Betty Goodwin: In Memoriam

There is no better exemplar of the poetic power of loss—nor of the resilience of the human condition—than Montreal artist Betty Goodwin, who died earlier this month at the age of 85. Canadian Art looks back at her legacy through archives and anecdote.

Video: Venice 2008 Pick Mark Lewis in Conversation with Curator Barbara Fischer

Listen in as UK-based artist Mark Lewis, Canada’s official representative at the 53rd Venice Biennale, discusses his films and plans for his installation with Barbara Fischer, commissioner of the Canadian pavilion. This talk was recorded as part of Canadian Art’s Room with a View program in Toronto, November 2008.

Lorraine Field: More Images from Istanbul

NSCAD alumnus Lorraine Field has been working for years on integrating body and landscape through photography. Recently, she had a show of new works at the Photography Center in Istanbul, a show reviewed in the Winter issue of Canadian Art magazine. Here, we offer more of Field’s lush images, which, as reviewer Sue Gibson Garvey states, uses “layering and juxtaposition to push the temporal boundaries of photography, expanding the notion of the single decisive moment.”

Ten Top MFAs: An Indepth Portfolio View

Art media is often accused of being youth-centric. But when it comes to gauging the quality of art schools, there’s no better evidence, at times, than the quality of their youthful grads. Here, Canadian Art Online offers indepth portfolio views for the 10 top grads detailed in Leah Sandals’s article “The Class of 2008” in the winter print edition of Canadian Art. Take a look, and then keep your eyes open to see how these schools stand up in the future.

The Quebec Triennial: A Coming-Out Party for Concordia & UQAM

The Globe and Mail’s Sarah Milroy wondered this year whether Montreal could be crowned the new art capital of Canada. Certainly its Quebec Triennial was one of the top shows of the year. Here, Canadian Art Online offers an indepth look at which UQAM and Concordia alumni and faculty made what for the breakthrough exhibition.

NSCAD Album: Glory Days and Hoary Days

In his article in the winter print edition of Canadian Art, writer Gary Michael Dault reflects on NSCAD’s storied history, as well as its potential glories to come. Here, in an exclusive slideshow, Canadian Art offers extra photos from NSCAD’s past and present.

Drifting, Slowly: Four Artists Deep in Labour

In “Drifting, Slowly,” four artists use labour-intensive techniques to tranform the bric-a-brac of everyday life into art: an aluminium-foil chain, a grid of drawings, an endlessly variable digital archive. The results speak to the way certain kinds of matter and history persist, whether we expect it or not.

by John Armstrong

Paul Butler: Masking, Making and Mystery

Who’s being celebrated in the art world? Who celebrates them? Who are the gatekeepers? Winnipeg artist Paul Butler raises all these questions in his latest series of tape-masked magazine photos—drawn this time from the pages of Canadian Art’s Toronto issue.

Actions: What You Can Do with the City

With a parliament in suspension and an economy in recession, many Canadians may be wondering what they can do to affect positive change in their communities. “Actions: What You Can Do with the City” a new exhibition in Montreal, aims to provide at least 97 answers.

People Like Us: The Gossip of Colin Campbell

Forget Facebook for gossip. The old face-to-face still has plenty of rumor power, as late Toronto artist Colin Campbell long demonstrated. Campbell’s capacity for dialogue and dish gets a fitting tribute in “People Like Us,” a survey of works at Oakville Galleries that touches on gender, drag, community and more.