Failure as aesthetic

The panel at the Dowsing for Failure installation at Open Space was engaging indeed. The conversations ranged from the curatorial process to the theoretical and conceptual notions of failure in artistic practice. It was a productive time, and hats off to Doug Jarvis and Ted Hiebert who put this complex project together. As for my role, I put together some brief notes toward the topic and link my presentation on failure here as a word file.

Failures

Flying over the gulf islands on my way to victoria wherean this aft, will give a talk on "failure" at the artist-run centre, Open Space. Curated by Ted Hiebert & Doug Jarvis is an exhibition there, focussed on this very notion: failure and what that means in artistic practice. When i first saw their call for sub's, i wrote to ted+doug, expressing interest in what they were doing and how they were approaching the topic. So when they invited me to speak at a panel regarding the show and its concepts, i jumped at the opportunity. I partic like their insistence that we not (always) look at "failure" as ultimately recuperable, for there are times when it might be best not to see failings as but a way toward success (whatever those terms mean). Will see the show early this aft before the panel, will post my talk (or notes toward such) on this site presently. Meanwhile, sunny skies prevail here on the island, a switch from the wintery 'scape that is kamloops at this moment in climatology!
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Ashok Mathur
Canada Research Chair in Cultural and Artistic Inquiry
Thompson Rivers University
office: 250.852.6286
cell: 604.790.4910
web: amathur.ca
blog: http://ashokmathur.blogspot.com/

cicac in the saddle

Equipment starting to roll into CiCAC now, so the officey space is chockablock with boxes of macs and assorted gear. Will spend the next few getting things set up, fixing places for setups, and doing general interior dec'g. Still lacking furniture (prob stalled somewhere in purchasing or on the rogers' pass!) but have enough to start things up. Will upload photos of the process soon. Meanwhilst, the photo at right clipped from a kamloops webcam - or go to a current view of looking down the valley toward the north shore...