 Top News - July 05, 2003 |
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April Bartlett/Gazette
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Edward van Vliet puts up an exhibit which runs at St. Albert's Profiles Public Art Gallery until Aug. 2. Illusive Images features Polaroid transfer works by St. Albert artists such as Jeanne Germani and Corey Hochachka. |
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Exhibit at Profiles Looks at changing images
There is also and adult workshop, in connection with the exhibition, which runs on Wednesday, July 23 |
By Susan Jones
Staff Writer
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The elusive images of 16 different artists have been captured and held for the viewers' delight this month at Profiles Public Art Gallery.
The show, titled Illusive Images, features work with changing, almost living qualities.
Off almost in a room by itself, is 130V, a sculptural artwork by Brent Irving that includes hundreds of light bulbs. The flickering globes are enclosed in a glass casing. Rather than a steady beam of light, the filament of each bulb seems to be a loose organic ray and the colours shift as the intensity of lights changes.
The art is most illusive because each of the lights remains dark until set off by motion sensors, and then they change and glow, the way a fire heats up, flickers and then dies.
To complement the changing focus of Irving's sculpture, Profiles also showcases hundreds of Polaroid transfer works by artists such as Jeanne Germani and Corey Hochachka of St. Albert. This segment of the show was facilitated by Ross Bradley, who has several nude works on display.
"Even though these were photographs, they will never be exactly the same. I can never reproduce this image exactly," said Bradley, as he pointed to his own shots of nude couples entwined in embraces. The figures in the photos have a softened, almost yellowed appearance, like aged marble sculptures, which Bradley achieved by using Polaroid film.
Bradley began experimenting with Polaroid film transfers 15 years ago as a member of the Canadian Crafts Council. A the time he was also doing sculptures, paintings and drawings of nudes, but he wanted to explore the used of cameras to produce art.
"I was looking for some way to use the photographs of nudes and make them a more personal, unique work of art."
The Polaroid film is peeling away from the backing and then the black part is pressed down and flattened. Then after 15 seconds Bradley removes the film to produce sepia images. Often pieces of the human figure he has photographed will com away too, leaving a surreal image.
In contrast Calgary artist Bev Tosh photographed pictures of war brides to produce evocative images of women of all nationalities and ages. Sometimes she superimposed the photos of the younger bride against the wrinkled face of the older woman as she is now. Often she paired photos together so that it appears as if the bride is shadowed by her other self. In keeping with the bridal theme, some photos have been printed onto pieces of yellowed silk. Another woman's face has been covered by a printed government cancellation stamp.
"There is a sense of antiqueness to this work, even on the contemporary photos," Bradley explained.
Though the photos are of real women, shot at a single moment in time, there is an elusive quality to this piece in that it changes every time the photos are rearranged.
Germani's work has a similar aged look because she chose to use snapshots of small children dressed in old-style clothing. Then she made a double exposure and put text over the top. The tiny artworks appear on the walls of the gallery like the finds from a museum or archival display.
"Using Polaroid transfers is a very scary medium because you never know exactly how it will turn out. It's scary, but very exciting too," said Bradley.
130V and Illusive Images will be at Profiles Public Art Gallery until Aug. 2. An adult workshop, $40, with Illusive Images curator Ross Bradley will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday , July 23.
For more information about taking part in this workshop to produce your own Polaroid transfer art pieces, phone Profiles' education curator Edward van Vliet at 460-4310.
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