The Art Collective

After three days in the CDEx Gallery, this note was sent to participants the evening of May 15:

A quick note to say Tuesday is likely going to be a key day in the process of this show. Several UQAM fine arts students are very serious about getting involved, one has done two collaborative events in the past with us at Café des arts (Mathieu Lacroix), one was at this year’s event in March, a third came back after checking out our website following a conversation he had with Sylvain and I on Saturday. Mathieu, who started a collective, attended our collaborative event in March 2005 at UQAM's Café des arts.

These are serious artists and moving into this new level of collaboration in this show will be a fascinating experience as our large-scale projects draw in new talent and energy.

In terms of the ongoing process, Guest Curator Juliana España Keller came to gallery today and made the official first mark on our found objects that have been painted with gesso. She was very pleased with how each of the projects is moving forward.

The mural: David King completed the top of the tree, Judith Brisson added a second tree on left. Marisa Hoicka has worked on a new smaller mural with Angeliki, David and Robert in it as we were working at the gallery today.

Found objects: Angeliki Gketsou has started a complex drawing on one umbrella, added coats of gesso to objects. Her hard work, along with that of Céline Lapointe, in applying gesso has given our found objects a purity of surface that will assist the drawing process.

François Morelli’s drawings: several have been coloured by visitors and by Robert Winters.

Sylvain Vachon worked on the roll of stonehenge paper drawing after Marisa began drawing on it, followed by Robert. A visiting painter who studied at Rome’s Ecole des beaux-arts worked on it for 90 minutes. Piece is black and white, with varying washes of black ink, as suggested by Juliana.

Using acetates and the overhead projector, Céline drew two images on separate walls, one an animal-like image and the other food symbols near table where our food is placed.

After discussion Monday, we want to put names of the curating team of artists on the wall, with the Detour title, discussion of where to put this continues.

Juliana has done a very good press release. Céline’s sandwich warmer has been very useful for making cheese sandwiches. And Judith’s hard work in providing an overhead projector for two days is much appreciated, we have very strong images anchoring our murals that have already drawn very favourable reaction from artists visiting the gallery. I think the strength of the mural images and the process of our show have made a favourable impression; today, we were given a key for the gallery, making for easier access.

Finally, Sylvain shot images for a video he is doing about the movements of a brush, inspired from the roll of paper drawing at the CDEx gallery. Céline assisted with this video project.

Images of our progress are in photo section of our gallery.