seafarers and fishwives
Jennifer Crane
12 kinetic portraits
Peter Wilkins
Dates Showing: January 24th (opening cocktail reception) - February 27th, 2004
Jennifer Crane (Nova Scotia/Alberta)
"Seafarers and Fishwives" engages with myths and actual accounts of women who traveled to sea as well as the exchange and display of photographs as this relates to class and narrative. Crane has created a series of photographs and stero cards that reveals in sequence a narrative about loss and desire in a nineteenth century maritime setting, The installation is made up of two parts. The first part consists of 15 small framed photographs of portraits of the artist posed in disguise from the 19th century, carefully constructed to emulate Cartes-de-Visite or "visiting cards". These small portraits made of loved ones were a commodity, collected and cherished predominantly by the middle class. The second component is made of 24 stereo cards with an antique stereo viewer. There cards are in narrative sequence that is loosely based on folk songs of seafaring women and fishwives.
Peter Wilkins (Newfoundland)
Using flat LCD screens as the method in which to present his digital portraits Wilkins has selected 12 people who have helped shape and maintain the cultural, economic, political and social fabric of Newfoundland. The portraits are drawn from a wide range of people that reflect the successful diversity and character of Newfoundland. The portraits include John Crosbie, Mary Pratt, Lisa Moore, John Mahoney, Craig Dobbin, Sister Elizabeth Davis, Alan Doyle, Mary Walsh, Jim Bradley, Bishop Harvey, Barbara Doran and Diane Humber. Each portrait plays an infinite loop of a five minute sequence. The shot is close up so that the subjects head dominates the screen. Wilkins has asked the sitters questions and statements about the life during the sitting in order to elicit subtle emotional responses. The audience are not subject to hearing these questions, nor is the subject allowed to speak. The process creates an authentic portrait of the subject as they reflect on key moments of their life during the shot.
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