Curated by: Karen Love

"You must put the odor of the human body in images" Kenji Mizoguchi

For this exhibition Shelagh Keeley was commisioned to create a site-specific wall installation with photographs in the gallery. For the gallery, the exercise is a extension of faith and an acceptance of the element of surprise. The element of surprise is an apparent and often significant in this type of work - for the organization or individual which has invited the artist on site, for the viewing public who bring a variety of expectations with them, and for the artist. The architectural/enviromental space provides determining benefits and limitations, not all of which are determined in advance. The resulting works are collaborations, between people and more importantly between the artist and the entity of (here) the room. The resulting commission consists of a wall installation in the east gallery, with photographs on the west wall shot during the screening of Demon Pond (Yasha ga Ike), 1979 by Masahiro Shinoda, a Camera Obscura room with photographic documentation of four past installations and a video screening of Super-8 Sketchbook / Japan, 1985, a collaboration between the artist and Carol McBride.

Supported by the Canada Council.

A catalogue was published by Presentation House Gallery in conjunction with the exhibition, with an essay by Claudia Beck.

Events

April 8 | Artist’s talk