University of British Columbia BFA / BA Graduation Exhibition 2009

DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY, VISUAL ART, and THEORY

foreword “I Like It In Theory” is the graduating exhibition of the 2009 BFA/BA visual art students

from the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory at the University of British

Columbia. This exhibition brings young artists together and reflects their thoughts on

the world today, sparking a myriad of possibilities and the potential for the creation of a

fertile artistic space.

Gu Xiong

Barrie Jones

Exhibition Coordinators

Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory

University of British Columbia

March, 2009

2

We would like to thank Whitney Friesen, Robin McNulty and the Fourth Year Graduation

Exhibition Committee for coordinating the exhibition and catalogue. Without their

dedication, this exhibition would not be possible.

We would also like to thank April Liu for her thoughtful essay; Kathryn Blair, Yeri Lee,

Jaime Yee, and Nancy To for their work on designing the catalogue, posters, and website;

Jeff Chang and Vitor Munhoz catalogue photographers; as well as Deana Holmes, Richard

Prince, Marina Roy and Barbara Zeigler, our catalogue editors for their beautiful work on

the publications, and Phil McCrum and the staff of our new Department Art gallery. Also

we would like to thank Lauren McKenna, who organized a successful fundraising event

for us.

We would also like to thank the Urbanova Centre of Art and Design and Hazzard

Screenprinting for their generous financial support, demonstrating the importance of

strong links between our Department and the local community. Finally, this exhibition is

undertaken with the support of the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Art History,

Visual Arts and Theory, University of British Columbia. Their assistance is very much

appreciated.

acknowledgements

�

i like it in theoryI

When a diverse group of visual artists decides to use the first-person pronoun I,

a strong sense of community emerges. The singular and personal I (or eye) of this

group coaxes me to view this exhibition as a body of work arising from a web of

intersubjectivities and not simply a loose collection of disparate objects created by

a graduating class of art students.i I am inclined to consider the group’s interwo-

ven experiences and even their private moments of sharing- the painful or cathartic

art critique sessions, the long hours spent working side by side, and the meeting of

different minds in the midst of visual experimentation. These relationships are now

channeled through the collaborative project of a student–organized exhibition and

catalog, generating a momentum of creative energy that will ripple out far beyond

the boundaries of “self ” or the works on temporary display.

i In this instance, I borrow the term intersubjectivities in reference to Mieke Bal’s theorization of intersubjectivity as “a concern that binds procedure with power and empowerment, with pedagogy and the transmittability of knowledge, with inclusiveness and exclusion.” Mieke Bal, Travelling Concepts In the Humanities: A Rough Guide (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002) 11-1�.

�

Like ItAn ambiguous verb-like and object-lt follow here, demanding a degree of reader

participation in locating and performing meaning. Does It refer to the works in the

exhibition? the years of visual arts education? or Art itself, with a capital A? The

deliberate ambiguity seems to reveal this statement as a question in disguise…

In Theory...or is it in theory? I can’t help but detect a hint of sarcasm or unease. According

to Webster, the colloquial use of the phrase in theory takes on the meaning of

“unproved assumption” or “a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or

investigation.”ii It is often used to undermine a viewpoint or to draw attention to the

tenuous nature of any particular theoretical position. This tongue-in-cheek phrase

thus actively carves out a position of distance, a strategic move on the part of the

organizers to signal a critical awareness of exhibition practices.

As a ritualized act, exhibitions organized by graduating art students are often seen as

celebratory rites of passage, marking the end of formal training while publicizing the

students’ achievements in a juried show. As students reach the official threshold of

ii For full definition, input “theory” at http://www.merriam-webster.com .

�

“trained artists,” they are encouraged to gain some professional skills in packaging,

marketing, and exhibiting themselves to the public. A graduation exhibit in the

sanctioned space of a prestigious university is one such opportunity, yet it also

sets up a limited framework for what artists are supposed to do professionally. This

creative group is telling us that they are not blindly accepting any such framework,

but taking these notions to be “in theory” and not necessarily “in practice.”

When asked about their title, the participants have expressed a desire to reframe

their works as processes rather than finished oeuvres.iii In other words, they are not

necessarily satisfied with the works as they are; they would rather move forward

and consider these pieces as launchpads for future ambitions. The participants

are also quite resistant to the idea that these works would represent themselves

or their education as a whole. Thus they are encouraging viewers to approach the

works as transitional stages belonging to larger creative trajectories, studies, and

investigations. Not all of the participants see themselves as independent artists or

designers. Many of them plan on pursuing careers in advertising, arts administration,

art therapy, business, journalism, teaching, community service, etc. They will bring

their creative skills to bear on a variety of professions and this may entail expanding

or extrapolating on the “works in progress” seen here. With this in mind, what might

be the larger, more extensive implications of learning to communicate visually? The

possibilities are indeed endless.

iii Live and email interviews were conducted over the course of several weeks with many of the participants in this exhibition.

�

Eager to move beyond the disciplinary boundaries of “Art” or “academy,” these

participants have a wealth of ideas on how to apply their skills to the “real world.”

Instead of packaging themselves as polished artists churned out of an academic

art institution, this group is keen on strategizing alternative modes of self-

representation, whether it involves summoning art theories or not. They will draw

not only from their education, but also from a wide variety of cultural, linguistic, and

professional backgrounds that is so characteristic of Vancouver’s colorful population

and geography.

Having such unique skill sets will form a vital advantage in a world where creative

thinkers must meet the shifting pressures of mainstream fashions, unstable markets,

and various institutional agendas. The works in this exhibit engage these pressures

through various approaches; participants are interested in wide-ranging issues, from

deforestation to media bombardment to experimental philosophy to linguistics.

There is no unified theme in that regard, yet there is a genuine collaborative spirit

to meet the challenges of the future through visual experimentation and critical

thinking.

April Liu, PhD Candidate, Art History

University of British Columbia

March 11, 2009

�

Anna AkkermanPeace Lilies

Spathiphyllum, Silk Thread2’x1.�’’

2009

In a world increasingly devoid of non-anthropogenic space, our recognition of guilt and

our concern for absolution finds voice in the popularization of terms like “rehabilitation,”

“remediation” and “virgin forest,” terms that coyly disclose and conceal the complexity

of our relationship with the natural. I am fascinated by the idealization of completeness

or wholeness, and the notion of the repaired whole as it shapes and reflects this rela-

tionship. In exploring techniques traditionally used to repair broken items and materials,

repositioning them for use in a natural setting, I want to make art that makes clear the

distinction between the original and reconstituted environment by presenting conspicu-

ous disruptions in the form of mechanisms of both healing and destruction. As Martin

Heidegger writes, “The modes of conspicuousness, obtrusiveness, obstinacy have the

function of bringing to the fore the character of objective presence in what is at hand.”

�

anna akkermanAnna AkkermanUntitledphotograph20”x10”200�

In reconciling the conflicting images of wholeness and deficiency the viewer is forced to

create the whole in her mind, the ideal in reaction to the obstinate brokenness.

In my art, I utilize intrusive methods of healing or repairing the natural environment

to bring out the tension between the current environmental rhetoric and the current

environmental reality. I work with living, growing media to infuse an element of unpre-

dictability and to highlight our own lack of control over a complex and dynamic ecosys-

tem. Ultimately I am concerned with environmentalism’s focus on reuse and cyclical

return and I seek to expose the ways recycled items still echo their former use. My art

traces these echoes through works that evoke the play of absence and presence and the

concept of wholeness.

9

danny askew

Coming from a background in film production, I strive to make pieces that are as beauti-

ful and technical as they are engaging and evocative of narrative. I’m interested in story-

telling and using my art as a means to explore and reflect the world we live in, in hopes

that my work will make those who view it take pause and reconsider that world. Through

the use of photography, video, and digital media I hope to tell the stories of technology

in our lives and examine the growing confluence between ourselves and our machines.

Some are quick to claim a mythic revolution while others portend the decay of humanity

10

- my work navigates these extremes and reflects and contributes to this ongoing dis-

course.

My pieces have touched on ideas of synaesthesia, multiplicity, memory, death, and the

uncanny. Technology and the digital are my instruments as well as my subject matter, a

relationship which is fundamental to my work and the broader concepts it explores.

Danny AskewWarhols

digital print ��”x2�”

200�

11

annabelle au

12

Much of my works are reifications of ideas that transpire from the literary works I am

preoccupied with. During my studies in contemporary literature, I was introduced to

“Postmodern Automatons” (199�), in which Rey Chow provides an imposing view of

postmodernity: she expounds postmodern mass culture as an automatizing site, as the

site of automatons - objects subjected to social exploitations whose origins are beyond

their individual reaches and on which processes of mechanization perpetuate.

I feel that Chow’s idea of the postmodern automaton acutely resonates with the issues

my work explores: the self-perpetuating nature of the postmodern machine, whether it

concerns the technologization of culture or the automatization of the body.

Essentially, I am interested in investigating the ramifications of a globalized culture in

homogenizing ‘individuals.’ This stems from a frustration at what seems like an inability

to escape the clutches of pop culture and to become ‘outside’ the system. All attempts

seem to conclude in the consistent substitution of one system for another. This exas-

peration is further compounded by the fact that this, within itself, is operating in the

system.

1�

Annabelle AuUntitled (Dirty Laundry series)

digital print �2”x��”

200�

katelynn baileyMy practice employs photog-

raphy, both as a medium and a

subject for investigation. My in-

vestigation begins with the use

of simplistic everyday moments

wherein I employ associations

with movement, perspective and

perception. This can be seen in

my process, which includes the

use of repetition, fragmentation

and overlapping imagery. In the

series ‘Ordinary Spying’ I explore

ideas of space in relation to the

observer, enabling one to experi-

ence ordinary activities from an

entirely different perspective.

When I take photographs, I feel

it is important to use angle, per-

spective and framing to form the

1�

composition. I exploit the per-

spective by using a topographi-

cal approach to documenting my

subject matter, allowing for a

dynamic and charged documen-

tation of typical and somewhat

ordinary social situations.

This allows for an exploration

of relationships, experience,

social dynamics, friendship and

social space with respect to my

subjects. I continue with my

interest in social dynamics and

exploring fragmentation through

the mediums of painting and

printmaking.

1�

Katelynn BaileyOrdinary Spying Series

digital photographs 1�”x2�”

200�

kathryn blair Kathryn Blair

cupcakesplaster, paper

�’x�’2009

1�

I like to work with ideas I can’t entirely wrap my mind around–ideas that need

something else to play them out more completely, to speak to their complexities and

internal variations.

Kathryn Blairspraypaint, aluminum10’x�’2009

1�

nadine bouliane

Nadine BoulaineUntitled I, II & III

drypoint, ink, graphite, acrylic and silk tissue on paper2�”x�0”

20091�

My work reflects a fascination and unease with the body as an outward projection and

defining image of self. I look to the interior of the body as a source of imagery that resists

social classification. By referencing classical portrait busts and anatomical drawings, I

attempt to bridge the clinical with the intimate and resist the function of portraiture as a

signifier of class, race or gender. Fragmented and generalized busts act as impersonalized

specimens rendered sympathetic with personal gesture.

I am interested in hair as an alterable costume with the potential to both conceal and

reflect persona. I use “hair assemblages” to assert the narrative possibilities of hair in

signifying race, gender and class, and resist this with arrangements that ambiguate the

ethnicity and gender of the forms. These interchangeable figurations mimic muscle and

tissue, returning to the interior space of the body in which subjectivity is neutralized.

I use drypoint images printed on silk tissue paper to emulate skin and the mechanized

print process to render a generic quality of physicality. I enjoy a playful approach to

painting and drawing, exploring the possibilities of invention through texture shape and

colour. I am sustained by the surprise of seeing one element come into play as others

are suppressed.

19

micky burgessjordana hovisdina maani

Micky Burgess, Jordana Hovis, Dina MaaniSovrum

interactive digital installationdimesions variable

2009

20

A bedroom can be a terrifying place as it can cause

one’s imagination to run wild; certain noises and events

can elicit a fear of ghosts, intruders and the unknown.

Working collaboratively, this project consists of an ac-

tual installation of a bedroom in the gallery space, invit-

ing and enticing participants to undergo the sometimes

awkward dynamics of the safe and relaxing refuge of

the bedroom. The bedroom is a place where conscious-

ness and dreams meet, reality and imaginings convene;

it can be safe and comforting, or can harbour fears and

trauma. Inspired by the case of the IKEA “Tarzan” bed,

a specific piece of furniture that has caused deaths to

its inhabitants, SOVRUM is a room that we can identify

with as it has a common IKEA decor, but also carries

traces of the “Tarzan” tragedy. The installation itself

uses the uncanny familiarity of the bedroom, and the

audiences’ participation activates sinister, creepy and

sneaky consequences, causing one to second guess the

room’s ordinariness.

21

jeff chang

My two final pieces encompass an exploration of time and space and the way in which

we perceive them. Both of these works are conceptualized from the emptiness and trans-

parencies we have the power to see, but often don’t. They manifest these empty voids in

Jeff ChangSilence of Sixty Seconds

digital photograph ��”x��”

200�

22

our urban landscape, through the use of multiple layers, which allows me to selectively

show the ordinarily unseen fragments in a scene. The layers collectively uncover an al-

most limitless space yet, at the same time, conceal reality.

Jeff ChangIlluminateddigital photograph ��”x2�”2009

2�

2�

maria alejandrina coatesAs an exploration into the theory and process of (de)construction, I am often drawn to

the concepts of borders, barriers, limits and overall relationships between an image, or

subject, and the space that produces it. Within a range of media including but not limited

to sound, video, still photography and print media, I find myself enacting interruptions or

fragmentations to the formation process of a specific image or narrative, and its subsequent

visual manifestations.

An investigation into the construction of images through the de-stabilizing properties of

“static” or “noise” produces an aesthetic experience that morphs its original conception

into one that acts, invades or perhaps discomforts. My main focus is one that addresses

issues of a gendered nature and the representation of women. By employing this method

of (de)construction, I offer a critical look into popular visual culture and the ways in which

it acts, paired with recent technological innovations, to reproduce distinct ideologies and

power relations.

Maria Alejandrina CoatesCATV �1 MONOdigital photograph20”x1�”200� 2�

ania derbis

2�

Dr. Martin Fisher (Art therapist and founder of the Toronto Art Therapy Institute) stated

that, “Art is the language that cuts across the existing boundaries and obstacles that

stand in the way of human communication. Art is a universal language.” I try to use

this language to study the complexity of human relationships and how individuality is

shaped before, during and after this interaction. What human beings are capable of feel-

ing, expressing and withholding is a paradox that my art addresses in a personal manner.

Using expressive techniques, figures and personal symbols, I create works that help my

personal discovery of self, relationships and family ties. However, what love we feel in

these interactions (and of course others), could not exist without hate, and the ability of

humans to inflict both on each other has a great impact on my subject matter. Art for me

is a window into the soul and I hope that my art speaks to these common human emo-

tions and makes viewers feel less isolated in their shaping of identity.

Anna DerbisCloseracrylic on canvas�0”x�0”200�

2�

jessica delisleJessica Delisle

2010! (Paint-by-number series)nail polish on map

�0”x2�”200�-2009

2�

Jessica Delisle is a compulsively neat detective

whose tidy world goes to the dogs when she’s

forced to team up with the only witness to a

crime–a drooling slob of a junkyard dog named Rob-

in McNulty. Not exactly man’s best friend, McNulty

turns Delisle’s life upside down, wrecking Delisle’s

home, career and budding romance! It’s a hilarious

non-stop test of wills between this mismatched

duo, leading to the most unlikely friendship you’ve

ever seen!

Jessica DelisleSwing (S&M Macrame Series)

polyproylene, steel 20”x1��”

200�-2009

29

sahar edelkhani

To me, art is a never-ending search for the self. Rather than defining myself by my art,

I discover myself within it. Rather than limiting myself to any specific subject matter,

medium, technique or style, I choose to examine and push the limits of various topics

and media. In paint-based works, for example, I explore the boundaries of the paint-

�0

ing medium and compare it to the medium of music. In other works, I explore issues

of identity and culture through combining three-dimensional sculptural elements with

printed surfaces manipulated by paint. I am interested in understanding how a medium

may be used to strengthen as well as to reinforce the ideas I choose to investigate.

Sahar EdelkhaniPainterly Music

acrylic on canvas�0”x200”

200�

�1

david gilbarDavid is primarily a video artist

and a photographer, whose

works seek to explore the

limitations of language and the

possibilities of mixed-media in

communicating the subjectiv-

ity of experience. His works

often critique the tendency

for archetypal categorization

in the arts and does so with

an unconventional lightness,

a quality often culturally as-

sociated with compressed,

dramatic narratives. His

current studies involve an

investigation and re-evaluation

of the possibilities presented

by cinema through altering the

passive reception of film. He

�2

David GilbarSelf-Portrait

acrylic on board20”x21.�”

200�

has begun this through the use of dynamic, animated decision points embedded within a

film that enable the viewer to actively alter the progression of the cinematic experience

within a limited framework.

David GilbarUntitled #� (Removal Series)

digital photograph�”x12”

200�

��

julia higgs

��

There is transformative potential.

There is a radical imaginary.

Julia HiggsUntitledSurvey #�: To Range one’s Gaze Leisurely Over, LumSpaceFriday February 1�th 2009 ��

As an artist, I am interested in using my art as a means to discuss contemporary

concerns that affect us globally. I feel that is it important for artists to address the

growing social, political and environmental challenges that the world is facing. My

current body of work is focused on the environmental implications of global trade.

In awe of their silent magnitude, I was drawn to the massive cargo ships floating in

English Bay. Watching their seemingly effortless movement, I began to ponder the

sarah hodsonSarah Hodson

Untitledacrylic on canvas

��”x�2”200�

��

Sarah HodsonUntitledacrylic on canvas�0”x�0”200�

amount of energy and resources which they actually represented, and I was inspired to

use them as a symbol in drawing attention to the environmental implications of global

trade. While these seemingly gentle beasts of burden may appear benign from a distance,

they are actually a major participant in the misuse and abuse of the world’s natural

resources that are being reaped at an absolutely alarming rate. With this body of work,

I’ve drawn attention to the misuse of the ocean as a medium to transport these massive

ships, loaded with the spoils of a ransacked environment.

��

��

I am interested in exploring “memory.” I believe that memory is like a dream at night, like

a tattoo that becomes embedded within. It is comprised of a conglomeration of experi-

ences, a fragmentation of our own perception not experienced as a single picture nor a

movie, but as a flow of indefinable images and sensations that originate within us. They

include internal violence and unspeakable dilemmas that signal the suppressed vulner-

ability and insecurity existing within us. I combine old photographs, ink with watercolor

sketches, silkscreen printing and digital overlays to explore the blurry boundaries of real-

ity and imagination I experience through memory.

soyoung hyun

Soyoung HyunUntitleddigital print, ink, watercolour on paper20”2�”2009 �9

My voice gets muddled here. I want to play the wry critic, but doing so here would seem

pretentious and redundant. It’s just, sort, of. Where do I go from here? Where does art go

from here? What sort work should be done? What sort of ideas should be put forward?

And I guess, that’s where the crux of my education has lain for the last little while.

I work by thinking about what constitutes art and why, and then respond to that.

brian joeBrian JoeBag Wall

spray fixative and plastic bagsdimensions variable

200�

�0

Brian JoeHogan’s Alley Throw LEDs, magnets, tape, people dimensions variable200�

Sometimes, good work comes out of it, other times, perhaps not so much. What you see

on this and the adjacent page are two of my explorations into that theme. When does a

plastic bag become art? Why? What do LEDs do to a space? What makes it art? How do

these things function?

�1

I see myself in the symbols that I write. With every line and every curve of the letters

formed, my thoughts are transfixed and exposed to the outside. As tens of thousands

jason h.w. lee

�2

Jason H.W. Lee� out of 111�2

pencil on mulberry paper1�”x190”

200�

strokes pour out from my brain, I am broken, changed, and recreated. I guide my hand in

sacred movement and revel in the moment of completeness.

��

Growing up, I had never been a talkative child. As an artist things in my mind that could

not be put into words come to life through the tips of my fingers—social issues, culture

shock, beautism, modernization, and just simply finding out who I am … a lot of times

yeri lee

��

Yeri LeeEmpty It or Not

photographs �.�”x11”

200�

when my voice cannot speak out on these interests, I turn to making art. To me, the pro-

cess of creating an art work is a form of expression as well as a rupture from the silence

within my shy, inner self.

��

��

joe linThis work is based on a sarcastic article which dealt with the decline of China’s living

and moral standards in comparison to a certain period of past. The work is a reflection

and portrait of the past six decades of modern China and certain criticisms vis-à-vis the

current situation. The articulation involves the representation of distinct time periods

in China’s past decades, discussion of the evolution of modern society and the growth

of inflation, materialism and commodified culture in a globalized China. In this environ-

ment, people think about making fast money and gaining instant short-cut success. In

this context, Mao, Deng, and Jiang respectively create(d), lead (led), and represent(ed)

the distinct social characters for each of their time.

��

Joe LinLong Long Ago (It Was All Beautiful), 1 of �oil on canvas�0”x�0”2009

jaylene macdonald

��

Over the past few years, the female body has emerged as the central theme in my

photographs, functioning as a landscape for my reflections on beauty and identity.

My work involves an objective investigation of the female form, as well as a personal

investigation given that I often act as photographer and model, subject and object.

Unlike most of the images we are faced with on a daily basis, where the body is treated

like a commodity to be used and consumed, my art portrays the body as a symbol of

beauty, as a vehicle for self-expression and as a communicative model to present and

reflect upon my own experiences. Superimposing layers of meaning and reflection (as

well as images themselves), I attempt to confound the transparent recording of the real

in order to create psychological portraits of the identity of the body.

�9

Jaylene MacDonaldUntitledinkjet print20”x�0”2009

michael macri

The grid is reductionist. A field of coloured squares, assembled in a particular order, takes

the stroke out of my hands, abates any deftness of their touch. What remains is a con-

struct of pure information.

�0

Michael MacriLend Me Your Ear (opposite)

cross-stitch�”x�.�”

2009

Michael MacriTo Err is Human–But it Feels Divine

(detail)acrylic on canvas

�0”x��”2009

�1

jodie mak

Things I think about(Like everybody else), re-presenting spaces

of interaction of opposing elements:

a) conceptual

b) social/structural

c) physical

d) personal

e) all of the above

Exploration and communication of tension

between these things:

a) the cathartic act of creation

b) the language that articulates the prom-

ise of resolution

c) the reality of stagnation

Also, between these:

a) the aesthetic

b) the awkward

Other things:

a) acceptability depending on one’s per-

ceived identity

b) knowledge and taste-making

c) catalogues and artist statements

Jodie MakA Threat

digital print with text embossment1�”x�”

200�

�2

jodie makJodie MakYou’ll get therefilm slides in cardboard boxes x �2”x2”x2”200�

��

Giuliana MartinezVirgin

gilded wood & latex��”x19”

200�

Giuliana MartinezFelt Breast Sculpture (opposite)

digital photo print1�”x9.�”

2009

I am interested in questioning,

challenging and discovering mean-

ing within the forces that surround

me, ranging from religious institu-

tions to feminism. The work is highly

personal, yet appreciated by a larger

audience who share the same con-

cerns. To me, art making is a vehicle

to continuously rework and under-

stand my identity by constructing

and deconstructing my beliefs,

doubts, passions and frustrations as

a Latin American Woman Artist. In

producing work, I express myself to

the point where my work becomes a

unique disclosure of my own being.

giuliana martinez

��

��

��

Tyler McDonaldUntitled (opposite)mixed media on paper��”x��”200�

Tyler McDonaldUntitledmixed media on paper��”x��”200� tyler mcdonald

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss

��

lauren mckennaLauren McKenna

UntitledDigital Photograph

2�”x��”200�

��

Lauren McKennaThe Rape of Persephone (detail)copper etching, ink on paper1�”x2�”200�

We are no longer using our eyes to navigate the world. The screens of perspective perme-

ate all aspects of our lives–not only our own loaded gazes, but also those which ex-

ist outside of us, both the subjective and the mechanical, which we then carry within.

These screens can be found between the subject and the object, the masculine and the

feminine, the virtual and the physical, the colonizer and the native, and the native and

the immigrant.

In my exploration of the themes of feminism, surveillance, politics, virtual reality and the

act of image making, I seek to allow punctures and fissures to emerge through which we

might glimpse not only the screens themselves, but also the power structures to which

they blind us.

�9

Robin McNultyBarbara, Teddy, Amy, Naeem and Selena

sand on canvas90”x2�”

200�robin mcnulty

�0

Robin McNulty & Jessica DelisleHama Timehama beads & fishing linedimensions variable200�

My work aims to address memory as it relates to anxiety. The works are based on both

personal and found photographs and attempt to create a new archive and a reconstruc-

tion of memories. Whether the medium be paint, photo, video, print or installation, the

mode of production is always highly repetitive and mechanical. This process-oriented

way of working speaks to the meditative and transformative power of labour.

�1

vitor munhoz

I am fascinated by Vancouver’s proficiency at spectacularizing the natural and man-made

environments, especially as viewed alongside its many confrontations. My work directs

the viewers’ attention towards neglected spaces and objects. Despite the subtlety of

their depiction, these works struggle to regain an acknowledgement of these areas and

items within the ruthless, competitive environment that lies between the new and the

forgotten, the functional and the useless, the beautiful and the mundane. Be it through

display in public spaces such as billboards and posters, or within a gallery setting, the

works raise questions of apparent spatial, political and cultural relationships, and of the

purpose of their own superfluous existence.

Vitor MunhozLandscape Billboard

inkjet on artist proof paper mounted on plywood.�’x9’200�

�2

Vitor MunhozSnowpiletransparency in lightbox19”x19”2009

��

sin hye park

��

Sin Hye Park1, Untitled acrylic & ink on canvas��”x��”2009

Conflict fascinates me. Within it, I find harmony. This realization came to me, while

working on a series of paintings and prints of my room. The absurdity of this paradox can

lead to the creation of something quite extraordinary.

I have two rooms, one in Seoul, one in Vancouver. Both are meaningful to me as they

coexist to confirm my identity. Through bringing two different places into one pictorial

space I form “no where,” which is where I feel I belong.

Through combining multiple perspectives, I explore four different relationships in conflict,

“movement and stillness,” “interior and exterior,” “flatness and volume,” and “ritual and

improvisation.” Intricate juxtapositions, conflicting ideas, forms, colors and techniques

embrace incompatibility and complement.

��

nick prunkle

Nick PrunkleUntitled (series)

inkjet prints�.�” x 12.�”

200���

Revealing aspects of contemporary social processes such as stratification, segregation

and gentrification is integral to my ongoing exploratory project and evident in many

of my works. By visually commenting on the changes made to an environment, either

brought on through the course of time or by social organizations, I continue to investi-

gate interactions that occur within capitalist culture by exploring how signifiers of these

interactions emerge and reveal themselves within the surrounding urban environment.

��

rachelle reimer

��

While working with a nearly-automatic force to paint in suppression of organizational

ideals of composition, I am struck by the confrontation between understanding paint

as a material or as a means to an image. While attempting to focus on issues of paint

as matter and its reaction to a surface (in response to mark-making), there are uninten-

tional and pseudo-intentional energies involved in my painting process. Some of these

include simple issues of gravity and paint drying times, and others present themselves

in forms of formal approaches to paintings as images. I feel that this dualistic nature of

my artwork creates an unresolved tension, but may also be considered as a step toward a

further maturation in appreciating both the subjective and physical object of painting.

I also explore issues of camouflage, as the formation of paint will distract a viewer from

the material, but the material can corrupt the realization of the painting as an image.

This corruption helps the image to be interpreted as artificial, as it is composed of tactile

and physical substances. This further raises the question, “Why paint an image?” when

one realizes that the material cannot be demonstrated in realization of an object other

than itself.

Rachelle ReimerUntitled

acrylic , latex, cheesecloth, wood�2”x��”

2009

�9

rinske smith

�0

If I view art as an exploration, then it is the discovery of unplanned, uncontrolled marks

and textures that draws me in. There is a transition that bridges the gap from idea to

physical creation. In the process of producing work, I try to incorporate an element of the

unmediated in this transformation. The physicality of a work can never be overcome or

avoided, and it is this perceptible element that stands out for me in creating pieces. By

incorporating the tangible and the unintentional in my work, I hope to create a freedom

for the mind to explore these visual clues.

Rinske SmithSituated Choiceetching, ink and oil pastel on mixed paper1�”x2�”200�

�1

Felix SuenNothing (opposite)

digital photograph on epson high gloss paper22”x�0”

200�

felix suenThere’s magic in the creation of something from

nothing and in the interpretation of what has

been produced. The significance of a symbol is

not derived from its physical complexity, but

from the endless meanings created through its

interpretation. Solid materials can be used to

create something that has no physical form, like

spaces, smells, and sounds. Endless scenarios

can be created, which when presented, result in

some sort of interaction with a person’s senses.

Although both logic and the sensory experi-

ence can blind one from seeing the magic, with

the patience to feel, listen, and search through

these multiple ways of knowing, one is afforded

the opportunity to reflect anew upon oneself

and the world around.

Felix SuenHomunculus

sculptural installation2�”x1�”�9”

200�

�2

��

Chantal SullivanHabituatearchival digital print1�”x20”200�

chantal sullivan

Chantal SullivanHabituate

archival digital print1�”x�”

200�

��

As an artist and resident of North Vancouver, B.C., I find myself constantly and continu-

ously inspired by the natural environment surrounding me. For this work, “Habituate,” I

decided to question the boundaries of the conventional human habitat, or dwelling, by

overtaking natural vegetated environments with secular household items thus transform-

ing the area into a confined state of domesticity. The work itself attempts to transform

natural settings into spaces with specific functionality and purpose such as one would

find in a conventional home. The specific natural setting was left exactly as it was found,

a contrast with how we live as a developed society and impact on our environment.

��

max taffet

Through recent works I attempt to balance the precision of material application, concept

and significance, and the acceptance of messiness, in hopes of producing spontaneous

order. Even though some argue “painting is dead”, poked and jabbed into the worst and

most often repeated clichés, I appreciate paint’s quick reveal making it an honest and

democratic medium. For me, balancing execution, materiality, and excess of history,

make paint an interesting and challenging medium.

My three paintings fall under an assigned theme of ‘Every Time.’ In this case I interpreted

‘Every Time’ to mean a repetitive circular relationship organizing human existence. The

series focuses on things that occur in every individual’s life. Specifically, I focus on how

��

Max TaffetRelative [ly]

acrylic on canvas��”x��” (2) & ��”x��”

2009

every person is at one point young, with their life stretched out before them. Situated

side by side, the three paintings are archetypes of childhood, but also exude an uncom-

fortable tension. Although there is nothing repetitive about any individuals’ life, there is a

sameness or an ‘Every Time’ to how the journey itself is always unknown.

Today North American society is changing. The period of prosperity that carried the baby-

boomers through to adulthood may be over. I wonder if the promise of North American

abundance is over? Will our current generation have the same quality of life as our par-

ents? Is the ‘every time’ prosperity of our parents and their parents going to last? Or, is

North America spent, no longer enough to go around.

��

My ideas come mostly from wander-

ing around cities. I am concerned

with the continuously changing

urban landscape and issues regarding

urbanization. I often integrate these

issues into three-dimensional works

that engage viewers in a variety of

ways. To create simple abstract

shapes that focus on organic form

and materiality, I formulate a bond

between architectural forms and

manufactured/natural materials,

and thereby transform and capture

specific moments in my life.

michael tingMichael Ting

UntitledMDF & metal

�’x2’x2’200�

Michael TingUntitled (opposite)plexiglass & metal

2’x1’x0.�’200���

�9

nancy toNancy To

Artwork 001acrylic on canvas

1�”x2�”200�

�0

My work stems from a fascination with our current age of mass consumerism, globalisa-

tion and rapid technological developments. In particular, I am interested in exploring how

such developments affect the public consciousness and their ways of approaching art.

As a consumer and an artist, I often question what constitutes the value of an artwork,

especially when considering the debates between commercial art and fine art.

Nancy ToSpaceacrylic on canvas11”x1�”200�

�1

�2

man tim tsuiArt is about everyday life, but everyday life is not only about art. From the more personal

moments to these larger social and global issues we shoulder collectively, they are all es-

sentials of life. These essentials inspire me to re-investigate the relationship between the

social and the individual.

Relating directly to my recent project about genetically modified food (GMF), I adopted

a humorous tone because I feel that art, just like everyday life, should be fun and ac-

cessible, and celebrate our boundless imagination and creativity. However, my primary

interest in this piece lies not in judgment of the development of GMF, but rather in the

disclosure of the current trends and attitudes towards GMF so that we, as consumers,

can re-evaluate our stance on it.

Man Tim TsuiUntitledpencil, ink, acrylic on paper2�”x�0”200� ��

��

anita vukoja

Making art does not always entail a step-by-step approach, and cannot every time be

approached in the same way. For me, the creation of art is an organic process that stems

from a flow of sequential thoughts, or sometimes even from just one seemingly random—

yet intriguing—idea. As I work through making a piece of art, my mind is constantly re-

flecting on and analyzing the piece I am creating. Sometimes, new ideas or insights come

to mind as I am partway through a piece, causing me to alter my direction or go back

a few steps and change an aspect that had initially seemed resolved. The experience of

making art is a fluid one that involves one work affecting another, one process of creation

influencing another process and, ultimately, every piece being a reflection of my musings

about, and understandings of, the world around me.

Each smudge or smear, preliminary sketch and brush of paint form an electric pulse line

enabling me to produce a work of art exploring my interpretation of the world, to the

world and to myself, the artwork’s creator and most critical critic.

Anita VukojaRootsacrylic on canvas�0”x�0”200� ��

aletheia wittmanAs a student at UBC who’s main

focus has been art history, as op-

posed to the visual arts, I find that

my work and thinking tends to drift

toward what art is and what it can

say about itself. This kind of think-

ing is hardly new in the visual arts,

but I have tried to address issues

under this category that I feel have

particular relevance to me. One of

these issues is how high art, low art

and everyday visual culture overlap

and the assumptions made about

each. This leads to another issue,

which is the way art and life overlap.

I see this in a more specific sense as

imagination and its interaction with

Aletheia WittmanThe Lives of Walls

acrylic on wallpaper��”x��”

2009

��

reality. I want to explore how imagi-

nation informs, alters and manipu-

lates reality. The creative projects

of human imagination have been

justified by many reasons through-

out time. I see the desire to alter,

augment and ornament the natural

world, ourselves, and the things we

consume, to be what gives things

value and enriches our day to day

experience–though maybe not in

the same way for everyone. Real-

ity is both what is imagined and

material. By looking at how value is

created and how we are conditioned

to respond in the different envi-

ronments of aesthetics and art is

something I hope to explore beyond

graduation.

Aletheia WittmanFrom The Roughacrylic on canvas�0”x�0”2009

��

jaime yee

��

Language-learning has always been a topic which I have found to be compelling. While

I have explored a range of different subject areas in my artwork, much of my work has

centred on concepts of translation and misinterpretation of language in relation to my

experience as a Canadian-born Chinese learning Cantonese – my ethnic language.

My recent work has directly addressed the verbal and written components of learning the

Cantonese language through references made to a variety of traditional and widely-dis-

tributed learning tools such as dictionaries and flash cards. Personally-formed translit-

erations of Cantonese words into English are also a very common element in my artwork,

as I use them to speak to issues of self-taught learning versus institutionalized learning,

translation and the introduction of a language to broad audiences. Because the mean-

ings of transliterated words and phrases are not always consistent between the translit-

erated languages, conflicts in translation become apparent and it is these inconsistencies

in meaning which I find intriguing.

Jaime YeeLessons in Cantonesedigital print on cardstock, document frames, audio��”x��.�”200�-2009 �9

jeen yee

90

Over the past several years my work has predominantly centred on the media’s influ-

ence over self-image and worth. Most recently this has manifested itself in studies on

the masking power of make-up and its tendency to create false identities. These works,

which have been expressed through an emphasis on black and white, traditional photog-

raphy (like the work featured in this catalogue), are studies of this falsification, particu-

larly in regards to female self-image.

My most recent work, however, marks a thematic shift of focus from beauty and self-im-

age towards discussions of temporality. This is tied to a movement away from photogra-

phy and towards installation. I am interested in its ability to engage the viewer, inviting

audiences to participate and imbue the work with a sense of ownership. The piece here,

a combination of video, human computing and installation, discusses moments of time

which we, as individuals of the 21st century, often leave forgotten in an increasingly

chaotic world.

Jeen YeeFacesphotograph21’x2�”200� 91

92

eric yuenEvery day, we are constantly changing and redefining ourselves as we interact with

others. Our attitudes, behaviours and values differ as we become increasingly aware of

our surroundings. Thus, my question is this: are we aware of these changes? Are we the

ones who control these changes or are we being controlled? Are we constructing our

own identities or are we adapting to others’? In today’s society, many constantly change

themselves in order to project their ideal self in the eyes of others. One can easily fall

victim to fear, insecurity or even self-doubt. Through my practice, I am fascinated with

the connection between society’s influences and the individual’s behaviour. My work is

centered on the continuous struggle between one’s self and the environment. My current

work explores the relationship between the hands, the mind and the way simple gestures

can deliver powerful messages.

Eric YuenHigh Teaprint, photograph�”x12”2009 9�

creditsBarrie Jones Faculty Exhibition Coordinator

Gu Xiong Faculty Exhibition Coordinator

Robin McNulty Student Exhibition Coordinator

Lauren McKenna Fundraiser Coordinator

Kathryn Blair Catalogue Coordinator

Yeri Lee Web Coordinator

Nancy To Graphic Designer

Jaime Yee Graphic Designer

9�

Katelynn Bailey Poster & Invite Printing

Vitor Munhoz Photographer

Jeff Chang Photographer

Deana Holmes Editor

Marina Roy Faculty Editor

Richard Prince Faculty Editor

Barbara Zeigler Faculty Editor

9�

w w w . a h v a . u b c . c aISBN: 9��-0-�����-�2�-�