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VIDEO
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Interval
2005
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Exhibited as part of Teletaxi
in Montreal, Interval is an exploration of two historically
significant Montreal sites; an abandoned tramway tunnel that
linked two regions separated by the Lachine Canal, and a three
block stretch of Rue St. Jacque where Canada’s first
banks and mercantile houses still stand. Capturing traces
of physical and emotional states specific to each location
the videos blend footage shot during repeated visits to each
site over a 6 month period. From an underground utilitarian
space transformed by decay and graffiti to architectural details
of highly ornamental Romaneque stone reliefs symbolic of the
opulence of 19th century capitalism, Interval temporarily
reveals hidden and overlooked urban spaces lying immediately
under and above the sight-line of the taxi passenger while
navigating through the two mapped locations.
Interval was created through the generous support of the Ontario
Arts Council.
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Return
to the Mothership
2003 - 3min
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‘Return to the Mothership’ is a site-specific 2 channel
video by Michael Alstad and Vancouver artist Kelty Miyoshi McKinnon
shown at the 'Derelict Sensation' exhibition at St. Pancras
Chambers, London. The work consists of footage gathered from
a secret urban infiltration into two of Canada’s important
railway hotels - The Royal York and the Empress - both built
in the same era and according to similar architectural ideas
of the Midland Grand Hotel at St. Pancras. While the Mothership,
St Pancras, is currently derelict and unused, the Canadian hotels
which were built following Scott’s "chateau-style”
design to mark the progress of the transcontinental railway,
remain very much thriving and luxurious.Check out some pics
of the awesome St.
Pancras Hotel site! |
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MAP
<Multiple Architectures Platform>
2003 - 2min 15 sec.
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MAP is an ongoing series of videos/animations
that examine the mutation of specific urban sites in Toronto
documented over multiple time frames and perspectives. MAP was
part of TeleTaxi,
a site-specific media art exhibition in a taxicab. The taxi
was outfitted with an interactive touch screen that displays
video, animations, music, and information triggered by an onboard
GPS (Global Positioning System). The satellite signal received
by the GPS influenced the work based on the position of the
taxi in the city. |
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15
SECOND BLOWJOB
2002 - 15 sec.
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Andy Warhol created the seminal film Blow Job
in 1964. He extended the duration of his early silent works
by having them projected at a slower rate than what it was originally
shot at (16 frames per second instead of 24). 15 SECOND BLOW
JOB premiered at the Transmedia
2002 festival in Toronto where each artist had a 15 second
time limit for their works to be screened on a public video
billboard. Commenting on the ephemeral nature of media and celebrity
culture, Alstad had to speed things up a bit - the 35 minute
Blow Job was condensed into 15 seconds - the duration of a standard
video billboard ad slot. Check out the Transmedia
site in beautiful downtown Toronto. |
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P A T H
2001 - 4 min.
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The PATH system is a confusing 10km underground network below
Toronto's financial district connecting hundreds of subterranean
retail outlets, banks, food courts, and investment houses through
a series of pedestrian walkways.The video was furtively shot
during lunch hour on Valentines Day, February 14, 2001 - the
same day that the Toronto Stock Exchange saw a huge decline
and sell off of high tech stocks through the worlds largest
fibre optic company, Canada's Nortel Networks. The frenetic
atmosphere arising from a combination of love consumerism and
stock market fallout has been condensed into a snappy 4 minute
digital video.
Catalogue Essay - Paola Poletto |
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STOREFRONT PUSSY
2000 - 3 min. 15sec.
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A single channel site-specific video installation in the Fly
Gallery window was an important exhibition of the few remaining
symbolic holdouts of gentrification; neighbourhood pussies in
storefront windows! From Betty at ZSA ZSA, Rocky and Miso at
SHE SAID BOOM to the Fly Galleries own resident feline, Dyna
- a video loop of these contented kitties ran 24/7 for the month
of December 2000. Interested multinational fashion outlets may
purchase copies of
the video for their own windows - creating the funky atmosphere
of 20th century indi-stores without the threat of hazardous
danders or inconvenience to customers! |
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NET.ART
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CHOICE MAPS
2002
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The Choice Maps Database and Test was developed from the Human
Value System Cultural Codes (vMEMES) Type Indicator Research
and is among the most sophisticated software available. Methodologically
speaking, the generation of such meme maps is simply an automated
application of 'grounded theory'; an established qualitative
research approach designed to generate models of meaning through
iterative loops of data integration and analysis. Our PhD certified
personality assessment is based on years of research from professionals
in the fields of social biology, psychology, and the social
sciences. Skeptical? Check out our customer testimonials
by Guy Debord and WIll Isgone! |
