Wednesday, October 6, 2010

EPHEMERA Nuit Blanche Toronto 2010


Wow, Nuit Blanche rocks! Check out this video of my art installation in Toronto.

Thank you to everyone at Solo Bace and especially Umbereen, Allison, Ian and Gerald of Nuit Blanche. Thanks as well as to all volunteers: Rosemary, Dorothy & Graham, Rachel & Haehyun; and the crew: Owen, Kevin, Chris and Ritchie.

Special thanks to Michael who took all of these shots and did everything that needed to be done from start to finish.

Music by Neil Young and Daniel Lanois "Walk With Me" from the album Le Noise.
We listened to these guys non-stop during the installation, and then live, later that same night in Nathan Phillips Square.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

HAVEN






Haven is a tactile and interactive outdoor sculpture. It is a hollow ovoid dome with one opening near the ground. This opening is large enough to invite a viewer to slip through. Once inside the dome, the viewer can experience the artwork on a profoundly personal level as they become completely enveloped by it.

From the outside Haven looks like a boulder or perhaps a fossilized dinosaur egg. Its purely organic form allows it to blend into the landscape. But Haven is more than a sculpture; it is a refuge and a space for contemplation. The cave-like interior space evokes our primordial past yet allows for open-ended interpretation.

Haven has been designed to hold one person comfortably. It is approximately 60 inches high, 80 inches long and 50 inches wide and weighs 1,200 pounds. Haven is made of steel reinforced concrete.

Many thanks to Margaret McDevitt curator of the Helen Day Art Center's EXPOSED! 2010 outdoor sculpture exhibition in Stowe, VT (www.helenday.com). Thanks also to Nathan Suter and Anahi Costa. Special thanks to Jack and Duncan as well as Michael, Nick and Ryan who were instrumental in the installation process.

ÉLÉMENT







Élément est une installation créée à Québec avec Marie-Josée Roy de IMAGE IN situ (www.imageinsitu.ca) Cette œuvre réalisée en noir et blanc à même les fenêtres de l'immeuble s’illumine automatiquement de l’intérieur dès la nuit tombée; l’œuvre fait de noir et de lumière prend alors vie dans toute sa dimension.

Indéniablement, la lumière est un symbole de vie, d’espérance et de célébration. Mais au-delà de cette puissante métaphore et en tant qu’objet en soi, la lumière est absolument fascinante. Telle les ondes radio, elle voyage infiniment; vers l’extérieur de sa source, émettant énergie et information. En transformant l’espace commerciale inoccupée en une immense boîte lumineuse qui fait face à la rue, cet espace devient une station de diffusion visuelle pour tout un quartier.

L’œuvre nous enseigne à capter l’énergie émotionnelle des lignes. Ces lignes sont calquées sur la circulation organique de l’énergie, véritables empreintes de la nature.

Élément est la cinquième installation de la série EPHEMERA où l’artiste explore la rencontre de la lumière et du dessin. Pour son soutien indéfectible au projet EPHEMERA, l’artiste souhaite remercier UMA, La Maison de l’image et de la photographie (www.umamontreal.com).

Merci à Jean Poirier pour avoir pris les photos!

Dessins Éphémères No. 3




Cette installation a été réalisée avec le support de UMA la Maison de l'image et de la photographie dans le cadre du projet À LOUER: www.umamontreal.com

Dessins Éphémères No. 2

Thanks to Rory Richards and Jared Horst!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Beacon @ Articule Gallery, Montreal




Beacon is a drawing installation created in situ for Articule. It is a black and white drawing on the gallery windows that becomes automatically lit from within starting at sundown. The resulting nocturnal effect is a drawing made of black and light. This is meant as an antidote to our long and dark winter nights.

Light is an obvious symbol of life, hope and celebration. But beyond being a powerful metaphor light as a thing in itself is utterly fascinating. Light travels like radio waves; infinitely outward from its source, transmitting energy and information. By transforming the Articule gallery space into a giant lightbox facing the street it becomes a visual broadcasting station to the neighbourhood.

Beacon is the fourth installment in the EPHEMERA series in which I explore the intersection of light and drawing.

This is amazing and in fact, exactly what I wanted! After months of creating installations in empty shops Articule gave me an opportunity to exhibit in a professional space. Thank you Michelle, Esme, Julie and everyone who was involved in selecting this work. Thanks also to Andrew and Elsa. Special thanks to Jérôme Delgado (Le Devoir) and Julie Laferrière who reported on this piece on the radio, January 2nd! Many thanks also to UMA, La Maison de l’image et de la photographie for its continued support of the EPHEMERA project. Check out: www.umamontreal.com (then click A LOUER)

-Nadine Faraj