DESIGN24:
The importance undertaken by Design24 reflects the candidacy of Graphic
Design and illustration as art forms back into the fine art market.
While the formal short definition of graphic design embraces the process as a profession which combines the use of text and graphics in the conveyance of an effective message as a visual language- the process originates as an artistic practise.
The importance undertaken by Design24 reflects the candidacy of Graphic
Design and illustration as art forms back into the fine art market.
While the formal short definition of graphic design embraces the process as a profession which combines the use of text and graphics in the conveyance of an effective message as a visual language- the process originates as an artistic practise.
While Graphic Design as a discipline has a relatively recent history - the term 'graphic
design' first coined by William Addison Dwiggins in 1922 - in late 19th century Europe the
movement began to separate graphic design from fine art. The explosion of visual communication in the 20th and 21st centuries depicts a blurring distinction and over-lapping of advertising art, graphic design and fine art as a result of shared elements, theories, principles, practices and languages.
In graphic design, "the essence is to give order to information, form to ideas, expression and
feeling to artifacts that document human experience." * A valid statement, although interpretations
and the modern popular recognition of graphic design may argue it’s primary
function as a marketing application - both visual and psychological considerations
argue differently in the works of artists such as Andy Warhol, Patrick McNeil and Patrick
Miller (FAILE) and Shepard Fairey to name just a few.
From the internationally recognised and represented work of artist/ illustrator Ben Tour
(Black Market Gallery, LA) to the locally celebrated screen printed, collage installations of
Office Supplies Incorporated (Vancouver Art Gallery), Design24 enlists the works of 24 of
the west coast’s independent designers and illustrators in the recognition of graphic design
culture and its contributors.
Exhibited as an art form both intellectual and aesthetic in the production and presentation
of the work, this series is screen printed by hand on 250g/square inch, 10ml thick ink jet
archival paper, signed and numbered (10 of 10) as a limited edition collection, presented by
Gallery Fukai and the exhibitions co-curators Neal Nolan, Sascha Yamashita and Andrew
Young.
-Neal Nolan.
Co-curator, Design24.
* Meggs, Philip B., 'A history of graphic design'. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1983
Curators: Neal Nolan - Sascha Yammashita - Andrew Young
Gallery Fukai
Vancouver, BC
April 6th - May 4th, 2012
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Labyrinth Exterior Curatorial Projects.
Artist: Sonny Assu
Curator: Neal Nolan
Labyrinth Gallery at ACME Studios
Vancouver, BC
Aug 16th - Oct 20th, 2011
Curatorial
statement by:
Neal E. Nolan
Coke - Salish, featured here, embodies an expansive identity of
Aboriginal culture, the term Coast Salish itself applying to a variety of
Nations; encompassing the Georgia Basin and Puget Sound including British
Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.
Evidence of established Coast Salish settlements were
discovered at Xa:ytem (Hatzic Rock) near Mission BC, dating back as early as
9,000–8,000 BCE. A historical legacy to this land's past is definitely owned by
its indigenous people and is embodied in the message.
Though all world history holds a narrative of warring over
land, the work pays as much attention to the struggle for recognition as it
does to a harmonious resolve within a peaceful gesture.
The piece's strength lies in its inclusiveness, reflecting
an entire territory of peoples, at the same time illustrating the contentious
history often glossed over by the commercialization and consumption of culture.
The term appropriated into iconic corporate signage acknowledges the original
image's connection to a duality of nostalgia connected to a land divided by
assimilation and sharing two individual sets of heritage.
As much of our more contemporary cultural identity has been
largely connected to corporations and marketing, Sonny presents a reverse
appropriation of culture. In this way the concept itself, in the utilization of
the appropriated corporate identity, reverses its notion, draws parallels, and
reminds us of our past and yet still remains inclusive to all cultures in
suggesting the continued enjoyment of the land.
Born in 1975, Interdisciplinary artist Sonny Assu is
Laich-kwil-tach (Kwakwaka’wakw) of the Wei Wai Kai First Nation. Graduating
from Emily Carr University in 2002, his work has challenged borders in
contemporary Native Art and expanded boundaries previously considered
impassable within aboriginal culture.
www.sonnyassu.com
www.sonnyassu.com
SWARM 2011
Exhibit and open studios
Curator: Neal Nolan Labyrinth Gallery & ACME Studios
Vancouver, BC
Aug 16th - Sept 23th, 2011
United Nations - Safe Planet Campaign
The Ocean In Us.
Curators: Barbra Bennish and Neal Nolan
The Round House exhibition hall..Vancouver, BC
Aug 16th, 2011
Artists:
Christian Nicolay Emma Fitzgerald, Francis Tiffany, Sonny Assu, Alexander Bell, Adam Dodd, Neal Nolan, Manuel Mansylla, Barbara Benish,
Jamaica Osorio, Dianna Cohen, Chris Jordan, Jason deCaires Taylor, Rahmin Bahrani, and Anila Agha.
l' esprit d'escalier
Labyrinth Gallery.Vancouver, BC
Curator: Neal Nolan
Friday July 29th, 2011
A collection of 9 international video art installations by:
Alexander Bell - Russell J. Cartier -Fredrick Cummings - VJ Dred - Brian Kent Gotro - Kiron Hussain - Alison Lilly - Riel McGuire - Neal E. Nolan et Darren Read
The Talking Stick Festival
Full Circle First Nations Performance.
10 year retrospective.
The Roundhouse Exhibition Hall
Vancouver, BC
Curator: Neal Nolan
Feburary 1st - 13th, 2011
Photographs by Nadya Kwandibens (Red Works Studio, Toronto)
Selected video, photography and media from 10 years of Festival memorabilia.
For What Ails You
Feb 12th, 2010
6pm -10pm
Grace Satellite Gallery.
(Space Provided by: Mona Euro Furniture)
144 Water St.
Feb 12th -28th
Alison Lilly
Bill Daniel
Damon Morris
Eben Bender
Eric Hoff
Mike Haller
Neal E. Nolan
Curated by: Neal Nolan
http://www.artwalkvancouver.ca/
For what Ails you speaks in regard to the inevitable ephemeral qualities of the urban public landscape, it's modifications and the motives behind it's renovation.
Over the last six years since Vancouver's hard won Olympic bid Vancouver media and residents alike have upheld a constant discourse regarding the variety of issues surrounding everything from the sever homelessness and social housing issues, drug addiction, city improvements, cuts to arts and educational funding, tourism, business restrictions, cultural appropriation and an endless list of complications straining to Vancouver's economy, immediate social issues, heritage and residents.
In the last year Vancouver's core Downtown East Side has witnessed a massive improvement to it's community. Regular garbage collections, policing improvements and new "No Camping" bylaws. The amphetamine and opiate abuse has become suddenly less public and apparent, homelessness has dramatically decreased due to the set up of shelters outside of the city core; areas like Gastown have seen dramatic improvements to buildings, parks and it's business community.
Public recreational and leisure environments like Pigeon Park have witnessed contemporary design upgrades, enforced curfews and increased surveillance inclusive the extension of our Sea Wall bike lane into the area.
In regards to the ephemeral nature of these improvements, it stands
as a large concern to Vancouver residents as to the moral attributes and integrity of these changes, the forced application of identity design over inherent developed culture and the connected ramifications of this potentially impermanent infrastructure.
For What Ails you neither condones nor offers a native of reproach for these considerations but rather presents as a collection of works from local artists who's common practice and application carries with it a mandate for the consideration of contemporary and historic social constructs.
All local artists, aside San Francisco’s Bill Daniel, who's work supports the collaborative freight train cultured themes of Bender and Nolan’s collaborative work which addresses the heritage and foundation of BC's pioneer railways, the working class heroes that put together this land and the transience of the pre- Depression era honored hobo, once war hero's traveling for work (Homeward Bound)- the term now commonly refers to the degenerate association of peoples unable to or refusing to partake in our contemporary social template.
Among the new improvements seen around the city, public art thrives as one of Vancouver's more minor tourist attractions. Among these attractions the city has recently erected a metal sculpture in the likeness of the classic "East Van" logo. Originally appropriated by Dog Town Skateboards, the cross was birthed out of 1950's- 70's East LA Latin gang culture representing the harsh social aspects of E.LA culture; gangs, drugs, prostitution, death and general strife. A recent appropriation worthy considering the troubles allocated within Vancouver’s "East Side."
Mike Haller's work directly references these aspects to the demographic. The human skeleton and, more predominantly, the human skull classically represents death; though Haller's intention stems further, relating only the vessel, it's function and it's breakdown though his visual subject matter creates an inevitable dichotomy as defined by the viewer and their relation to the visual presentation Haller's work.
Alison Lilly addresses her interest in traditional male and female archetypes portrayed within pop culture and both modern and historic media. Raising questions regarding how we choose to perceive media imagery and how these portrayals influence our culture directly associates within the theme of ...What Ails You by way of inquisition towards the identity of proposed commercial marking and presentation.
