An Akimbo announcing the opening reception of the new works by Ed Pien and Dyan Marie at the Tree Museum combined with an open schedule for the Labour Day weekend, had me making plans for the 2 hour drive from Toronto to cottage country.
I had no or low expectations about the collection of work at the Tree Museum. Art in the great outdoors was appealing, having enjoyed environmental art at the MacLaren Art Centre a number of years back. I had heard of some of the artists, which isn’t saying much for me because I do not have a great memory for many contemporary artists or their work. The Tree Museum was totally worth going to. I can’t wait to see what they will be installing next year, meaning I’m making plans for next Labour Day weekend!
Ed Pien contributed a really great t-shirt design to the Gallery 1313 ArtTee fundraiser. I think I told more than one person I thought the design was a tremendous mind fuck (yes, I did get some odd looks for that comment). Ed Pein’s t-shirt design had provided an entry way, for me, in to his work. I wanted to see how he would work in 3 dimensions and outdoors.
So, why am I not talking about the Dyan Marie piece here? (not even photographs?) The pieces, set at various points in the outdoors, were large photographic and photoshoped panels, with outlines of people (who appear to be immigrants or non-rural Canadians, filled in with trees and other natural entities, each set against an urban backdrop, like a store or other small place of business. On the whole, I didn’t think it was successful or of the same caliber as Pien’s. I found the artist’s statement about her piece to be the opposite of how I would have interpreted the final work… or the part of the work I saw in the wilds of the Tree Museum. Admittedly, I did not see the accompanying piece in downtown Toronto, though I can imagine what it would look like.
Okay, so getting that admission out of the way, Ed Pien’s three pieces were a surprise to me. Two of them I thought were very successful. The third, not so much. So, lets go from least to most successful.
Least successful – The Tempest (red tarpaulin, styrofoam, wire cable, hardware):
The repeated shapes formed by the tarpaulin wrapped styrofoam seemed unremarkable. Of course the red, a complementary colour of the very green environment plays optically for all (unless you are red/green colour blind). Being installed on the water, the viewer only experiences them visually and with little shade from the trees, because they are out in the middle of the water, I don’t feel that it really fulfills what the artist statement suggests.
Middle of the road – False (florescent rope and trail maker tape):
I love the way False reflects in the water, when you see it from the right angle. It looks like a cascade coming down the rocks and going in to the darkness. The red of the rope looks stunning against the green trees. This was much more the experience outlined in the artist statement with shadow, light, and colours playing for your eyes. Though it did feel reminiscent of Christo’s work…. wrapping, covering, reflections.
Most successful – PSYCHO (aluminum with copper chrome plating)
Why do I deem this most successful? The mirrors capture and reflect the shadows, the other aspects of the environment. They can be experienced from almost any angle. They hide covertly in the trees until the light hits your eye as the mirror turns. It is far more poetic to me than the other two.
But overall, I feel more the poetry and awe with these three pieces than any fear or vulnerability that he might be trying to achieve. Though, like the t-shirt design, all three are wonderful mind-fucks!
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Mail Me Art
In November of last year, I came across the Mail Me Art project. I like the concept of mail art. Sending a piece of art through the mail, with the stamps and the wear showing. Creating extra life on the piece.
I completed my envelope and mailed it off. The large anatomical heart with flowers and red window. As you can see, it made the December grouping. I now wonder if it is good enough to make the book.
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