Kenneth Doren

“Long Waiting Without Stars” is both a video installation, and a live performance piece, of a string quartet performing alongside poetry readers in fractured Regency era costumes. The string quartet performs a reverse version of Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770 - 1827) introspective and extremely technically demanding late period “Große Fuge” composition. This string quartet performance (either live or on video) is accompanied by a video of readers presenting the intensely personal image-based ghazal poetry by Sackville, N.B.'s enfant terrible John Thompson (1938 - 1976). This work metaphorically explores the perceived madness that encompassed both these artist’s final years by means of creating a synthesis of the two through music and text.

http://digitalopera.org/operamain.html

Daniel Olson

"For my Open Studio residency at Struts Gallery I intend to install a ten-year anniversary
version of Private Investigation. The office installation will serve as the context or
framework for a variety of activities over the course of the residency: the definitive
video documentation of the performance components of Private Investigation; a public
performance of Private Investigation; “office hours” during which I will be available to
visitors for discussions, mini-performances, or investigations; as well as other studio
activities I might choose to undertake during my time in Sackville."

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(Photos contributed by Jessica Emin)

D'Arcy Wilson

"Keepers" is a project revolving around my collection of Canadian wildlife figurines. While in Sackville, they will be presented in the specimen laboratory, housed in the biology building at Mount Allison University. Here, the two hundred animal objects will be arranged and documented through a variety of drawing media. Visitors are welcome to engage in dialogue concerning particular characteristics allocated to certain species, and to interpret what these reveal about the desires of their makers and consumers. After the figurines are transcribed into drawings, the new representations will be offered to the community of Sackville at the Orange Crush Cabaret. I am curious to see if my own representations will pique the desires of ‘Sackvillians’ to welcome animal objects into their homes. This way, the drawn interpretations of the animals will thrive throughout Sackville long after the initial collection is gone alluding, perhaps, to the absence of wildlife in contemporary domestic spaces.

In the performance" Mother", a small table supports an array of bone china teacups filled with maple syrup. Plastic animal toys are awkwardly dunked in each vessel. The performance begins as I pluck one animal from a cup and carefully lick it clean, as if I am the mother ‘animal’. The process repeats for each plastic toy. There is a blurry distinction between cleaning (caring) and consumption throughout the piece as viewers are subjected to intimate licking and suction audio. Ultimately, the cleaning deposits a sticky mess on the table and the loving act becomes one of perversity. As the performance is repeated over several days, I become increasingly uncomfortable from the sugar intake, and the syrup hardens, becoming unsanitary.

(Photos contributed by Graham Ereaux)

Twelve Hour Drawing Marathon

Hosted by START Gallery, this event is meant to bring together any individuals inclined to make art for an evening, both artist and amature alike. A fun exchange that ends up on the START walls, all types of art are welcome and encouraged, where music and games only enhance the enjoyment and art being created. (images from 2009 marathon)

I Can't Hear You

An informal open discussion with Kenneth Doren, Rebecca Duclos, Gordon Monahan, Daniel Olson, Helen Pridmore, and D’Arcy Wilson. Moderated by Rosemary Murphy Owens Art Gallery. An open panel discussion about how the title relates to the world of performance art and contemporary art practices. The “din” of a zillion pieces of art/music/audio and visual stimulus – overwhelming… Who will ever listen or look at it all? How can we?

(Photos contributed by Graham Ereaux)

Orange Crush Cabaret