Opening reception: Thursday April 12, 5:00–8:00 pm
The Department of Fine Arts and UWAG present the first of two thesis exhibitions by Master of Fine Arts (MFA) candidates from the graduate program in Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo. MFA Thesis gives the campus and community-at-large an opportunity to see the end result of two years of intensive research and studio production by emerging visual artists.
Gallery
One
Eryn
O'Neill
Restrictions
of
Routine
Restrictions of Routine is a series of paintings inspired by my co-dependent relationship with running and painting. The urban environment cannot be experienced all at once; our senses and motion work to create a constant reorientation within the complex systems of the city, but it is our visual connection that resonates. Place, and how we respond to it, plays a central role in both my painting and my running. Urban spaces are in a continuous state of flux, under constant construction in response to wear, population density, and accessibility. During these temporary, often disruptive periods, it becomes increasingly difficult to navigate once familiar streets, particularly for pedestrians. Reactions are amplified when running through a contested space, where uneven footing, intersections, and hidden driveways present a constant hazard. The paintings are the product of months of repetitive outings, in all conditions, to gather enough information, visually and mentally, to create sensory charged paintings that are suggestive of a figure navigating an unsettled environment.
Gallery
Two
Tess
Martens
1,
2,
3,
4
I started performing as a child. Alone in my bedroom I harnessed the power of make-believe to act out different roles, design costumes and wardrobe changes to entertain myself. Although the elaborate nature of play is not seen as anything out of the norm for a child, similar behaviours gain an edge when reenacted during adulthood. I am still very interested in the make-believe, and continue to reference the past in my work. Throughout my youth I participated in a number of activities that involved public exposure: synchronized swimming, stand-up comedy, improvisation, spoken word poetry, and karaoke. In addition, my work is equally indebted to a long-line of feminist artists. My performances take place at the intersection of self-deprecation, empowerment, and absurdity. The result is a situation in which witnesses are invited to laugh while I retain all of my power.
Performance
Schedule:
•Thursday,
April
12,
5-8
pm:
Announce
It!
•Saturday,
April
14,
1-4
pm:
A
Second
Hand
Emotion
•Saturday,
April
21,
1-4
pm:
Slow
Change
•Saturday,
April
28,
1-4
pm:
Portrait-Self-Portrait