Category Archives: Uncategorized

CGish – Connor MacKinnon

Connor MacKinnon’s artistic practice operates through a framework of imagination, potential, and questioning. Examining the unique qualities in objects as specific markers of material culture, his work explores the physical and conceptual reconstruction of objects using generative algorithmic 3D modeling. Linking these algorithms and speculative framework is the desire and ability to create variability and multiplicity within a defined system which both respects our sense of familiarity with an object and disrupts many of the assumed and expected attributes associated with how that object is perceived. CGish itself has been an examination and investigation into his own relationship to shared authorship, artistic labour, and control in the creation of artwork that is in part computer generated.

While MacKinnon is currently experimenting with integrating A.I. into his practice in small ways the works present in this exhibition do not make use of any A.I. and instead are the output of generative parametric functions. These functions consist of a long series of instructions and restrictions that dictate the order and methodology of digital 3D construction. Their capacity to generate variability, multiplicity, and strangeness comes from their ability to accept variable input, whether that is from a physical artifact, digital geometry, or a purely numerical data set. Output as digital 3d models these forms must go through a process of digital fabrication or computer-aided manufacturing before they can exist in reality. In some cases, they can be directly 3d printed, others follow a process of molding and casting, and some require a more specific form of digital fabrication as in the case of Computers Generated (2024) which are welded steel forms created from patterns cut out on a CNC plasma cutter.

While much of his work is driven conceptually and designed digitally, balance and personal satisfaction are maintained through a physical and tangible making practice which strives to create a sense of harmony between learning, experimentation, intellectual gratification, aesthetic pleasure, and craftsmanship.

CGish by Connor MacKinnon will be on view in the Main Gallery from May 10 to June 22 2024.

 

Connor MacKinnon graduated in the Masters of Fine Arts Visual Art programme at the University of Victoria in 2022. He is now a Workshop and Studio Technician for the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies at UBCO.

 

What Is Fragile?

Victoria Verge and zev teifenbach are MFA candidates at UBCO. The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies would like to thank Kelowna Art Gallery for hosting the exhibition What is Fragile? from April 20th to July 12th 2024.

What is Fragile? is an exploration into the delicate interplay of memory, movement, and resilience through the lens of Kelowna-based artist Victoria Verge and Salmon Arm-based artist zev tiefenbach. Through their distinct yet complementary artistic inquiries, Verge and tiefenbach illuminate the fragility of our passage through the internal and external architecture of our lives.

tiefenbach’s sprawling archival installation, these are fragile days, invites viewers to immerse themselves in the intricacies of the artist’s personal archive, fostering new connections and narratives within the labyrinthine corridors of memory. This introspective journey includes a meticulous assembly of photographs, videos, and textual reflections, as tiefenbach constructs a poignant narrative of survival and witness while navigating the precarious landscape of post-genocidal trauma and environmental decline.

Verge’s sculptural meditations on movement and stillness in her series Chasing the Echoes of Home beckon viewers to contemplate the ephemeral nature of home and belonging. Rooted in her nomadic military upbringing and Newfoundland heritage, Verge’s static house sculptures pulsate with the latent energy of potential movement, echoing the eternal quest for stability amidst displacement. With each auditory activation, audiences are drawn into a visceral dialogue between stasis and motion, prompting introspection on the fluid boundaries of domesticity and community.

 

Victoria Verge

Victoria Verge is a multi-medium artist of settler and Mi’kmaw ancestry, currently residing on the unceded and traditional territory of the Syilx Okanagan people. In 2016, she obtained a BFA from Memorial University of Newfoundland, specializing in visual arts with a minor in art history. Currently in her second year as an MFA candidate at UBC Okanagan, Verge’s creative pursuits are deeply rooted in her personal history. The recurring theme of relocation, influenced by her father’s military service, guides her work as she actively navigates the multifaceted construct of ‘home’. Verge’s art has been showcased in national and international group and solo exhibitions and has garnered support and recognition from various arts institutions, awards, and scholarships.

zev tiefenbach

Born in Toronto as a second-generation Canadian, zev tiefenbach is a settler artist living on unceded secwépemc territory. He has a BFA from Concordia University (Photography/Creative Writing) and is an MFA Candidate at UBCO (Visual Arts).

tiefenbach’s grandparents are holocaust survivors and tiefenbach was raised within a post-traumatic ethos where imminent catastrophe was superimposed over the quotidian. His childhood was spent in a city where the dissonance between his middle-class surroundings and his own internalized sense of victimhood instilled a curiosity to explore the intersection between landscape, trauma and narrative.

 

More information can be found on Kelowna Art Galleries website: https://kelownaartgallery.com/what-is-fragile/

BAI BAI – Bengi Agcal

BAI BAI

3D-Animated Video Installation

‘Bai Bai” is an introspective 3D-animated multimedia video exhibition by Bengi Agcal that embodies the complexities of immigration, identity, and the pursuit of creative freedom. At the heart of the exhibition is the narrative of a mystical water tiger, a symbolic representation of Agcal’s own journey, depicted through a series of evocative videos and animations. These works explore the emotional and psychological stages of immigration, drawing upon Agcal’s experiences of moving from Turkey to Hong Kong and finally to Canada. The exhibition unfolds through the migration narrative of a water tiger capturing the shock of displacement, the anger and rejection of facing systemic barriers, and the eventual recovery and nostalgia for a lost home.

 

Each stage of the narrative is a testament to the emotional stages of immigration, represented through the tiger’s transformative journey from a utopian aquatic realm to the stark reality of a new world. The journey commences in a realm of dreams, where the tiger thrives in amidst endless waters, symbolizing purity, potential, and the comfort of home. Inspired by the traditional Turkish “hamam,” this stage evokes a sense of communal intimacy and cultural richness, reminiscent of Turkey’s thriving days, echoing the warmth and solidarity experienced in neighborhood baths. The tiger’s home is a world where water is not just an element but a way of life, inviting a reflection on the essence of belonging and the shared human experience of finding solace in one’s roots.

As the narrative unfolds, the tiger is abruptly uprooted, finding itself in an alien landscape inspired by Kelowna, which is characterized by industrial coldness and the daunting expanse of parking lots. This stage confronts the harsh realities of migration—bureaucratic hurdles, societal indifference, and the existential struggle of starting anew in a place that deems you an outsider. The stark contrast from the first stage to this phase of rejection and anger poignantly captures the emotional turmoil and resilience required to navigate the complexities of a new beginning.

 

In the final stage of the Tiger’s odyssey, is the gradual adaptation to its new environment, marked by moments of gratitude, resilience, and occasional nostalgia. As the tiger builds a life of comfort and stability, echoes of longing for the past linger—a testament to the enduring ties to home and the bittersweet nature of transformation. Through introspective reflections and vivid imaginings, the tiger navigates the delicate balance between embracing the present and yearning for the familiar, encapsulating the essence of the migrant experience in the digital age.

 

Bengi Agcal is a multimedia artist and researcher. She earned her BEng in Computer Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She is currently pursuing her MFA alongside the NSERC CREATE Immersive Technologies program at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests and art practice include speculative fiction, participatory design, 3D rendering, digital sculpting, XR technologies, web computing, immersive technologies, and sustainability.

UBCO Painting II – Before The Stones Were Broken

Before the Stones Were Broken is a series of oil paintings completed by 2nd year painting students at UBC Okanagan under the instruction of Connor Charlesworth.

Participating artists include Connor Charlesworth, Rain Doody, Mackenzie Fleetwood-Anderson, Meg Furlot, Talia Gagnon, Dawn Haywood, Neha Iyer, Sheilina John, Hailey Johnson, Madi May, Emily Mills, Phil Patrick, Sarah Prentice, Maya Taki, Amelia Vegt, Wenjing Wang, Peony Wong, and Bernice Yam.

Before the Stones Were Broken will be on view in the Members’ Gallery of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art from March 15 – April 6 2024.

 

Michaela Bridgemohan // Embalmed Funks

Michaela Bridgemohan is an interdisciplinary artist of Jamaican and Australian descent. She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of British Columbia—Okanagan and received her BFA in Drawing (with Distinction) from the Alberta University of the Arts in 2017.

Bridgemohan’s exhibition embalmed funks will be on view in the Main Gallery of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art from March 15 – April 27 2024.

 

Erin Scott // 9/3

This three channel exhibition by Erin Scott is being shown at the Alternator Gallery.

Erin Scott is a poet, performer, and UBCO PhD candidate living on the unceded territory of the syil’x/Okanagan Peoples (Kelowna, BC).

9/3 consists of nine videopoems across three projectors. These poems represent an exchange between the artist’s life and art, playing on voyeurism, spectacle, intimacy, and feminism. Through an interactive, old-school overhead projector, the visiting guests are invited to add their own words, drawings, ideas, and languages to the exhibition.

In addition to being a student at UBC Okanagan, Erin also works as Co-Executive Director of Inspired Word Café, a community literary-arts nonprofit organization. Her research and artistic work focus on community art practice, humour, motherhood, and identity.

 

In Search of Lost Memories by Ziv Wei

Ziv Wei is a fourth year BFA student. In this exhibition, In Search of Lost Memories In Search of Lost Memories, Ziv deconstructs and reimagines nostalgia by providing new contexts for found vernacular family photos and frames.

This exhibition is on view in the Members’ Gallery of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art until February 10, 2024.

For more information please visit the show in person or at the Alternator’s page.

Wander // Katya Meehalchan

Katya Meehalchan is a UBC BFA graduate. This work of hers is being shown at the Member’s Gallery of the Alternator Gallery, to

www.alternatorcentre.com

Meehalchan’s work captivates through its interplay of mediums. Her prints evoke a sense of nostalgia, bridging the past and present, while her multimedia collages challenge the boundaries of traditional artistic forms. Her installations immerse viewers in thought provoking environments, inviting them to engage with her narrative in a tangible way.

Meehalchan seeks to create an environment packed with delicate details that allows for many access points for the viewer to relate to through the sense of nostalgia or curiosity. Her work is representative of the feeling of going through a vintage store, or estate sale and experiencing a sense of wonder or curiosity that lies in objects that hold a personalized history.

On Exhibit at the RCA: Selected Works

Selected works from Patrick Lundeen advanced painting class (VISA 312) are featured at theThe Rotary Centre for the Arts!

On exhibition are works from:
Serena Arsenault
Taylor Carpenter
Paige Coleman
Ella Cottier
Nadia Fracy
Hailey Gleboff
Stephen Ikesaka
Lauren Johnson
Rhea Kjargaard
Connor McCleary
Mariah Miguel-Juan
Kate Nicholson
Damla Ozkalay
Hannah Palomera
John (Jack) Prendas
Sara Richardson
Fredrik Thacker
Christine Wakal
Odelle Walthers