer, and mix engineer. Her recordings have been described as “ethereal, minimalist, experimental, unnerving…and downright elegant” (AUX), with the Toronto Star claiming, “Conway is bound for greatness, even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”

An artist who continually tries to push herself into the unfamiliar, her multifaceted CV includes original scores and songs for documentaries, short films, and theatre productions, site-specific multi-channel sound and light installations, collaborations with contemporary dancers and performance artists, and an array of renowned creative residencies. She is an alumni of the final Red Bull Music Academy (2018, Berlin), as well as the Canadian Film Centre’s year-long Slaight Music Residency (2016).

About EQUAL

Saleen and Chelsea, 20 and 22 years old, believe that having a platform means using it to do good – and what a platform it has become. With musical stylings evocative of First Aid Kit and Taylor Swift, the duo have caught the eyes of industry greats Kim Cooke, Dave Bashk, and Dan CLancy of Revolution Recording Studios, Sum 41, and Lighthouse.

Durham’s Best Band (2018) has been described as ‘lyrically sophisticated’, ‘raw and emotional’, featuring ‘excellent harmonies and songwriting’. Look for music that matters? You’ve found it. Meet Equal.

Special thanks to DRIFF in a Jiff and Canada Council and the Arts Reopening Fund for their support with this event. We acknowledge the financial support of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

The Sire of Sires

The Sire of Sires is a new video work by Jordan Elliot Prosser produced during his artist residency at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. A loose adaption of L’Après-midi d’un faune – first a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé (1876), then a symphony by Claude Debussy (1894), and then a ballet by Vaslav Nijinsky (1912) – The Sire of Siresis the latest chapter in Prosser’s expanding video series mapping personal and collective histories of Oshawa. In earlier works, Prosser turned to local landmarks such as General Motors and Parkwood Estate to reflect on the city’s precarious post-industrial identity. In this new work, he considers another performance-driven business that took root in Oshawa in the 20^th century: Windfields Farm.

Through the late 20^th-century, E.P. Taylor’s horse breeding enterprise at Windfields was the leading producer of Thoroughbreds in Canada, the most famous of which, Northern Dancer, was the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He retired as a sought-after studding horse at Windfields in 1965, ultimately siring the dominant lineage of Thoroughbreds world wide and earning him the title “sire of sires.” Many of Northern Dancer’s descendants achieved success in both racing and breeding, including his son Nijinsky whose namesake, Vaslav Nijinsky, was a prominent originator of modern ballet in the 20^th-century.

In 1912, Nijinsky dramatized Mallarmé’s poem L’Après-midi d’un faune in a lyrical tableau set to Debussy. The original poem takes the form of an erotic monologue written from the perspective of a mythological faun on a summer’s afternoon. In Prosser’s film, the central figure journeys through Windfields’ defunct farm buildings and its surrounding suburban landscapes in a plaster horse mask. They explore the transformed rural pastures in ways that are at times curious and searching, and in others, bored and languishing. In addition to capturing a sense of this place, Prosser is interested in considering the ways that lineage and reproduction are valued in Oshawa’s industrial histories and civic identity. By drawing on the creative lineages of Mallarmé, Debussy, and Nijinsky, Prosser awkwardly inserts himself within these traditions, exploring the relationship between reproduction, legacy, and identity.

Jordan Elliott Prosser (b. 1991, Oshawa, Canada) is a multi-media artist who uses documentary methods to study the architecture of subjective experience. He received a Master of Visual Studies from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo, and studied Literary, Musical, & Visual Thought at the European Graduate School. His work has been shown at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Hearth Garage, and Crutch CAC.

This exhibition is supported by the RBC Foundation’s RBC Emerging Artist Project.

Documentation by Toni Hafkenscheid.

Kazuo Nakamura: Universal Pattern

Born in 1926 in Vancouver, BC, Kazuo Nakamura was interested in art at an early age. As a teenager, he would pore over his uncle’s Japanese art magazines and explore the city with a sketchbook in hand. In 1939, he began his formal art training at the Vancouver Technical Secondary School where he was taught by Jock Macdonald—an artist known for his modernist approach and a future fellow member of Painters Eleven. In 1941, his art training was cut short when he and his family were sent to a Japanese internment camp in Tashme, BC. Between doing labour in the camp and attending high school classes in the evening, Nakamura still found time to sketch and paint. He and his family spent two years interned before the Canadian government forcefully relocated them to Hamilton. Nakamura would eventually settle in Toronto where he picked up his formal art training again at the Central Technical School (1948-1951). In Toronto, he quickly became a part of the Toronto art scene thanks to his relationship with both Albert Franck and Jock Macdonald.

Photograph of Kazuo Nakamura at Painters Eleven in Retrospect exhibition opening, 1972, at the RMG.

Kazuo Nakamura was a founding member of Painters Eleven (1953-60), Ontario’s first abstract art collective. In 1953, he was approached by William Ronald to participate in the Abstracts at Home exhibition that played a central role in the formation of Painters Eleven that same year. Although sharing in the other members’ use of abstraction, Nakamura’s work was distinguished within the group by his use of more subdued brushstrokes, simpler structures and monochromatic palette. When reflecting on the influence of Painters Eleven to his art, Nakamura believed he benefited most from the opportunities for exhibition. He also developed lasting relationships that continued post the disbanding of the group.

Kazuo Nakamura (Japanese Canadian, 1926-2002), Number Structure 2, 1983, oil on linen. Courtesy of the Estate of Kazuo Nakamura.

Nakamura’s fascination with science and mathematics is evident throughout his career through his use of patterns, linear perspectives, and geometric forms. From the earliest landscapes and abstractions to his later mathematical explorations, Nakamura was seeking patterns in nature. He considered his most important work to be his Number Structure series, done later in his career, where he explored how the language of numbers reveal patterns and structures in the natural world. Curator Dennis Reid summed up what Nakamura was seeking: “Kaz was passionate about understanding the universe he lived in and conveying that understanding to others.” Nakamura’s Number Structure series connects all of his artistic explorations together, directly linking his interest in science and art. In 1956, Nakamura explained in an interview with art critic Robert Fulford his belief that science and art are deeply connected: “…I think there’s a sort of fundamental universal pattern in all art and nature… In a sense, scientists and artists are doing the same thing. This world of pattern is the world we are discovering together.”

Kazuo Nakamura (Japanese Canadian 1926 – 2002), Morning Landscape, 1953, ink wash on paper. Purchase, 1991.

Drawing primarily from the RMG’s permanent collection, this exhibition pulls together works that reflect the scope of Nakamura’s artistic career and his constant search for truth and understanding of the world around him.

RMG Holiday Night Market

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is very excited to host our first artisan market of the year in partnership with the City of Oshawa!

Our market will be conducted indoors, alongside the Oshawa Bright & Merry Festival, and will provide a spectacular view of the Tree Lighting ceremony.

Featuring high-quality artisans from across the GTA, we strive to provide a unique and local shopping experience this holiday season.

Meet our Vendors!

Damaged Goods – @damagedgoodsshoppe

Damaged Goods Shoppe creates unique and one of a kind mixed media art incorporating a variety of images, quotes and poetry and decoupage. As well as repurposing vintage items into one of a kind jewellery and housewares.

The Spring Moon – @thespringmoon
The Spring Moon celebrates the uniqueness and individuality of women by creating one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art inspired by historical paintings and museum artifacts. Meticulously crafted by the Toronto based multi-disciplinary artist, Farheen Ali, each handmade piece features a striking mix of iridescent shells, pearls, recycled metals and found objects. These elements are all woven together with copper and stainless steel to create stunning pieces of wearable art, each with its own unique story.

Candles and Palms – @candlesandpalms

We specialize in hand pouring pure soy products, long lasting candles and wax melts. We carry a variety of scents and colours to add ambiance to your homes! Our candles are built to snuff using our lids to extinguish the flame and keep the smoke in the jar for your healthier living!

Equanimity Ceramics – @equanimityceramics

Ida is the ceramic artist behind Equanimity Ceramics creating functional pottery for your home. Ida focuses on functional kitchen ware and home decor in a modern style and neutral colors.

Catherine & Co. – @catherineandcompany

Catherine & Co. is a Toronto-based candle company known for making candles that are bound to start a conversation. Starting with a mission to get ahead of the next pandemic hobby, Catherine & Co. has become known for its funny candle names, fresh scents, and reusable glass jars. You can find our candles in-store across the GTA.

Kyla Vitek Jewellery – @kylavitekjewellery

Inspired by the perfection of nature, Kyla uses natural elements with ethically sourced precious metals & gemstones to create handmade silver & gold jewellery. Often examining the undesirable, odd or mundane aspects of plant life, Kyla utilizes the technique of organic casting to immortalize cedar sprigs, maple keys, twigs & seed pods to create pieces of wearable art.

Jothi Creative Wellness – @jothi_creative

Jothi is the Founder of Jothi Creative Wellness and the Visionary behind HERSpace a self-identified space for women and femmes collective wellness and connection. Jothi is an award-winning certified Transformational Wellness Coach facilitating groups and individual Wellness for over 10 years. Jothi is also an interdisciplinary artist and will have her beautiful art card sets along with prints, original art, and some HERSpace totes, mugs, bookmarks, stickers and journals for sale.

Artastic Sarah – @artastic_sarah

“Artastic Sarah” represents many mediums I enjoy working with, specifically resin and photography. As a beginner artist, I am always experimenting with these mediums. For my resin, the brand I always use is “ArtResin”. I make keychains from various molds, my finished pieces always include glitter, beads, stickers, leaves and little branches. My photography prints are 4×6 inches with a matte finish. My prints showcase my best photography work within nature.

AliStyles Paper Co. – @alistylespaperco

AliStyles Paper Co. is an emerging paper goods company specializing in greeting cards with bright colourful designs and punny, playful messages. Alice, the artist behind these designs has carefully crafted a variety of cards for life’s most meaningful moments. Inspired by her love of creating personalized cards for friends and family, she strives to renew the care and thoughtfulness of card giving.

TTAS Painting Gallery – @ttaspaintinggallery

Taslima is a self taught artist and passionate about creating nature landscapes, floral, still life and wildlife paintings on canvases using Acrylic. Her inspiration comes from the never-ending beauty she finds in nature.

Robin L. Potter – @robinlpotter

As an artist, my paintings emerge from intuitive and expressionistic beginnings, and evolve when incorporating objects, text, mark making, writing, papers, fabric, ribbon, glass and other domestic, natural, and academic materials into the artworks to create vibrant and multidimensional intention and layers. I work on wood panels, paper, and on stretched and raw canvases. My work has been shown in local juried shows. Extending my art to wearables lends a new vibe to the art.

QB Jewelry – @qbjewelryca

QB Jewelry makes one-of-a-kind pieces with purpose, to help you vibe high and feel beautiful. Each stone is carefully selected to ensure you’re wearing the highest quality items.

Russell Styles Art – @paper_bowl_bloke

The Paper Bowl Bloke creates ornamental paper bowls perfect for adding a pop of colour to your home décor. While rekindling his affection for the art of Paper Mache during the pandemic lockdowns, Russell Styles, the ‘Paper Bowl Bloke’ began crafting bowls from recycled newspapers in a variety of quirky shapes and sizes. Each bowl is a one-of-a-kind creation, hand painted in vibrant colors and decorated with sculpted embellishments.

Sorrel & Sage – @sorrelandsage

Sorrel & Sage—a wellness company that provides natural + curated products that promote and enhance the experience of self-care. Self-care is a concept that gets bandied about a lot, and while it means different things to different people, it’s become more apparent than ever that we all need to make time for it.

Sarah Tihane – @sarahtihane

Sarah Tihane makes whimsical, nature-inspired art objects that are playful (brightly painted plastic animal skulls with floral motifs), practical (fun bags to hold your dice and other treasures), and thoughtful (mini eco-art sculptures made from transformed Lake Ontario litter). In addition to these one-of-a-kind pieces, Sarah offers prints of frog photography, and illustrations of animal-headed people. She hopes you’ll enjoy exploring the little details and the feeling of discovery with each piece. And yes, she’s very good at sneaking up on frogs.

Vira Jewellery – @_virajewelry

House of the Painted Rock

The Urban Hick

Peach & Olive

All questions regarding this event should be directed to:

Emeraude Domingos-Mbuku Development & Membership Lead

Phone: (905) 576-3000

Email: [email protected]

Erin Szikora

Phone: (905) 576-3000

Email: [email protected]

Fall Exhibitions Opening

Coming from Toronto? We have organized a bus to bring you to and from the opening! Pick up will be in front of OCADU at 100 McCaul St at 12:30PM. The bus will leave the RMG to return to OCADU at 3:45PM. Please fill out this form toreserve a spot on the bus.

On October 1, we are celebrating two new exhibitions at the RMG:

The Beyond Within

Annie MacDonell

September 24, 2022 – February 12, 2023

Curated by: Crystal Mowry and Leila Timmins
Organized and produced in partnership with the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery

At 2:15, Annie MacDonell will deliver a tour of her exhibition with Leila Timmins.

The Beyond Within is an exhibition of recent work by Toronto-based artist Annie MacDonell, exploring feminist conceptions of the everyday as a basis for political engagement with the world. In two videos made in collaboration with Paris-based artist Maïder Fortuné, pedagogical roles are underwritten by radical forms of intimacy. OUTHERE (For Lee Lozano) and Communicating Vessels consider the potential for dissolving an isolated sense of self through friendship and art making. MacDonell’s new film installation, Set and Setting, continues this exploration by juxtaposing animated drawings sourced from early psychedelic research trials with architectural sets that recall institutional examination rooms. The piece suggests that the boundary between subject and viewer is not only thin, but porous and continuously shifting. Through these collaborative video projects and new installations, MacDonell asks whether it is possible, within static institutions and other familiar containers, to follow radical detours that create possibilities to build our worlds anew.

The Sire of Sires

Jordan Elliot Prosser

October 1 – November 13, 2022

Curated by: Hannah Keating

Informed by the legacy of landmarks like General Motors, Jordan Elliot Prosser’s recent projects have documented Oshawa’s uncertain identity as a post-industrial suburban community. In The Sire of Sires, he turns to another performance-driven industry that took root in Oshawa: E.P. Taylor’s enterprise at Windfields Farm. As the leading producer of thoroughbreds in Canada, Windfields produced Northern Dancer, who was first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the most influential stallion in North America. Upon retirement, Northern Dancer became a sought-after studding horse with many of his descendants achieving success as both racehorses and sires. One of those sons, Nijinsky, was named after a famous 20^th-century Russian ballet dancer who prophesized he would be reborn as a horse. This unusual and unlikely tie between Oshawa and Vaslav Nijinsky inspired Prosser’s new video The Sire of Sires, which he shot at Windfields Farm and features a character from Nijinsky’s ballet L’Après-midi d’un faune (1912). The ballet itself was created in response to two other works of art by the same name: a symphony (1894) by Claude Debussy and a poem (1876) by Stéphane Mallarmé. Accordingly, The Sire of Sires reflects on the theme of reproduction, as it relates to artistic inheritance and Prosser’s sprawling record of this place called Oshawa.

Also on view:

True Currency

Artists: Christina Battle, Helen Cho, Alvin Luong, Sofia Mesa, Dana Prieto, Cassie Thornton

June 18 – November 5, 2022

Complete Freedom

Abstract artworks from our permanent collection

December 11th, 2021 – October 9th, 2022

Come Together

Photographs from the Thomas Bouckley Collection

June 18, 2022 – January 8, 2023

RMG Fridays Presents: Back to School

We’re going to squeeze in one more outdoor show! Lets mark back to school by extending the summer just a little bit longer. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and come experience the soulful song writing and warm melodies of Hunter Sheridan.

This is an all-ages event; pets will not be admitted. Please note that there is no smoking on City property, which includes the RMG’s backyard.

Explore Hunter Sheridan’s music and new single Northern Lights.

Upstairs in Arthurs on the 4th:

Films from DRIFF will be playing throughout the evening at 7:15pm, 8pm, and 9pm.

September’s Films:

BELLA

BY: KAYLEE LEBRETON

A beautifully distressing black and white film about a woman being followed by trauma that comes to a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

MAYMAY

BY: BILL SHAWANDA

A daughter’s impromptu visit with her reclusive mother leads to revelations both past and present.

DIRTY HANDS

BY: GRETA CHEECHOO

Dirty Hands is a story of lost innocence when a young boy experiments with drugs. His older brother Norman, feeling anger and pain, takes matters into his own hands and sets out to get revenge on the one who is responsible for his brother’s overdose.

Hunter Sheridan

Hunter Sheridan is a Canadian musician whose music delivers introspective, soulful song writing with warm melodies that weave a euphoric atmosphere. Hunter’s writing highlights self-discovery, honest lyrics, and dynamic arrangements, connecting with listeners across music genres.

Special thanks to DRIFF in a Jiff and Canada Council and the Arts Reopening Fund for their support with this event. We acknowledge the financial support of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

The Beyond Within

Organized and produced in partnership with the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.

This exhibition opens at Illingworth Kerr Gallery in Calgary, January 19, 2023

As a surface with only one side, the Mobius strip resists orientation. To trace its surface is to experience left becoming right, outside flipping in, and time assuming the shape of an infinite loop. While its perimeter is defined, it is the twist in the loop that prevents predictability. Within static institutions and other familiar containers, is it possible to experience a similar twist – a radical detour – that encourages us to build our worlds anew?

Underpinned by feminist conceptions of the everyday as a basis for political engagement with the world, The Beyond Within proposes strategies for reorientation. In two videos made in collaboration with Paris-based artist Maïder Fortuné, pedagogical roles are underwritten by radical forms of intimacy. OUTHERE (For Lee Lozano) incorporates documentation from a 1971 lecture at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design alongside archives and an astrological reading to give form to an influential recluse: the late conceptual artist Lee Lozano. In Communicating Vessels, friendship and artmaking become productive, if precarious, portals through which to escape the isolation of the self.

Psychedelic experience as a means to dissolve the ego and yield new models of collectivity is central to the new installation, Set and Setting. This work is informed by historical and contemporary psychedelic trials performed within research settings. Juxtaposing animated drawings sourced from early trial documents and architectural sets that recall institutional examination rooms, Set and Setting suggests that the boundary between subject and viewer is not only thin, but porous and continuously shifting.

By making use of radical and lateral modes of thinking and storytelling, MacDonell affirms how art can be both a necessary clarifier and serve as an essential tool in world building.

Annie MacDonell is a visual artist and filmmaker. Her early training was in photography, and the image continues to play a central role in her projects. Her work also includes installation, sculpture, writing, and performance. In recent years, film has become a focus. Her films (sometimes produced with collaborator Maïder Fortuné) are shaped by feminists principles of politics as a daily practice. .

She received a BFA from Ryerson University in 2000, followed by graduate studies at Le Fresnoy, Studio National des Arts Contemporains, in France. Her films “Book of Hours” (2019) and “Communicating Vessels” (with Maïder Fortuné, 2020) have screened extensively internationally. Recent solo shows have been held at Gallery 44, Parisian Laundry, the AGO, and the Art Gallery of Mississauga. She has participated in group shows at The Art Museum of the University of Toronto, CAG Vancouver and Mackenzie Art Gallery. Recent performances have been presented at Nuit Blanche Toronto, le Centre Pompidou and the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2012 she was short-listed for the AGO AIMIA prize for photography, and she was long listed for the Sobey Art Award in 2012, 2015 and 2016. In 2020, she and Maïder Fortuné won the Tiger Award for Best Short Film at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, for their film “Communicating Vessels”.

Installation of Annie MacDonell: The Beyond Within at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2022. Images by Toni Hafkenscheid.