warp and woof: canadian travels

Saturday 1 December 2012

Reviews in Cultural Theory: On The Commons

This special issue follows the first Banff Research in Culture summer residency On The Commons: being-acting-feeling together with University of Alberta and visiting faculty at the Banff Centre, May 2011. Reviews in Cultural Theory is published twice annually by the University of Alberta's Department of English and Film Studies.
'Remaking the Commons' is now online, ISSN:1918-9710, available at: http://reviewsinculture.com/media/issues/RCT-SP-On%20the%20Commons.pdf

The richness and diversity of the articles give a good insight to the residency programme and the wonderful international and transdisciplinary mix of people exploring the ground of the commons, together.

My essay, Pervasive Media, Commons and Connections: Research as Reflective Studio Practice at Banff, written as an interactive studio process whilst creating the installation And Where [Are You Goung]/ [Do You Go To] When You Go There?, can be found on pages 43-62 of the journal pdf or read online at: http://reviewsinculture.com/special-issue/review4.html

Here's an extract about the essay, from the guest editors' introduction....

Editors’ Introduction: Remaking the Commons
M A T T H EW M A C L E L L A N A N D M A R G R I T T A L P A L A R U

In a whimsical text defying academic writing straightjackets, Jackie Calderwood draws us into an exploration of language, location, and self-awareness. Calderwood muses on her time in Banff, while also revealing some of her inspirations, her multifaceted portfolio, and herself. The artist’s works come to life through her vivid descriptions and her lyrical and playful asides. By and by, Calderwood’s seemingly scattered text comes together to nudge us exactly towards the ludic, the spontaneous, the importance of living in the moment; her insistence on the process, rather than the polished oeuvre makes the reader acquiesce and accept her terms rather than look for resolution. Ultimately, the literal threads contouring the Rockies in her studio become metaphorical to suggest communities always in formation, starting with “one self.” p.6

Thursday 28 July 2011

On The Commons, Banff - Report in Canadian Art

Report on the BRiC residency by Tatiana Mellema

Saturday 9 July 2011

bus bbbusss buuuuus bbbb bbusssss

New levels of interaction.
This skytrain goes underground too.

I made this colour grid at http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=49.263809,-123.215866 using http://twitter.com/gathererapp

Friday 8 July 2011

The Last Sunset (of here & now)

... is any sunset ever not the last, and first, and ultimate, of here and now?

for posterity (who is she or he??) this one is recorded....

geocaching at UBC

There are a few caches around the UBC campus, according to my faithful groundwork app's searches for local sites. There just hasn't been enough time to do everything - even the Nitabe Gardens and Botanical Gardens will have to wait for another visit, as will the Vancouver art gallery, and, sadly Emily Carr university. However, I did take a quick stroll to search for the nearest geocache on site. Following the hint to 'tickle behind his toes' didn't come up with much except grubby fingers, so I tried holding hands instead. No sign of this cache, which is listed needing repair, so may not be there.... good to spend a bit more time with this totem though, as I've walked past it a couple of times a day but tended to linger with the older ones until now.

'Victory through honour' by KWICKWASUTAINEUK artist ELLEN NEEL.

Circles close

Evening down town, and I eventually caught up with Annabel for a delicious organic coffee and spelt scone at Genes (Annabel's very good at locating excellent coffee shops, I've found).

Lovely to hear about the remaining 3 weeks of La Commune after I'd left Banff, and see photos of everyone's work at a subsequent open studios and final group residency exhibition. Hopefully these connections will continue to grow and paths interweave.

Yesterday I was talking to other artists, at the IVSA reception, who had met (UK/Canadian connections) at a Banff program a few years ago and continue to collaborate with occasional residency opportunities between continents. The conversations continue.

http://blip.im/g/6w

I made this colour grid at http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=49.257839,-123.101379 using http://twitter.com/gathererapp

So that was one circle closing, and the other was my tradition of Chinese food and trying a new kind of tofu (crispy rolls) to begin a circle new. I remembered arriving in the city (2 weeks and 2 days my stay will have been) and wonder how different my journey here may have been if I hadn't been put off by my heavy bags from going and finding a Chinese restaurant to 'land' when I first got off the greyhound dragon bus, and mounted the sky train.... Nice to close this way this circle, and know that it will open or close many more to come.