Suzanne Caines, Laura Calvi, Jeanne Ju, Jon Knowles, Ryan Park, Kevin Rodgers and Aaron Schmidt participate in Actual, an exhibition of work by emerging artists with Halifax art roots. Guest Curator Emily Jones (also with Halifax art roots) selected the works with a statement by Sol LeWitt in mind: “Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.” While LeWitt may have been referring specifically to conceptual art, his maxim could well underpin the apparently logical conventions of the larger world. The artists in Actual imaginatively pursue current public, political, social and institutional realities through the use of bizarre video, tangible installations, photography and conceptual works that occupy the gallery space — and beyond. The word actual means “existing in fact or reality” or “occuring at the time,” while l’actualité means “news.” This exhibition, then, questions our perceptions not only of the systems inherent in art culture but also of the world in general.
—Emily Jones |
