Martha Street Studio

Author: Martha Street Studio

  • Forlorn Visitations // Nat Cann

    Forlorn Visitations // Nat Cann

    Exhibition Dates: September 16 – October 21, 2022

    Opening Reception: Friday September 16 @ 5-8pm

    Virtual artist talk: Saturday September 17 @ 1pm CST
    ASL interpretation will be provided and live captions will be enabled.
    This talk is free to attend and open to the public.

    Click here to join the Zoom meeting.

    Exhibition Text by Roewan Crowe.

    – – –

    Martha Street Studio is pleased to present Forlorn Visitations, a solo exhibition by Nat Cann (NB).

    Forlorn Visitations is an examination into the depths of New Brunswick, the backroads and little lost places within central Atlantic Canada, the places not along the more tourist-oriented coast, as well as a collection of other visitations made during nationwide residencies. Everything from the playful exploration of Calgary’s need for coffee to fuel the fuel industry to the haunting past of Canada’s involvement in WW2 interments camps. It is as much a celebration of Canadian living as it is a critical deposition on colonial acts.

    Artist Statement //

    In early 2020, before the world had its collective breakdown, Nat Cann traveled to the Magdalen Islands of Quebec for a two week residency wherein a series of work was fashioned regarding the haunting of the isles, a place of things well painted. The intention with this residency was to find a spirit, that which draws people to places of expulsion, cold waters and winds. In the end, it was a mixture of everything sprinkled in francophone cultural via the Acadian expulsion, and how said migration has claimed this land; particularly, the many lush houses of untameable colors. Houses not painted to match their wild surroundings, rather, to emulate them. And this idea extends to (almost) every corner of the isles. From their boats to the dog’s house, everything has a style all its own, a culture formed and finalized. It was this uncovering of an archipelago’s haunting that sparked an expanding career of residencies and print.

    Well Painted Places, the Magdalen visitation, was co-funded through ArtsNB’s Career Development AiR grant and swiftly followed by Adrift, a response to the withering coasts of the Atlantic; and Stelae & Stoic, two printed installations inquiring into places whose settler history/industrial narrative has been either upheld or repurposed for the needs of new industries and leisure. These works lead to more residencies in relation to the original Magdalen visitation, and so on and so on. What has accumulated over the past few years has been a collection of residency works wherein, and in chagrin to the pandemic, a similar methodology has been told, visitations to multiple different places so as to document and uncover what haunts said location. Be it Calgary’s coffee culture fuelling the fuel industry or Port Union, Newfoundland’s simple existence as a collection of lonely red boxes, every town has a tale to tell.

    Artist Bio //

    Nat Cann (he/him) is a printmaker focused upon the haunting of lands – ideologies and industries keeping afloat Canadian notions of colonial heritage. This printed matter, often a mix of past and present examined through modern photography and archival photos is paired with installation as a means to further query the haunting of a place. Nat’s work has been exhibited across Canada and has been consistently supported by ArtsNB’s funding programs and the Canada Council for the Arts. Nat obtained his BFA from Mount Allison University (2012) and now resides in Saint John, New Brunswick, a colonial coastal city upon the unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik peoples.

    Nat can be found online at nattcann.com and on Instagram at @nattcann

    Exhibition documentation by Sarah Fuller, below.












































































































































































































  • Martha Street Studio Pet Projects – Print Exchange

    Martha Street Studio Pet Projects – Print Exchange

    Pet Projects – PRINT EXCHANGE
    Summer/Fall 2022

    Please join us for the MSS Pet Projects – Print Exchange!

    Deadline Extended: October 29th, 2022

    Each participant will receive 5 new prints in the mail made by fellow printmakers. If you are interested in participating, email your name and address to: askmartha@printmakers.mb.ca with the subject line: MSS Pet Projects – Print Exchange

    Participants are asked to create an edition of at least 6 prints, paper size no larger than 8½ x11”, using at least one traditional printmaking technique. Martha Street Studio will take care of the distribution of the exchange so that everyone receives 5 prints by other artists. The sixth print will be kept in our print archive.

    The theme is Pet Projects, so show us your favourite furry friend, a feathered companion, a scaly sidekick, or go totally wild and share a print project you’ve been fine-tuning for ages. Any unfettered interpretation of the theme is strongly recommended! This exchange is open to any and all members of Martha Street Studio – If you are not currently a member you may purchase/renew your membership in the studio, or online here: Martha Street Studio Membership

    The due date for print submissions has been extended to October 29th, 2022 (if your address is outside the city of Winnipeg, your submission will be accepted late provided it is postmarked October 29th). You should receive your collection of 5 prints by the end of November, 2022. 

    Please make sure that you have read and followed the guidelines posted below before submitting your print edition. If you have any queries please email: director@printmakers.mb.ca for clarification. 

    Guidelines

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    Deadline: Finished Prints must be submitted to MSS by October 1st, 5 pm 

    MSS Members Print Exchange 2022 Guidelines 

    Submissions to the MSS Members Print Exchange must comply with all guidelines. Any edition that fails to meet one or more of the guidelines will be returned to the printmaker with an accompanying explanation. All prints will be packed in a standard envelope and delivered by regular mail to participants. 

    Please make sure that you have read and followed the guidelines before submitting your print edition. If you have any queries please email director@printmakers.mb.ca for clarification. 

    Members Print Exchange Guidelines 

    1. Original Work 

    2. Theme : Pet Projects 

    3. Membership 

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    All work submitted must be created specifically for the MSS print exchange and you must own the intellectual property rights for all images submitted. 

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    This theme should be interpreted broadly to encompass anything the artist feels. The theme is not mandatory; if you aren’t feeling it, don’t use it. 

    You must have a current MSS Membership to participate. You may purchase or renew before submitting at shop.printmakers.mb.ca/martha-street-studio-membership-regular
    Please direct any membership inquiries to askmartha@printmakers.mb.ca 

    1. Paper Sized
      Your paper must be no larger than 8×10”. Measure twice, tear once. Prints must be able to fit in a standard-mail 8.5 x 11” envelope. 
    2. Edition Size
      A minimum of Six (6) prints, one of which will be retained by MSS for our Print Archive. Editions may be larger, please send the first 6 in the edition for the exchange. 

    Print Medium

    1. All submissions must be created using an editionable* print technique only. Each print must contain at least one traditional print technique. All work must be 2 dimensional only. Please ensure that your prints are made using high quality printmaking materials, acid-free paper, and archival inks* 
    2. Signing and Editioning 
      All prints must be signed, editioned, and dated. This may be on the front or back of the print. 
    3. Paper Selection
      All prints must be printed on high quality* paper acid free paper appropriate to the print medium. 
    4. Print Presentation
      Each print must be fully dry and individually protected by glassine paper if heavily inked or prone to scuffing/transfer. 

    10. Submission Deadline

    October 1st, 2022, 5pm – SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NOTICE for mailed submissions, a post-mark of October 1st  will be accepted 

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    11. Submission Form

    Please complete the submission form at the end of the guidelines and include it with your finished edition. 

    How To Submit Your Edition:
    Please ensure you have clearly labelled your prints with your name and title In person submissions 

    To submit your prints in person please contact staff at MSS to arrange drop off at the studio, or a curb-side exchange, Tuesday to Friday, 11-4pm 

    Mail-in submissions
    All submissions mailed from outside of Winnipeg must be postmarked no later than October 1st, 2022. Please post all submissions to: 

    Martha Street Studio
    11 Martha Street, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1A2 

    Martha Street Studio Pet Projects – Print Exchange Submission Form 

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    Artist Bio
    Name:
    Address:
    Email:
    Social Media contact (optional):
    Would you like your social media handles shared? (circle one) Short Bio (optional): 

    Edition Information Title:
    Size:
    Medium(s): 

    Year: Edition size: 

    Y or N 

  • Floral Overload // Cynthia Dinan-Mitchell

    Floral Overload // Cynthia Dinan-Mitchell

    Exhibition Dates: Friday July 29 – Friday, September 2, 2022

    Opening Reception: Friday August 5 @ 5-8pm

    Virtual artist talk: Saturday August 6 @ 1pm CST
    ASL interpretation will be provided and live captions will be enabled.
    This talk is free to attend and open to the public.

    Click here to view the Artist Talk

    Exhibition Text by Alyssa Bornn.

    – – –

    Martha Street Studio is pleased to present Floral Overload, a solo exhibition by Cynthia Dinan-Mitchell (QC).

    Floral Overload inverts the hierarchy of art through an overflowing installation as anachronistic still-life, inviting viewers to delve into the worlds of printmaking, ceramics and decoration against the backdrop of botanically-scented wallpaper. Over a screen of flora and fauna, Dinan-Mitchell intervenes with successive layers of elaboration; varying from monochrome works to highly saturated hand-painted silkscreens and printed ceramic plates exploring the artistic genre of still life, Dinan-Mitchell appropriates and updates this historically pictorial genre, declining it in several states and scales.

    From contour drawing to installation, Dinan-Mitchell uses the codes and rules of composition of traditional vanities: the central point of view, the narrow frame and the closed composition, set against some of her favorite objects. Jewelry, ornate porcelain, books, skulls, flowers, insects, fruits and corals are therefore interwoven and symbolize sometimes the vanity of wealth, power and knowledge, sometimes the mortal destiny of human life. To these classic elements and conventions of the still life, Dinan-Mitchell integrates a visual vocabulary of her own.

    Artist Statement //

    In Cynthia Dinan-Mitchell’s work, we, as viewers, are impelled to revisit whole swathes of art history, and to reconsider styles, genres and techniques we would normally think of as incompatible. In her syncretic approach, Dinan-Mitchell brings together a wide range of influences and methods: the baroque, 17th-century Dutch still life painting, the chiaroscuro, contour drawing, etching, Japanese and Western film aesthetics, screenprinting, ceramics, sculpture, and other, more recent elements such as surrealism and botany.

    Dinan-Mitchell fully owns the decorative nature of her installations, inverting the hierarchy of low and high art. Indeed, she designs intimate and familiar mise-en-scènes where strangeness, freedom, seduction and humour can truly coexist. Audaciously time-travelling, gleefully conjuring up anachronisms and provoking impossible encounters between incongruous objects, Dinan-Mitchell constantly throws us off the scent.

    Artist Bio //

    1977, Cynthia Dinan-Mitchell works and lives in Quebec City where she explores silkscreening, ceramics and painting.  She has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) from Concordia University (Montreal, 2002) and a Masters in Visual Arts from Laval University (Quebec City, 2007). She has been awarded several grants and prizes including Plein Sud (2011).  Her work has been shown in several artist run centres such as Open Studio (Toronto), CIRCA art actuel (Montreal), and TRUCK (Calgary).  She has also shown her work in major events including La Manif d’art (Quebec Biennale 2017) and Orange 5 (2015). She has participated in residencies in Thailand, Australia, Germany and Belgium.

    Cynthia can be found online at cynthia-dinan-mitchell.com and on Instagram @cdinanmitchell

    Exhibition documentation by Sarah Fuller, below.














































































































































































  • HorizonLine/BaseLine // James Boychuk-Hunter

    HorizonLine/BaseLine // James Boychuk-Hunter

    Exhibition Dates: Friday, June 10 – Friday, July 15, 2022

    Please review our COVID-19 procedures in full here.

    Virtual artist talk: Presented Saturday June 11 at 1pm CDT via Zoom.

    Click here to watch James’s talk on Vimeo.

    Exhibition Text by Jillian Groening.

    – – –

    Martha Street Studio is pleased to present HorizonLine/BaseLine, a solo exhibition by James Boychuck-Hunter (AB).

    HorizonLine/BaseLine engages with graphic symbolic iconographies, asserting an interest in the derivation of certain graphic sensibilities that surround us, but often go unnoticed. Central themes include the function of visual communication – both as intended, as well as the colloquial interpretations that develop through practical engagement – and communications conventions that mutate over time and as media technologies and processes change. HorizonLine/BaseLine occupies itself with examining structures that inform communication and considers the formal components of signification in abstract and broadly general terms.

    HorizonLine/BaseLine hybridizes printmaking techniques, combining etching, woodcut and lithography into experimental constructions, assembling objects from component parts of printed materials. These works utilize a plurality of materials including printed paper, etched and folded steel, cut granite, wire, and steel bar.

     

    Artist Statement

    HorizonLine/BaseLine stems from an interest in the geometries of letterform and typographical design. Through print, my aim is to ponder and investigate the architectural sensibility of letterforms. In the graphic alphabetic system predominantly used in the West, the Latin alphabet, the baseline functions as a horizon and letterforms generally sit atop the baseline as though they are bearing the weight of their own elements. Using this baseline/horizon line parallel as a point of departure, I consider the relationship between interventions in the landscape, mounds, megaliths, or earthworks generally, their role as communicators in the landscape and if their sensibilities in any way, conscious or otherwise, informed the convention of elements sitting atop a baseline in the manner that we now take for granted.

    HorizonLine/BaseLine posits that a vestigial sensibility of architecture and landscape are reflected in our writing system. It is a musing on an alternative system of graphic symbols that asserts an origin in architecture. HorizonLine/BaseLine considers the plethora of lost or abandoned writing systems that collectively resulted in the letterforms that make up the Latin alphabet. 

     

    Artist Bio

    James Boychuk-Hunter is an artist working in printmaking, drawing and sculpture. He has an MFA from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and a BFA from the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He has exhibited in the North America, Europe, and Asia.

    He has received grants and awards including, a 2019 Boston Printmakers North American Biennial Purchase Prize, first place from in the “CLIP: An International Exhibition of Works on Paper” exhibition, visual arts production grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, as well as numerous scholarships. James is currently a sessional faculty member in the print media department at The Alberta University of the Arts, (AU Arts), in Calgary Alberta.

    James can be found online at jamespbhunter.com and on Instagram @jamespbhunter

    Exhibition documentation by Sarah Fuller.

     

  • Martha Street Studio Seeks Community Outreach Workshop Facilitators

    Martha Street Studio Seeks Community Outreach Workshop Facilitators

    Community Outreach Workshop Facilitator – 2 contract positions 

    Deadline to apply: Thursday May 5, 2022 @ 5pm 

     
    Martha Street Studio is embarking on a pilot program of off-site entry-level printmaking workshops, delivered free of charge to community groups throughout the City of Winnipeg, with a focus on engaging under-served, equity-deserving communities.  
     
    Program description: The successful applicants will spend Phase 1 (approximately 2 months) being mentored in three printmaking processes, as well as material, tool and equipment preparation. During this phase, they will also be supported in setting up the administration of the printmaking workshops: applicants will be responsible for identifying community groups and arranging all aspects of the workshops with each community group. During Phase 2 (3-4 months) the successful applicants will be responsible for all aspects of delivering approximately 12 printmaking workshops including: organizing volunteers, preparing materials, transporting the equipment and materials, instruction at the workshop, and cleaning and restocking.
     
    The successful applicants will be emerging visual artists, from BIPOC communities, with a demonstrated commitment to community building practices. An interest in drawing and design is an asset.  Applicants do not need to have previous experience in printmaking as they will be mentored in the specific processes that will be delivered via the workshops. A vehicle and driver’s licence are not required.
     
    The successful applicants will be expected to work as a team. They will have excellent verbal communication skills and a strong desire to learn and share what they have learned. They will have excellent organizational skills, be self-motivated and able to prioritize tasks. They will have strong time-management and scheduling skills. They will be able to build and maintain positive working relationships with studio staff and the community groups they choose to work with. They will have a flexible schedule.
     
    Working hours:  
     – Phase 1 (2 months) – 15 hours a week, at Martha Street Studio, to a total of 135 hours
     – Phase 2 (3-4 months) – 12.5 hours a week spent delivering workshops, to a total of 150 hours – this phase will likely require working some evenings and/or weekends
     
    Remuneration: Contract pays $7837.50 (285 hours @ $27.50)
     
    To apply, please send:
     
    1) a one-page letter detailing the following:
     – your commitment to and experience with community building practices
     – your engagement with under-served and/or equity-deserving communities
     – your experience with artmaking
     – any other experience you have that you think will be an asset in this position

    2) a resume detailing your work and/or volunteer experience

    3) a CV detailing your art practice experience 

    4) names and contact information (phone and email) for 2 references along with explanation of relationship
     
     
    Send all requested materials as pdfs in one email to education@printmakers.mb.ca with 
    Workshop Facilitator Contract in the subject line

    Deadline to apply: Thursday May 5, 2022 @ 5pm 
    Start date: Tuesday May 31
    End date: goal is for the program to be completed by December 31, 2022
     
    Any questions should be directed to Sarah at education@printmakers.mb.ca
     
    Martha Street Studio (MSS) maintains a heritage of excellence in printmaking while advancing artists and innovation through technique, education and community engagement at its sustainable Martha Street Studio facility. We strive to lead by example by prioritizing accessibility throughout our studio and programming. Our printmaking facilities offer inclusive programs for a diverse range of persons working at all levels of printmaking expertise. We also prioritize low to no cost media driven programs for youth, creating an accessible environment by removing financial barriers, and providing a means of expression for artists and members of equity deserving communities across Winnipeg.

    MSS receives core funding from all three levels of government, as well as generous support from The Winnipeg Foundation, the Graham C Lount Family Foundation, and the WH & SE Loewen Foundation.

    ___

    EQUITY STATEMENT

    Martha Street Studio is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented, LGBTQ2, new immigrant, disability and Indigenous communities to apply. It is the Manitoba Printmakers Association’s policy to hire employees solely on the basis of the ability of the applicant to do the job. MPA will make every effort to provide additional adaptations and professional supports to accomplish tasks and responsibilities for successful candidates identifying those specific needed accommodations.

    VISION

    “Unparalleled, accessible facilities and education in the print arts”

    MISSION AND MANDATE

    The Manitoba Printmakers Association maintains the heritage of excellence in printmaking while advancing artists and innovation through technique, education and community engagement at its sustainable Martha Street Studio facility.

    VALUES

    Innovative
    MPA encourages innovation in printmaking and education while maintaining a standard of excellence and our printmaking heritage.

    Inclusive
    MPA is an open and inclusive environment which engages actively with the community through education and outreach and welcomes new and long-term artists from many disciplines.

    Integrity
    MPA is sensitive to diversity, individuality and its place in the community, which is realized in the way we treat our members, each other and our partners.

    Supportive
    MPA supports artists, encourages their growth and well-being, and acts as a stable hub for excellence in printmaking practice, international networking and promotion of work.

    Educators
    MPA believes in the education and mentorship of artists, creating printmaking experiences for the community, and informing the public about our tradition and activities.

    Viability
    MPA is a fiscally responsible organization, committed to ensuring that its operations and diverse programming remain viable in the long-term. 

    Hours, Location, Accessibility: Our hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm, and Saturday* 12 – 5 pm.
    *closed Saturdays of long weekends

    Martha Street Studio is located at 11 Martha Street. A loading zone is located on the street at the front of the building. Martha Street Studio is an accessible space with a lift and two accessible gender-neutral washrooms located on the second floor. 

  • Terra Firma // Mark Laurin

    Terra Firma // Mark Laurin

    Mother Tongue by Mark Laurin

    Extended Exhibition Dates: Friday, February 25 – Friday, April 8, 2022
    Please review our COVID-19 procedures in full here.

    Virtual artist talk presented March 5, 2022.
    Click here to view a recording of the talk on Vimeo.

    Exhibition text by Lisa Kehler.

    – – –

    Martha Street Studio is pleased to present Terra Firma, a solo exhibition by Mark Laurin (BC).

    Terra Firma considers the impact of visual mediation on our understanding of the world. Through overlapping and interweaving layers of expressive mark-making, the works in this exhibition explore the codified ways in which we use line to make sense of our environment. Dense layers of descriptive lines are printed on semi-transparent media, often on both sides, to create ethereal and immersive images. Lines float on the surface, hinting at representation but eluding definitive interpretations.

    The work hopes to spark a reflection on how we interpret visual language – how we read into it, what we expect from it, and how it shapes our cultural outlook.

    Artist statement:

    My work stems from an interest in the catalogue of graphics that code our world. Culling from the history of Western mark-making, from engravings to maps to diagrams, I reference line’s role as mediator between the outside world and our understanding of it. Line is a unit of representation: extend it, divide it, curl it and you have altered its meaning. Each character holds shared meanings, allowing for a common language – a system for translating the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional plane.

    I seek out lines that suggest, among other things, particular textures, movements, or actions and drop them into a spatial void, left to drift without context or representational form. Instead, they build a new ecosystem, colliding and enmeshing with each other to create an atmosphere of fractured meaning and distorted perspectives. Our visual history is broken apart into a landscape of abstract language, one that questions how our visual language is shaped and how it shapes us.

    Artist Bio:

    Mark Laurin is an artist working primarily in screen print. His work explores line as mediator between the outside world and our understanding of it. Mark holds a BFA in Print Media from Concordia University (2012) and an MFA in Printmaking from Indiana University (2018). Recent shows include a two-person exhibition with Neah Kelly at Atelier Circulaire in Montreal, Quebec, and a solo exhibition at Centre[3] for Artistic + Social Practice in Hamilton, Ontario. He is currently based on Vancouver Island, on the traditional lands of the K’ómoks First Nation.

    The artist would like to thank the Ontario Arts Council for their generosity in supporting this project.

    Connect with Mark online at marklaurin.ca and on Instagram @marf.laurin

    Exhibition documentation by Sarah Fuller.

     

  • 2022 Youth Outreach Program Showcase

    2022 Youth Outreach Program Showcase

    Please enjoy this online gallery of works made by participants of the Fall/Winter 2022 Youth Outreach Program.

    Martha Street Studio’s Youth Outreach Program is a free after-school program open to youth aged 16 – 25. It is comprised of 24 classes over 12 weeks during which students learn four different printmaking processes.  Information on the next session dates and the application process is available on the Free Youth Programs section of our website or you can email education@printmakers.mb.ca for more information.

    The Youth Outreach Program could not be made possible without the continued investment of the Graham C. Lount Family Foundation. We are also thankful for the continued support of the Winnipeg Foundation, the Manitoba Arts Council & Province of Manitoba.

    YOP 2022 gallery





































































  • & I’m Done with the Woods // Jonathan S. Green

    & I’m Done with the Woods // Jonathan S. Green

    Exhibition Dates: Friday, January 14 – Friday, February 11, 2022

    Virtual Artist Talk – Saturday January 29th @ 1pm

    In the exhibition ‘& I’m done with the woods’ Jonathan S. Green employs the use of historical and contemporary imagery from research in both texts and excursions into the landscape. The imagery reproduced in the body of work will appear ambiguous in scale, time, and purpose, and include mountains, forests, cabins, camps and fire – its presence and its effect. The cabin elements will provide a glimpse of human interaction in the natural world. How we have behaved and interacted in the landscape in the past while opening up new ideas for future interactions.

    Jonathan S. Green is of Mi’kmaq and Inuit, and settler heritage from Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador. He does not know a lot about his Indigenous heritage but is trying to learn more. Green earned an MFA in Printmaking from the University of Alberta. He currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba – located on Treaty No. 1, the original lands of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininiwak, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

    His creative research investigates ideas around landscape and wilderness, bushcraft and survival, camping and shelter in the face of the climate crisis. Most recently, this has manifested in a reflection on the increased incidence of wildfires, particularly through his drawing and printmaking practice. 

    —

    Our current COVID-19 protocols can be found here.
    Please call (204) 779-6253 or email gallery@printmakers.mb.ca to book an exhibition viewing appointment for groups.

    Please enjoy the online gallery of the exhibition & I’m done with the woods.












































































































    All documentation by Sarah Fuller.

  • 2021 Members’ Show + Sale

    2021 Members’ Show + Sale

    We are glad to continue the Annual Members’ Show + Sale this year in an in-person & digitally friendly format: this year, we will feature all of the members work in the gallery, with viewings by appointment/drop-in, as well as in the virtual gallery below. 

    The opening reception for this year’s Members’ Show was held December 10th, 5-8pm. As with our recent openings, we will be maintaining physical distancing requirements by restricting the total number of people permitted in the gallery to 5 at a time. Vaccination verification and masks are also required. We encourage you to book your visit ahead of time to avoid a line up.


















































































































  • florescence // Joy Wong

    florescence // Joy Wong

    Exhibition Dates: Friday, October 22 – Friday, November 26, 2021

    Opening Reception: Friday, October 22, 2021 5-9 pm

    Additional Programming: 
    Virtual artist talk: Saturday November 6, 1pm CDT
    ASL interpretation is available.

    Zoom link click here

    Meeting ID: 891 7157 9199
    Passcode: 412469



    These events are free to attend and open to the public.
    Our current COVID-19 protocols can be found here.
    Please call (204) 779-6253 or email askmartha@printmakers.mb.ca to book an exhibition viewing appointment.

    Exhibition text by katnancy (to come)

    Martha Street Studio is pleased to present florescence, a solo exhibition by Joy Wong.

    The grotesque body is one with no beginning or end, and is taking up too much, and one with its environment. In the main gallery, the exhibition is of a body “contaminating” the space. Cut-outs from etchings and lithographs are pasted over each other on the gallery walls, in an expansive collage. In this way, the gallery becomes an activated body, the walls become the surface, the skin. Sculptural acrylic monoprints drape and hang off of copper armatures. The basis of these prints are both loosely referencing bodily imagery (such as wrinkles, puckers, dimples, pimples, etc.) and in ambiguous shapes. This project is also a material investigation, as the ideas of the matrix and multiplicity are integral to the ever-expanding body. The corporeal is highlighted in this project, by the thrusting of the two-dimensional qualities of print into an immersive three-dimensional environment. 
     
    Artist statement:
    At the intersections of disgust and beauty, decay and decadence, my practice deals with materiality and the physicality of the human body. Personal history informs research about what it means to reckon with a body in space, meditate on the grotesque and abject, and navigate the meeting point of preservation and destruction. My practice has consisted of projects on the human body through a representational or on a phenomenological standpoint. Lately I have been investigating the notion of the matrix, both as the origin of production and the source of multiplication. I am interested in ideas of the grotesque, and in relation to that, the ideas surrounding abjectness, especially from a queer, diasporic perspective. My ongoing research has largely been based on skin – its role as mediator between interior and exterior worlds, and its relationship to the superficial and superfacial of mark-making and printing/painting. The marks on top of and within the layers of skins I create are fragmented and ambulant, with the potential to come together or fall apart. I am particularly invested in production that is in flux- in works that are on the cusp of deteriorating, falling, or ripping, or on the threshold of renewing, blooming, and coalescing.
     
    Artist Bio:
    Joy Wong (she/they) is an artist and educator based in Tkaronto/Toronto, who works in painting, print media, sculpture, and poetry. Their practice focuses on the intersections of decay and decadence, and connects material investigations with the shifting physicality of the body. Wong was a finalist for the 2018 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. She was the 2019 Pope Artist in Residence at NSCAD and has held residencies at St. Michael’s Print Shop in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, Ontario. They have received grants from the Canada Council of the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. 
    Wong teaches at NSCAD University and University of Toronto. 

    Connect with Joy Wong online at buomhof.com and on Instagram @buomhof.

    Martha Street Studio gratefully acknowledges the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council and Winnipeg Arts Council for their dedicated support of our professional programming.

     

     

    Please enjoy the online gallery of the exhibition florescence.























































































    all documentation by Sarah Fuller