CAFKA's new artistic director Karie Liao; Liao will help organize a June 2014 biennial exhibition in public spaces of the Kitchener region
The Contemporary Art Forum for Kitchener and Area (CAFKA)—which focuses on contemporary art in public spaces—has a new artistic director on board, as well as some of the initial artists lined up for its next biennial exhibition in June 2014.
Don Blanche co-founder Swintak, Vancouver artist Samuel Roy-Bois, and Saskatchewan creator Dagmara Genda are among those presenting at the biennial exhibition, says CAFKA executive director Gordon Hatt. Others include German artist Regina Frank and the Los Angeles–based Prix Ars Electronica honouree Nova Jiang, who recently completed a CAFKA residency. All of these came through the biennial’s open-call process, while the invitational field is still in development.
CAFKA’s new artistic director is Karie Liao, a Toronto-based freelance curator who recently completed a Canada Council residency at the Textile Museum of Canada. Liao will be charged with organizing the biennial exhibition in atria, storefronts, parks and other public spaces throughout Kitchener and the surrounding region.
As an MA student in art history and curatorial studies at York University, Liao co-curated the Varley Art Gallery exhibition “Cul-de-Sac,” featuring art on suburbia by Isabelle Hayeur, Laurie Kang, Kelly Mark, Alex Morrison and others. She also holds a BA in art history and cultural studies from McGill University.
In the year to come, CAFKA will also be hosting a lecture by Krzysztof Wodiczko, renowned internationally for his public projection work. It will also be continuing a residency program with Christie Digital that has most recently hosted UK duo Gibson/Martelli.
Liao is taking over from Sarah Kernohan, who will be pursuing graduate studies at the University of Waterloo.
