Cinematic moments in Alfred Hitchcock films are featured in the latest exhibition at the New Media Gallery.
MASTER runs from Sept. 15 to Dec. 1 at the New Media Gallery in Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St. It features works by six international artists: Scott Billings (Canada); Daniele Puppi (Italy); Les Leveque (USA); Gregory Chatonsky (France); J. Tobias Anderson (Sweden); and Lee Henderson (Canada).
“Each of the cinematic moments in this exhibition are borrowed from a master manipulator. Six artists from five countries use appropriated cinema from one celebrated director,” said a synopsis of the exhibition. “This filmic material is ripe with compulsion, dislocation and flawed humanity; a material identifiable for its memorable sound, colour, places, personalities and psychologies.”
MASTER’s opening coincides with the 10th anniversary of New Westminster’s New Media Gallery, which has presented the work of more than 200 international artists in 35 group exhibitions.
The opening reception for MASTER is on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. An artists’ talk will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Anvil Theatre.
“If you arrive between 1 and 4 p.m. on Sept. 14, you will be the first visitors to see MASTER,” said Sarah Joyce, director-curator at the gallery. “Anvil Theatre doors open for our artists talk at 3:30 p.m. We are fortunate to have two artists speaking on Saturday.”
Billings and Puppi will be featured during Saturday’s artists talk.
“Scott Billings is a brilliant Vancouver artist; we have loved his work for a very long time. His gallerist Wil Aballe will introduce him,” Joyce said. “Daniele Puppi is an Italian artist living in London. He is exhibiting in San Francisco. We are honoured that he is making his own way up here to give a talk.”
The opening reception and artists talk are free, and everyone is welcome to attend.
The Record contacted Joyce about MASTER and the 10th anniversary of the New Media Gallery. Here is an excerpt of our Q&A:
Q: What should folks expect when they experience MASTER?
A: The audience will enter a space filled with mesmerizing sound, fascinating visuals and imaginative ideas. In this exhibition artists use well-known cinematic films (by Hitchcock) along with technologies such as robotics, AI, video and sound. The artists use the film in news ways. You may be reminded of the original film and its performances, actors, locations, sets ... but you will quickly recognize and be captivated by new stories and new ideas.
Q: This sounds like quite the exhibition – six artists from five countries with eight installations.
A: Sept. 14th marks one decade for the gallery. In that time, we have presented the work of over 200 phenomenal artists from over 40 countries in 35 curated exhibitions. In 2014 we curated an exhibition called Biometric; in that exhibition we presented 11 artists. That was when we were curating, installing and building five exhibitions a year. Quite a challenge!
Q: Looking back on the past decade, what are your thoughts about the New Media Gallery’s offerings or its contributions to arts and culture in New West and beyond?
A: New Media Gallery is a small gallery, on the third floor of Anvil Centre, tucked out of public sight. To find the gallery you really have to know about it. Despite being hidden, we have become one of the most visited galleries in the Lower Mainland. We have a (very) loyal core of visitors from New Westminster who come to all our exhibitions. However, many of our visitors are from outside New Westminster. People also drive up from Seattle or stop in when they’re visiting New West from other parts of Canada or from other countries. We have consistently attracted an average of 6,000 to 7,000 visitors per exhibition (a couple of exhibitions reached 9,000). That’s pretty good for a 10- to 11-week exhibition.
One of the contributions we’re proud of is our ‘radical curatorial engagement’ philosophy. This simply means we get out of our office and meet people where they are – in the exhibition space. We have always been very community oriented. We talk to visitors, guide them through the exhibition, share our enthusiasm, hear what they have to say about the works. It becomes a conversation rather than just a tour. It builds interest in contemporary art, which benefits galleries and artists generally, and it helps us curate more humane and accessible exhibitions. We have been doing this for 10 years, which means we have met and talked to over 200,000 people in the exhibition space. It is very special to feel you are introducing people of all ages and backgrounds to ground-breaking arts and culture, in a way that is accessible, relevant and exciting.
Another area we have nurtured for almost a decade is our art and technology programming. Gordon Duggan ran an internationally renowned maker space in England for a few years, so education is a bit of a passion project for him. Programming and education have been a vital part of New Media Gallery for almost as long as the gallery has been in existence, and it is an area that is constantly developing. In the last decade we have had some amazing programmers and instructors, each with their own special talents and focus. In that time, we have built up a diverse portfolio of programming; everything from school programs that respond to our exhibitions, to art and technology workshops to international artist talks, to university lectures, to exhibition performances, to special programs like our Earth Day field recording on Bowen Island, and Earth Day talks with world experts.
Last but not least, we show the most phenomenal artists in the world. The goal has always been to bring the world of new media art to New West. The comment books we keep for each exhibition are a treasure trove; volumes of comments reflecting how these works of art, and these exhibitions touch people’s lives, how meaningful they have been, and how relevant.
Q: Do you have a message to the community about New Media Gallery?
A: We would love to see you!
Details about the works featured in MASTER can be found online. New Media Gallery, located in Anvil Centre at 777 Columbia St., is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thursdays when it’s open until 8 p.m.
