Category Archives: Curation

“Cool Story Bro.” Gallery Exhibit for Artcite Inc.’s International Fringe Festival

February 22, 2012 – 10:00 am

Creation Of The: “Victim Blaming T-Shirts” from Stephen Surlin on Vimeo.

Poster for the 2011 IVFF

In the summer of 2011 I curated a store-front gallery exhibit  for Artcite Inc.’s International Fringe Festival titled “Cool Story Bro.” The transient gallery space was located at 410 Pelissier St. in Windsor, ON.

VISUAL FRINGE is an Open, unjuried and curated off-site exhibition; mixed media site installations, interventions and performances Exciting and cutting edge contemporary art by local and international artists coming to a downtown storefront near YOU!

Fringe Performance Festivals have been entertaining audiences for over 50 years, beginning with the original festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947. Over the past 20 years, the Fringe movement in Canada has grown to 18 festivals, and Canada now enjoys more Fringe Fests than any other country in the world!

Artists from Windsor and surrounding areas, including the Detroit area, exhibited their artwork in non-traditional, storefront venues. - Artcite Inc.

“Cool Story Bro.” refers to the catch-phrase that is often seen on t-shirts that are marketed to young men between 18-25 years of age and are often associated with “Bro” culture. This is a very “college” influenced culture, even though many are not in college. This culture is often associated with violence and aggression, wether through video-games, sports/fighting, or aggressive language and mannerism.

My new works in this exhibit try to examine and put into context, the kind of consumption of all kinds that is epitomized through the “Girls and Guns” fetish, which mixes gun and military culture with bikini model aesthetics that work to please the male gaze. While the women  in these works take often aggressive poses and carry weapons, which in itself is empowerment, the context of the work neutralizes amy of these qualities.

Many of the works also deal with rape culture and sexual assault. The works titled “Victim Blaming T-Shirts” and the “Cool Story Bro.” Series featuring Anthony Weiner, Arnold schwarzenegger and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, all men who were involved in “sex scandals”, with some aspect of harassment and all with a vehement campaign of victim blaming.

The ”Victim Blaming T-Shirts” were also inspired by the recent cultural movement to end “slut shaming” and “victim blaming” especially through global “Slutwalks“. The shirt design was inspired by a trip to Toronto where there are many novelty item shops that sell various “saying” shirts and sweaters. Through this medium, sexism, racism and other prejudices are often reinforced through irony, though the praxis of the culture that consumes these items do not so easily appear ironic.

My hand drawn Facebook ads work to highlight the highly individualized marketing found on the internet and social media. When discussing the work, I emphasize the idea that this “Bro” culture that I focus on is in many ways constructed in order to make this group more uniform in its consumption patterns; extreme hetero-normative behaviour, hyper gender binary, a desire for “masculine” body sprays, gums, clothes, alcohol, video-games, and etc. all work to create a culture that is easier and much more efficient to market to. The fiscal advantage to “group-think” mentality, with many side effects that result in alienation and violence.

View of "Cool Story Bro." gallery exhibit featuring works by Stephen Surlin. 2011

"Victim Blaming T-Shirts", Commercially made white cotton t-shirts. 2011

"Cool Story Bro" Series, C-Print on paper. 2011

"Those Girls Can Shoot My Gun Anytime" & "What Good Is That In The Kitchen?", Acrylic paintings on canvas. 2011

"Untitled (If I tell you I have to kill you)", Video collage of sourced video and images. 2011

"Facebook Ads", Pen on paper, 2010

"Hamburger", Oil stick on unprimed canvas. 2011

"Crushed Can", Oil stick on canvas. 2011

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Conceptual, Design, Drawing, Installation, Painting, Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

“Hell Is Other People’s Money” Group Exhibit @ Common Ground Gallery

February 18, 2012 – 3:46 pm

During May of 2011 I was given the opportunity to curate a gallery exhibit at the Common Ground Gallery, located in MacKenzie  Hall in the Old Sandwich Town region of Windsor, Ontario. With my involvement in the MayWorks Festival planning committee, I was assigned to curate a labour/economics themed exhibition. The space was paid for  by Artcite Inc. for the exhibit.

“Sergio Forest, one of the volunteers for the non-profit gallery, explains the gallery started as a kind of grass roots movement twenty-six years ago, supported by the Art Gallery of Windsor and Artcite. The intention was to support local talent by offering affordable, high quality studio space to burgeoning artists. While it is still mainly local multi-media artwork that is to be found on Common Ground’s walls.” - Windsorite.ca

Artcite Inc.’s MayWorks 2011 is based in the May Day labour celebration. The events are in solidarity with workers and labour rights as Artcite’s website describes:

“Artists, workers, and students have met over many months to organize a collection of exhibitions, projects, events, a rally and a parade, to celebrate our creativity as a community, our dedication to the values of workers’ solidarity, social justice and human rights.

The various activities will highlight our support for our city and our history of solidarity, concern for social justice and our tradition of labour arts.” – Artcite Inc. (artcite.ca)

Sartre - No Exit by A.R.T.

The theme for the show was inspired by my interest in existential theatre and literature and it’s examination of the individual and their connection to society. This is exemplified in Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit” from 1944. The play revolves around three main characters who discover their situation is the result of “sinful” lives and that they are in “hell” which is simply living with “other people” for eternity. This is where the play’s most famous line comes from, “hell is other people“. I used this as the conceptual context for the exhibit, calling it “Hell Is Other People’s Money”.

The title is referring to the complexities of human interaction, especially within the context of contemporary economics. The tensions, fear and struggles found in a seemingly perpetual era of economic crisis.

After developing the theme I made a priority of including one of my colleagues, Teresa Carlesimo, who had recently created a work called “The Room” or “Waiting Room”. This work, which acts as a contemporary view of the  type of “non-spaces” that we inhabit, also emphasizes the connection to Sartre’s theatre production.

Teresa Carlesimo's "Waiting Room"

Later I found several more artists for the exhibit that could work within the theme. The participating artists were: Marcy Boles, Mike Ngo, Rachel Chausse, Teresa Carlesimo and Stephen Surlin.

Marcy Boles’ installation is a pseudo-historical devotional collection of materials of traditionally female labour that often involves a type of pain that Boles herself feels in her repetitive auto-motive factory job. The anti-arthrital braces are Boles’, which are beside the etching tools she used to create the printing plate in the installation.

Marcy Boles' installation.

Marcy Boles' installation detail.

Mike Ngo’s installation is a colaborative piece between him and the Campus Community Garden at the University of Windsor. Ngo collected buckets of compost from the gardens pile, which is for sale, and used one of their organic tomato plants for the installation. The tomato plant is a very charged icon for the recent economic histories of Windsor/Leamington region of Southern Ontario, along with it’s tumultuous colonial history with Spain and other countries.

Mike Ngo's installation.

Mike Ngo's installation detail.

Ngo also had a shelf installed with information and a donation jar for the CCGP in the space.

Rachel Chausse’s work featured a colour photo of a miniature model that she made which was then printed large. The photo engages with the complex and painful histories of Leamington’s tomato industry which often advantages from the exploitation of migrant Mexican workers who are caught in racial tension and resentment form local population who greatly advantage from the industry.

Rachel Chausse's large scale photograph.

Stephen Surlin had a varying collection of works including paintings, text based/interactive and new media works. All of Surlin’s work deals with the intricacies of contemporary consumer culture/identity, the spectacle of politics and the “battle” with depression and suicide that many people face.

Paintings by Stephen Surlin

A reflexive moment with Surlin's internet based paintings.

A look at the didactic work by Surlin which encouraged participation from the patrons.

The beginning of the artist talks (from left to right): Mike Ngo, Rachel Chausse, Stephen Surlin, Marcy Boles

After a moment to allow the attendees to view the exhibit, Susan Gold-Smith, one of the Artcite Inc. planning committee members, introduced the artists and gave a brief word on the history of the MayWorks Festival.

Surlin beginning the interactive question of "what scares you about the economy?"

After the talks, I began the discussion of “What scares you about the economy?” to bring to the fore some of the anxieties that cause tensions between individuals and groups. The black board I created includes text and diagrams that compare the salary of artists and government spending on the arts and etc. The audience began shouting out ideas and I wrote them down and tried to keep the discussion going.

The black board after the discussion. Filled with the anxieties and fears of the individual in response to the economy.

The discussion was intense and varied, and sometimes comical. Though this was a kind of therapeutic purging of collective dis-ease that was focused on in the exhibit in varying ways.

Read More »

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Conceptual, Design, Installation, Interactive, Painting, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

War, Depression, Suicide: A collection of new studio works

January 12, 2012 – 3:26 pm

War, Depression, Suicide: A Collection Of Studio Works from Stephen Surlin on Vimeo.

“War, Depression, Suicide” is a collection of recent studio works I did for my independant studio course at the University of Windsor in mid 2011.

The works deal with an exploration of the themes of violence, especially as it is seen in war and internal violence, that for many, turns into a kind of self inflicted violence, the most extreme being suicide (particularly in the way it is so connected with the arts and artists).

A large portion of the works are inspired by my research into depression and suicide. I was very shocked by the amount of artists throughout history that committed suicide after various bouts of depression. This brought the subject closer to me as well because I have been in a depression before. When viewing lists of artists and performers with depression, I found that Conan O’Brian and Sarah Silverman, two of America’s most popular performers/comedians, suffered form depression at some point, inspiring me to make a PSA style poster.

The “Not Angry Enough” self portrait was inspired by my studies of African American civil rights leaders, their struggles, passions, and eventually their assassinations. The succession of violence in the years ’67, ’68 and ’69 give a chilling perspective on the prevalence of violence in the American ethos for most cultures, especially African American. My embodying of Malcolm X in the reproduction of Barbara Kruger’s “Not Angry Enough” is an attempt to create a layered and complex view of my identity.

The paintings suggests the subtle violence that is often masked in popular media, like the slaughter behind a “simple” hamburger or the environmental damage that comes with aluminum cans.

Another theme is the gender and sexuality that creates complex systems of meaning. The “girls” and gun phenomenon has greatly increased through video games with sexualized female characters like “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” and viral media like YouTube, where one can find thousands of videos of women shooting guns for primarily male consumption.

Though, one of the most violent aspects of this online presence is the highly aggressive and objectifying language that can be found in the comments section beneath the videos. This is what inspired the title’s of the paintings.

The painting “Governer of Alaska” which features the clothing and gun of Sarah Palin adds a layer of meaning by making the methods of consumption appear more complex, rather than suggesting only the pornographic can deal with the complex gender histories with firearms.

The cropping out of the women in these paintings is to bring the focus onto the consumer rather than giving the ability to “scape-goat” the women involved; to think of the abstract systems involved in the consumption of this media.

The interactive installation “War Games” is meant to bring the viewer into the often passive viewing experience of war media. The theme of the apache helicopter is strong throughout because of two main connections. The recent popularity of WikiLeaks and the leaked helicopter footage mirrors the kinds of language and attitudes found in playing video games, especially ones that feature “Middle Eastern” conflicts like “Desert Strike: Return To The Gulf” for the Sega Genesis.

The Sega controller is attached to an Arduino that controls a Max/MSP/Jitter patch on a laptop. The arrow keys act as fast forward and reverse and the “A, B, C” buttons change to a random clip from a collection of reapropriated and manipulated material from the internet.

 

Death of a Salesman & ”This is the one he started before he shot himself”, Oil Stick on paper, 24″ x 36″

Depression: Conan O’Brian & Sarah Silverman, C-Prints on paper, 8.5″ x 11″

Serotonin, Norepinephrin, Dopamine (Mark Rothko, No. 8), C-Print on paper, 11″ x 17″

The 12 Signs of Depression (With the ones I am most afraid of erased), Graphite on stonehenge, 48″ x 60″

Self Portrait (Not Angry Enough, After Kruger), C-Print on paper, 36″ x 36″

Self Portrait (Not Angry Enough, After Kruger) Detail

Hamburger, Oil stick on raw canvas, 36″ x 48″

Crushed Can, Oil stick on raw canvas, 36″ x 48″

 

Hamburger & Crushed Can Detail

Governer of Alaska, Acrylic on canvas, 48″ x 60″

Those Girls Can Shoot My Gun, What Good Is That In The Kitchen, That’s A Weird Looking Kitchen, Acrylic on canvas, 48″ x 60″

Installation view of “War Games“, an interactive installation.

The Arduino based interface from “War Games” used to control a video playing patch in Max/MSP/Jitter with a Sega Genesis Controller.

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Conceptual, Drawing, Installation, Interactive, Painting, Photography, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

Artist As Activist Projects: The Present And Future Of…

September 5, 2011 – 9:52 pm

My “Artist As Activist” series of works has made me re-examine my art making and social engagement with several strata of society. My recent travels and experiences have formed a lot of what I consider to be of importance in my dialogue with the world around me.

Explaining to the village who we are and why we are there

I have focused on the people I encountered in my travels to Nigeria, Africa leading me to create the Rechargeable Solar Powered Bag project. These works involved several stages of research and developement. I had to consult several people, especially Bob from Windsor Powerhouse to help with the electrical engineering work. I had the bag for the project donated by Ten Thousand Villages Windsor (where I used to volunteer). I spoke with many friends, family and colleagues over several months, bouncing ideas off them to develop my ideas.

My article in the Windsor Star

I stumbled on some of my most important research, found in Stuart Walker’s Sustainable by Design: Explorations in Theory and Practicewhere I learned several of my guiding principles for design.

Inventiveness Of Necessity
Sustainability demands resourcefulness and restraint. New solutions have to be found which require less.

Improvisation And Spontaneity
The constraints of limited resources at the local level in terms of materials, processes and tools, combined with a realization that most contemporary products are actually a physical manifestation of unsustainable practices, can create a liberating environment in which to reconsider the nature of objects.

Integration Of Scales – Mass-Produced Plus Locally Made Parts
An important but little explored aspect of sustainable product design is a reassessment of our scales of production so that products can be made, repaired and reused within an industrial ecology of cyclic resource use at the local or regional level.

Elegance And Empathy Through Design
When developing products within the limitations imposed by locale, processes, techniques and human skills must be used imaginatively to convert often uninspiring or non-ideal materials into elegant forms that contribute in a positive way to our material culture.

"The Artist's Tools" from my Artist As Activist Exhibit

Then I began to prepare for my gallery show at the Lebel Gallery at the University of Windsor. The exhibit was titled “Artist As Activist”. The show went well and allowed me to get local press and interviews. This then led me to have a feature in VIEW magazine University of Windsor’s Alumni magazine.

For the future…

I will now be beginning another chapter in my “Artist As Activist” projects. I will be working quite closely with several Migrant worker, Farmer’s Union and community groups to the migrant worker population in Leamington, Ontario. First I will be focusing on bike safety, where I will talk about the needs of workers with the workers themselves and the community groups, then apply aspects of LED technology to add light to their bikes or walks.

From this I will make a short documentary and hopefully have a few design projects come out of my time working with these groups.

Check out this site to find out more information on my upcoming projects.

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Conceptual, Design, Digital, Illustration, Installation, Interactive, Painting, Photography, Press, Sculpture, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Human Rights and Equality Art Show Hosted By The OHREA @ U of W

August 8, 2011 – 3:53 pm

I was recently enrolled in the art exhibit entitled A Celebration of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility. The program booklet, a glossy full colour publication printed by the OHREA (Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility) for the show, describes the event:

“[The exhibit] showcases the artistic talent and social conciousness of Windsor-Essex students. In commemoration of March 21st (The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), this exhibit raises awareness around issues of discrimination and systemic oppression, while offering windows of hope.”

The booklet that accompanied the exhibit.

The event was co-ordinated by the OHREA and the organizing committee featuring Kaye Johnson, the director of the OHREA, Jasjeet Ajimal and others. The exhibit took place on March 21st, 2011 in the CAW Commons at the University of Windsor, Ontario. The exhibit was a judged competition featuring several judges chosen form community and a people’s choice award. In the “Message from the President” section of the book of the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Windsor, Dr. Alan Wildeman, addresses the  exhibit’s contents.

“Expression through art is a part of the human experience, and one of the most powerful ways in which aspirations for social justice have been presented… It is the goal of the [OHREA] to help us all gain awareness of the need for everyone to have dignity and to have opportunity. Supporting the advancement of human rights, equity and accessibility is the responsibility of all of us. The work of these students is an important part of spreading that message across the University of Windsor and our surrounding community.”

Dr. Alan Wildeman
President and Vice-Chancellor

My section in the booklet.

For my contribution to A celebration of Human Rights… I exhibited my recent “Artist as Activist” works, including the Rechargeable Solar Powered LED Bag, the Untitled Photo works and the video Trying on Glasses. After the judging period was concluded I was awarded an honourable mentions award, presented by Kaye Johnson.

The letter signed by Kaye Johnson congratulating me on my award.

The CAW Centre at the University of Windsor, the Native Canadian drummers can be seen setting up on stage. The art works are setup all around the stage and chairs. My exhibit is at the booth under the banner.

A judge is looking at my booth, taking down notes.

My LED Lamp and "Artists' Tools" works.

Untitled (Not Seeing Nigeria) photo works on display.

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Installation, Press | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Artist As Activist Exhibit By Stephen Surlin @ The Lebel Gallery

July 29, 2011 – 12:03 pm


Artist As Activist
 Gallery Exhibit By Stephen Surlin
 January 24 – 28 @ Lebel Gallery

The exhibit entitled Artist As Activist is a solo exhibition featuring the recent works of Stephen Surlin, who also curated the show. Because of Surlin’s recent travels to Nigeria, Africa, he was inspired to use his interest in social justice issues, his knowledge of electronics and design and the creative and critical practices learned from his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Women’s Studies degrees from the University of Windsor to produce “products” and ideas for improving the lives of the people he worked with in Nigeria.

Surlin’s focus is mainly on the easily accessible and salvageable products that can be purchased at electronics wholesalers or online, like, LED (lights), rechargeable batteries, and consumer grade solar panels. Along with sewable “e-textiles” like the Lily Pad Arduino.

The other elements of the gallery will hopefully give the viewer an idea of the impact that ideas of “sustainable design”, contemporary technology and critical engagement can have on communities all around the world, including our own.

Below are several excerpts from a book by Stuart Walker , one of the biggest influences on Surlin during the design process.

Sustainable by Design: Explorations in Theory and Practice
By Stuart Walker

Sustainable product design explores reuse of materials, re-manufacturing and product longevity. If we begin to create long-lasting, but repairable and upgradeable products made from reused materials and parts, we will have to reassess our ideas of products and the value and place of the ‘new’, the glossy and the perfect. A product which bears the marks of time and use and its own history could, potentially, have a richness lacking in many of today’s squeaky-clean but rather barren products; but to appreciate this richness we will have to readjust our value system and our expectations of product aesthetics.

Inventiveness Of Necessity
Sustainability demands resourcefulness and restraint. New solutions have to be found which require less.

Improvisation And Spontaneity
The constraints of limited resources at the local level in terms of materials, processes and tools, combined with a realization that most contemporary products are actually a physical manifestation of unsustainable practices, can create a liberating environment in which to reconsider the nature of objects.

Integration Of Scales – Mass-Produced Plus Locally Made Parts
An important but little explored aspect of sustainable product design is a reassessment of our scales of production so that products can be made, repaired and reused within an industrial ecology of cyclic resource use at the local or regional level.

Elegance And Empathy Through Design
When developing products within the limitations imposed by locale, processes, techniques and human skills must be used imaginatively to convert often uninspiring or non-ideal materials into elegant forms that contribute in a positive way to our material culture.

Installation view at Lebel Gallery

Detail of hand painted titles

Rechargeable Solar Powered LED Lamp

Solar panel detail

LED and LilyPad Arduino PCB board detail

Rechargeable Solar Powered LED Bag

Solar panel on bags flap and wall paintings

View inside the bag, showing the rechargeable lithium-ion battery and lipo charger.

LEDs and LilyPad Arduino LED PCB boards wired with conductive thread detail

Read More »

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Conceptual, Design, Drawing, Illustration, Installation, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Design: Artist As Activist Exhibit Posters

July 11, 2011 – 9:28 pm

These are the posters I used to spread the word about my gallery show entitled “Artist As Activist”. The description can be seen on the poster. The show was at the Lebel Gallery at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Click on a poster to see the hi-res version. I personally took each of the photos used in the posters during my trip to Enugu State, Nigeria, Africa.

Read More »

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Activism, Design, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Killing Us Softly

February 22, 2011 – 8:54 pm

Killing Us Softly

Killing Us Softly was a solo show held by Stephen Surlin in late 2009 at the Lebel Gallery on the University of Windsor campus. The title is inspired by the media criticism and analysis by Jeane Kilbourne, who’s work focuses on the dangerous levels of gendered exploitation in the media, especially magazine ads and billboards, which bombard the viewer with often sexist and violent imagery. Kilbourne states that the average North American views over 3000 ads everyday, a number that was developed before the mass proliferation of the internet.

“Kilbourne’s work links the power of images in the media with current public health problems, such as eating disorders, violence, and drug and alcohol addiction.[13] Through her lectures, films, and articles, many of her original ideas and concepts have become mainstream. These include the concepts of the tyranny of the beauty ideal, the connection between the objectification of women and violence.”

The exhibit features several mediums: Drawing, Painting, Video and Conceptual works. The over-arching theme is a focus on the aesthetics of violence observed through an art historical lens. From assassinations from the time of Francisco Goya to newspaper photos of the 3 great African-American Civil Rights leaders or the 14 women killed in the “Montreal Massacre”.

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Conceptual, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Artcite’s MAYWORKS Labour Arts Festival 2010

February 21, 2011 – 9:40 pm

For Artcite’s annual MAYWORKS Festival 2010 I used the 410 Pelissier storefront to curate a minimal show with my Save paintings and the installation of 3 tables that were found around the space.

The paintings work as a group that resembles the collected detritus of a recently emptied out storefront, a scene that is very common in the Windsor, Ontario region. The ambiguous text takes on several meanings regardless of the context they’re placed in. In this particular setting, they may appear as a forgotten request to save a few dollars or this entire building from being demolished or converted into more parking space.

The tables were inspired by the recent garbage strike that was also happening during the creation of the Street Dreams show for the Fringe Festival. The tables, that are similar to the ones in many municipal government meetings exist perpetually overturned. A symbol of indecision and inefficiency by local bureaucracy.

For the month of May, Windsor Ontario’s labour and arts communities will join with other cities across theCanada to present our firstlabour focused cultural MayWorks festival in Windsor in 2010.

Artists, workers, and students havemet over many months to organize a collection of exhibitions, projects, events,a rally, and parade, to celebrate our creativity as a community, our dedication to the values of workers’ solidariy, social justice and human rights.

Our various activities will highlight our support for our city core, our old Sandwich Towne community, our history of solidarity and labour arts.

-Artcite.ca

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Installation, Painting | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Fringe Festival 2009: Street Dreams

February 21, 2011 – 8:40 pm

This was an exhibit that was curated by Stephen Surlin in the summer of 2009 through Artcite’s International Visual Fringe Festival. A strong and growing festival in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

The exhibit/installation featured the works of: Daniel Bombardier, Michelle Soulliere, Jason Deary, Josh Babcock and Stephen Surlin.

Mediums included: spray paint, sculpture, painting, and performance among others.

For the second year, Artcite, Windsor’s artist-run center for the contemporary arts was proud to host the Visual Arts component of the 2009 Fringe Festival:

Artcite continued its partnership with Windsor’s International Fringe Festival and Actors Theatre of Windsor, to present “Visual Fringe” off-site exhibitions and programs in participating businesses and vacant storefronts /buildings in and around downtown Windsor. 52 artists from Windsor and surrounding areas, including Detroit MI, exhibited their art works in non-traditional venues.

In partnership with downtown merchants and venue sponsors, we installed a wide variety of contemporary works in a wide range of storefront, in-store and available-for-rent retail spaces. Admission was free.

Programs included a storefront exhibits, mini galleries, performances, interventions and a walking tour.

The Visual Fringe provides an excellent opportunity for Fringe Festival visitors and the general public to see new works by numerous emerging and established artists in an accessible, fun (non-gallery) setting.

- Articite.ca

Street Dreams from Stephen Surlin on Vimeo.

This is a piece that was done in collaboration with Eric K. Boucher, one of Windsor’s best cinematographers. The film is based on the exhibition I curated for the Windsor International Fringe Festival in the summer of 2009. I was given an empty commercial space and was given the opportunity to fill it with art.

The exhibit was entitled “Street Dreams”, the title was inspired by the artists I had in mind for the show: Jason Deary, Daniel “Denial” Bombardier, Michelle “Citynoise” Soulliere, Josh Babcock and Myself. All of these artists employ aesthetics that are reminiscent of the ideological or imaginary “streets” of Windsor. The concept of dreams comes from the play on words of the popular saying “sweet dreams” and the connection to the imagined, the removed and actual images of what the “streets” mean and look like to each individual artist. It was an amazing experience.

By Stephen Surlin | Also posted in Installation, Painting, Sculpture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
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