Wild History

2009
nylon monofilament, steel, acetate, clear elastic thread, video loop

A “bear” of fine monofilament emerges from threads demarcating Ursa Major. Hundreds of other lines, in elastic thread, mark the constellation’s path across the space as it would appear every thousand years over the site. Collections of historical first-person accounts relating to the region are suspended in dark insect-like clouds at either side of the space. A video on a small screen captures the eye: a spider at work turns out to be the artist’s hands building the “bear” threads.

Wild History, MacLaren Art Gallery, Barrie, Ontario (2009)
Apprivoiser l’espace, Circa, Montreal, Quebec (2013)

 

here within our curving spaces

2008
Installation: nylon monofilament, elastic thread, fans (Cygnus, 9 hours: 144 x 196 x 72 in / 360 x 480 x 180 cm)
artist book: River Story. 4.5 x 7.25 in closed: 4.5 x 14.5 in open; interior pages hand-cut from laser print on acid-free paper; cover ultrachrome inkjet print on acid-free paper; bound with fluorocarbon braided fishline; 40 copies

In the entry room to the exhibition, elastic threads are stretched horizontally between walls to bounce in a watery shimmer, while marking the former path of the adjacent West Don River. In the adjacent room, a nine-hour orbital pattern of the constellation Cygnus forms a structure of lines into which a swan-like flock is built from fine monofilament. It is placed in relation to the constellation’s position during the summer exhibition.

A flipbook records hourly maps of the night sky faced with aerial photos showing the river’s gradually altered path. Entirely daylit, the artwork’s visiblity changes depending on the time of day and cloud cover, gradually disappearing at sundown.

here within our curving spaces, Koffler Gallery, Toronto (2008)

Learning to live on the ground (Somewhere behind my heart)

2008
nylon monofilament, steel: 95 x 106 x 142 in / 240 x 270 x 360 cm

A network of monofilament is made by marking the points between pores on an enlarged photo of the artist’s back. Positioned over a map of stars situated overhead during the exhibition it forms a structure of lines into which fine thread is worked. A vaulted architecture of cellular layers emerges, attached to the floor by steel weights which mark the star points. Between the vertical lines/pores are spaces large enough to stand in.

Learning to live on the ground, Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain, Montreal (2008)
Circling the Inverse Square, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario (2013)

Corona Borealis, 9-5

2008
nylon monofilament, plastic lenses

The constellation Corona Borealis is mapped out as it would be positioned over the gallery from 9-5, February 29 (during the exhibition). The resulting pattern forms the structure for a hand-looped net of fine monofilament which mimics the windowless brick wall of the Mississauga City Hall council chambers, visible through the window.

Corona Borealis, 9-5, Art Gallery of Mississauga (2008);