e-Flux Art List

msw (Canada)
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  1. intertidal
    of or relating to the littoral area above the low-tide mark
    Located along North Vancouver's intertidal zone from the early 20th century until 1971, this improvised village was home to a number of artists, writers and activists.
  2. biennial
    occurring every second year
    He has also represented Canada at the Istanbul Biennial, São Paulo Biennial, Shanghai Biennale, Gwangju Biennale and Documenta.
  3. installation
    the act of setting something up for use
    The focus is on works produced in the last five years, but one important earlier piece, the slide and sound installation Character and Player, 1998, has been included as a bass note for the whole exhibition.
  4. polemically
    involving controversy
    Entitled Possible Abstractions, this series constitutes a caricature of the polemically ironic attacks on the develop¬ment of modern abstract painting, and claims to be a new form of that brand of art.
  5. coruscate
    reflect brightly
    For the film Coruscating Cinnamon Granules (1996), Graham strewed ground cinnamon onto a burner of the stove in his kitchen and filmed the glowing specks; the theatre space in which this film is shown has the same dimensions as the kitchen where it was made.
  6. exhibition
    the act of displaying or demonstrating
    Lunds konsthall's programme for 2010 starts with a solo exhibition by the celebrated Portuguese artist João Penalva.
  7. conceptualism
    the doctrine that the application of a general term to various objects indicates the existence of a mental entity that mediates the application
    In the heyday of mid-1990s neo-conceptualism, Bjarne Melgaard enters the art scene with expressionistic and chaotic paintings, sculptures and installations full of desire and fearful longings staged somewhere in between fiction and reality.
  8. phoneme
    a distinct speech sound in a particular language
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  9. segmental
    divided or organized into speech segments or isolable speech sounds
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  10. curatorial
    of or relating to a curator or the duties of a curator
    They'll contribute through new work, but also in capacities beyond the strictly artistic - including the co-curatorial.
  11. juxtapose
    place side by side
    Narrativity is of great importance in João Penalva's art, which is shaped by his capacity for thinking and speaking in images and for juxtaposing images with words.
  12. rotational
    of or pertaining to rotation
    The first five pages on which he recognised this phenomenon in the layout of the text are arranged so that the rotational effect becomes tangible.
  13. investigatory
    designed to find information or ascertain facts
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  14. expressionistic
    of or relating to expressionism
    In the heyday of mid-1990s neo-conceptualism, Bjarne Melgaard enters the art scene with expressionistic and chaotic paintings, sculptures and installations full of desire and fearful longings staged somewhere in between fiction and reality.
  15. stylistic
    of or relating to style (especially in the use of language)
    Melgaard's art belongs to a long tradition of expressionism that can be traced back to Edvard Munch – Melgaard's spiritual and stylistic mentor – and to the founding of Die Brücke in Dresden in 1905.
  16. body of work
    the total output of a writer or artist
    Canadian artist Rodney Graham's exhibition entitled Through the Forest provides insight into the development of his complex body of work.
  17. metamorphose
    change in outward structure or looks
    It is a complex, even chaotic, pictorial world where figures and objects seem to metamorphose in indefinable ways from one state to another.
  18. sustainable
    capable of being prolonged
    His research project http://www.OpenStructures.net develops models for a sustainable and democratic way of designing.
  19. module
    an inherent cognitive or perceptual power of the mind
    His installations, drawings and objects are best described as modules of thought.
  20. theatricality
    an artificial and mannered quality
    Penalva's art can be understood in terms of physicality, visuality and theatricality.
  21. triptych
    art consisting of a painting or carving on three panels
    The theme of the role of the artist is also explored in the monumental triptych The Gifted Amateur, Nov. 10th, 1962 (2007).
  22. oeuvre
    the total output of a writer or artist
    Although we can talk of Melgaard's oeuvre in terms of different stylistic periods corresponding to a greater or lesser degree to various chapters in his life, his art is a continued, and ongoing, flow of real and imagined narratives.
  23. art
    the creation of beautiful or significant things
    Narrativity is of great importance in João Penalva's art, which is shaped by his capacity for thinking and speaking in images and for juxtaposing images with words.
  24. minimalist
    a conservative advocating only minor reforms in government
    From there, it was only a small step to designing bookcases that resembled works of Minimalist art, mostly those by Donald Judd.
  25. granule
    a tiny particle of something
    For the film Coruscating Cinnamon Granules (1996), Graham strewed ground cinnamon onto a burner of the stove in his kitchen and filmed the glowing specks; the theatre space in which this film is shown has the same dimensions as the kitchen where it was made.
  26. unpredictable
    unknown in advance
    Yona Friedman (1923), however, is convinced that the development of cities is unpredictable, which makes it impossible for an urban planner to design a proper city for its inhabitants.
  27. ambivalent
    uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  28. infrastructure
    the basic features of a system or organization
    • The exhibition will amount to a variable arrangement including commissioned work, work-in-progress and discursive infrastructure.
  29. distinctive feature
    an odd or unusual characteristic
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  30. normality
    state of being within limits that define a standard range
    Melgaard situates himself within a Nietzschean discourse of instincts and passions, morality and normality.
  31. expressionism
    an art movement focused on representing inner emotions
    Melgaard's art belongs to a long tradition of expressionism that can be traced back to Edvard Munch – Melgaard's spiritual and stylistic mentor – and to the founding of Die Brücke in Dresden in 1905.
  32. curator
    the custodian of a collection, as a museum or library
    Offsite: Ken Lum is curated by the Audain Curator of British Columbia Art, Grant Arnold, with assistant curator, Kathleen Ritter.
  33. conceptual
    being or characterized by ideas or their formation
    The roots of Graham's work, which is influenced by 1970s Conceptual art and its way of thinking, lie in the adaptation of literary models.
  34. submerge
    put under water
    Together, words, paintings, drawings, and sculptures become like one overarching installation, which seems to submerge and overwhelm the spectator in their own particular time and space.
  35. mental faculty
    one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
    According to the philosopher Henri Bergson, the dreamer uses the same mental faculties as when he is awake, but without the restrictions that bind him when he must attend to life.
  36. expressionist
    an artist who is an adherent of expressionism
    An instinctive and genuine painter, Bjarne Melgaard adopts expressionist language in his works – or, perhaps more accurately, he has become adopted by this introspective style.
  37. fragmented
    having been broken up or divided into parts or pieces
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  38. composite
    consisting of separate interconnected parts
    He works with film and video or with prints of various photographic images, often in composite installations that combine several artistic media, sound and light.
  39. point of departure
    a beginning from which an enterprise is launched
    Friedman's ville spatiale, Lommée's OpenStructures and Nuur's interimodules provide a point of departure, but don't comment on the final image.
  40. improvise
    manage in a makeshift way; do with whatever is at hand
    Located along North Vancouver's intertidal zone from the early 20th century until 1971, this improvised village was home to a number of artists, writers and activists.
  41. modernity
    the quality of being current or of the present
    Graham plays on the art historical discourse of Modernity in which diverse directions are represented.
  42. commissioned
    given official approval to act
    There is also a specially commissioned installation of ten loose-sheet picture books, individually titled and displayed on reading tables, as well as a series of seven large framed digital prints with accompanying short texts, also individually titled.
  43. introspective
    given to examining own sensory and perceptual experiences
    An instinctive and genuine painter, Bjarne Melgaard adopts expressionist language in his works – or, perhaps more accurately, he has become adopted by this introspective style.
  44. fantastical
    existing in fancy only
    Melgaard invents fantastical scenes, or rather, he "renders visible" dreams and fantasies, as if trying to make them real.
  45. planner
    a person who makes plans
    Yona Friedman (1923), however, is convinced that the development of cities is unpredictable, which makes it impossible for an urban planner to design a proper city for its inhabitants.
  46. designing
    the act of working out the form of something
    His research project http://www.OpenStructures.net develops models for a sustainable and democratic way of designing.
  47. architecture
    the discipline dealing with the design of fine buildings
    The display created for the 1950s architecture of Lunds konsthall includes, among other works, the slide and video installation Pavlina and the automated shadow theatre Petit Verre, both 2007, and the triple video projection Hermitage Pier, 2004.
  48. modernism
    practices typical of contemporary life or thought
    The work of Vancouver artist Ken Lum questions the relationship between modernism, mass culture and everyday experience, often blurring the boundaries separating high art and popular culture.
  49. culminate
    end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
    The exhibition Through the Forest displays a long path that goes from the adaptation of literary models and the appro¬priation of moments in art history to impressive film works, and finally culminates in a classical art medium, painting.
  50. condense
    cause a gas or vapor to change into a liquid
    He offers viewers condensed reflections on visual data and precise modulations of emotional states.
  51. terminology
    a system of words used to name things in a discipline
    For him, the text became a loop, as the term is used in film terminology, and a key element to later works.
  52. modulation
    the act of adjusting according to due measure and proportion
    He offers viewers condensed reflections on visual data and precise modulations of emotional states.
  53. stilt
    a pole used for walking high above the ground
    Propped up on stilts over the surface of the Offsite reflecting pool, the huts strike a sharp contrast with the surrounding downtown architecture.
  54. internationally
    throughout the world
    The Vancouver Art Gallery has commissioned a large-scale site-specific installation by internationally renowned artist Ken Lum for display in one of the city's most prominent locations during the 2010 Winter Games.
  55. analyse
    break down into components or essential features
    He conjures up any image he fancies, and the absurdity we associate with dreams is nothing but his attempt to analyse these images rather than just letting them flutter by.
  56. configuration
    an arrangement of parts or elements
    In this configuration, Penalva's works appear to be governed by the logic of the dream.
  57. stave in
    break in the staves (of)
    For the film Coruscating Cinnamon Granules (1996), Graham strewed ground cinnamon onto a burner of the stove in his kitchen and filmed the glowing specks; the theatre space in which this film is shown has the same dimensions as the kitchen where it was made.
  58. complicate
    make less simple
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  59. situate
    determine or indicate the place or limits of
    Melgaard situates himself within a Nietzschean discourse of instincts and passions, morality and normality.
  60. archive
    a depository containing historical records and documents
    A significant part of this exhibition is devoted to his early works and the development of his oeuvre; to this end, the MACBA is showing the archive of Rodney Graham's former Belgian publisher, Yves Gevaert, for the first time, allow¬ing viewers to make connections between his work and the material in this archive.
  61. documented
    furnished with or supported by written information
    First, he documented the object photographically, in the style of New Objectivity; he then covered it with flour to create a poignant image for words falling silent.
  62. motif
    a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work
    The exhibition at the MACBA focuses on the films which, on a formal level, further the tradition of con¬ceptual-text works and light phenomena in terms of themes and motifs.
  63. autobiographical
    relating to or in the style of an account of one's own life
    It is an attempt to stage autobiographical fiction, and to approach absolute freedom.
  64. adaptation
    the process of adjusting or conforming to new conditions
    The roots of Graham's work, which is influenced by 1970s Conceptual art and its way of thinking, lie in the adaptation of literary models.
  65. replica
    copy that is not the original
    On view from January 23 to September 6 at the Gallery's recently launched outdoor exhibition space, Offsite, the artist's large sculptural work includes three scale replicas of squatters' shacks that once populated North Vancouver's shoreline.
  66. abstraction
    the process of formulating general concepts
    He developed his characteristic formal language in the mid-1990s, and this period, in particular, reflects the real pleasure Melgaard takes in painting and the feelings and sensuality that go into each line – drawn or painted – sometimes taking his works to the verge of pure abstraction.
  67. deploy
    place troops or weapons in battle formation
    Very consciously they deploy aspects such as time and coincidence in their work.
  68. activist
    a reformer who works to achieve social or political change
    Located along North Vancouver's intertidal zone from the early 20th century until 1971, this improvised village was home to a number of artists, writers and activists.
  69. large-scale
    unusually large in scope
    The Vancouver Art Gallery has commissioned a large-scale site-specific installation by internationally renowned artist Ken Lum for display in one of the city's most prominent locations during the 2010 Winter Games.
  70. phenomenon
    any state or process known through the senses
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  71. mastering
    becoming proficient in the use of something
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  72. flux
    a state of constant change
    To some, a biennial is a matter of a simple working equation. "e-flux announcement + (budget x floorspace ÷ number of artists)".
  73. focusing
    the concentration of attention or energy on something
    Navid Nuur (1976) explores and changes the way we perceive and experience a certain space starting from his interest in what we record unconsciously or risk missing because we are focusing on something else.
  74. project
    a planned undertaking
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  75. retrospective
    concerned with or related to the past
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  76. consolidate
    form into a solid mass or whole
    An exhibition theme is missing here, save for the question of the conditions of production that biennials reflect and consolidate.
  77. indefinable
    not capable of being precisely or readily described
    It is a complex, even chaotic, pictorial world where figures and objects seem to metamorphose in indefinable ways from one state to another.
  78. intersection
    the act of meeting at a point
    Located at the foot of the Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver's tallest building at the busy intersection of Thurlow and West Georgia Streets, these dissimilar structures evoke the character of the mudflat community and draw attention to the rapid advance of urban development in the Lower Mainland.
  79. drawing
    a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  80. innovative
    introducing new ideas or creative methods
    Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite offers a rotating program of innovative public art projects by local and international artists in Vancouver's downtown core, which respond to the city's unique urban environment.
  81. reflecting
    causing reflection or having a device that reflects
    His imagery is lens-based, reflecting an outside world, and his writing becomes an inner voice.
  82. posing
    the act of assuming a certain position
    In 3 Musicians (Members of the Early Music Group 'Renaissance Fare' Performing Matteo of Perugia's 'Le Greygnour Bien' at the Unitar¬ian Church of Vancouver, Late September, 1977) from 2006, and even more in the most recent work in this exhibition, enti¬tled Artist's Model Posing for 'The Old Bugler, Among the Fallen, Beaune-la-Rolande 1870' in the Studio of An Unknown Military Painter, Paris, 1885 (2009), Graham continues to re-enact his¬torical paintings.
  83. complex
    complicated in structure
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  84. spectator
    a close observer; someone who looks at something
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  85. pictorial
    pertaining to or consisting of pictures
    It is a complex, even chaotic, pictorial world where figures and objects seem to metamorphose in indefinable ways from one state to another.
  86. collaboration
    act of working jointly
    • In order to engage with infrastructure and art production within the city, independent spaces in Taipei have been invited to articulate various levels of collaboration.
  87. neo
    (used as a combining form) recent or new
    In the heyday of mid-1990s neo-conceptualism, Bjarne Melgaard enters the art scene with expressionistic and chaotic paintings, sculptures and installations full of desire and fearful longings staged somewhere in between fiction and reality.
  88. theme
    the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
    The exhibition at the MACBA focuses on the films which, on a formal level, further the tradition of con¬ceptual-text works and light phenomena in terms of themes and motifs.
  89. explicitly
    in a clearly expressed manner
    His works are animated by a surrealistic impulse and are loaded with punctual symbolic references almost always explicitly sexual and violent in nature.
  90. improvised
    done or made using whatever is available
    Located along North Vancouver's intertidal zone from the early 20th century until 1971, this improvised village was home to a number of artists, writers and activists.
  91. collectively
    in conjunction with; combined
    In the work of Thomas Lommée (1979) systems, structures and the way individuals can use them collectively and individually play a central role.
  92. populated
    furnished with inhabitants
    On view from January 23 to September 6 at the Gallery's recently launched outdoor exhibition space, Offsite, the artist's large sculptural work includes three scale replicas of squatters' shacks that once populated North Vancouver's shoreline.
  93. mentor
    a wise and trusted guide and advisor
    Melgaard's art belongs to a long tradition of expressionism that can be traced back to Edvard Munch – Melgaard's spiritual and stylistic mentor – and to the founding of Die Brücke in Dresden in 1905.
  94. emptiness
    the state of containing nothing
    His images grow from that emptiness where his artistic desires and inner demons meet.
  95. arresting
    commanding attention
    From a landmark exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and an arresting presentation of contemporary art based on the human form, to a massive two-floor survey of British Columbia's visual art, visitors will experience some of the most exciting programming in the Gallery's history.
  96. lateral
    situated at or extending to the side
    A discussion not only lateral in context but also vertical in exhibition history.
  97. equation
    a mathematical statement that two expressions are the same
    To some, a biennial is a matter of a simple working equation. "e-flux announcement + (budget x floorspace ÷ number of artists)".
  98. enact
    order by virtue of superior authority; decree
    In the film Lobbing Potatoes at a Gong, 1969 (2006), Graham re-enacts a scene from the history of rock music in which a musician throws potatoes at a gong in a sort of performance.
  99. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
    He conjures up any image he fancies, and the absurdity we associate with dreams is nothing but his attempt to analyse these images rather than just letting them flutter by.
  100. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  101. invoke
    request earnestly; ask for aid or protection
    All elements of his works, whether photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, films, books and catalogue, tell us the same story of exclusion and invoke the same quest for the individual's total freedom.
  102. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  103. monumental
    of outstanding significance
    The theme of the role of the artist is also explored in the monumental triptych The Gifted Amateur, Nov. 10th, 1962 (2007).
  104. contribute
    give, provide, or supply something
    An assortment of other materials has also been included in the exhibition, and it contributes to the understanding of how Graham's ideas developed.
  105. spectrum
    a broad range of related objects, values, or qualities
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  106. imagery
    the ability to form mental pictures of things or events
    His imagery is lens-based, reflecting an outside world, and his writing becomes an inner voice.
  107. obsession
    an unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something
    The same references appear again and again throughout his works, as if an obsession.
  108. amateur
    someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime
    The theme of the role of the artist is also explored in the monumental triptych The Gifted Amateur, Nov. 10th, 1962 (2007).
  109. critically
    in a critical manner
    Artists are invited to critically revisit older contributions.
  110. included
    enclosed in the same envelope or package
    The focus is on works produced in the last five years, but one important earlier piece, the slide and sound installation Character and Player, 1998, has been included as a bass note for the whole exhibition.
  111. labyrinth
    complex system of paths in which it is easy to get lost
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  112. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  113. unique
    the single one of its kind
    We warmly thank all the lenders, and above all the artist for his extraordinary commitment and his fine sensibility towards the gallery's unique architecture.
  114. identity
    the characteristics by which a thing or person is known
    These clippings serve to anchor them in a given moment in time and provide each work with a fundamental identity.
  115. variable
    something that is likely to change
    • The exhibition will amount to a variable arrangement including commissioned work, work-in-progress and discursive infrastructure.
  116. element
    a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  117. tangible
    perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch
    The first five pages on which he recognised this phenomenon in the layout of the text are arranged so that the rotational effect becomes tangible.
  118. context
    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation
    A discussion not only lateral in context but also vertical in exhibition history.
  119. poignant
    keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
    First, he documented the object photographically, in the style of New Objectivity; he then covered it with flour to create a poignant image for words falling silent.
  120. transient
    lasting a very short time
    The artist is repeatedly telling the spectator and the world who he is, a homosexual and an outsider, while at the same time taking on different transient identities – Casanova, Rob Bo'bel, Bernard St. Summiere, Raoul – in his attempt to challenge repressive social conventions, expectations and prejudices.
  121. abstract
    existing only in the mind
    In this installation, Graham is a sleepwalking amateur painter who attempts to reproduce a large-format abstract painting that had obviously interested him when he was studying art.
  122. development
    a process in which something passes to a different stage
    Yona Friedman (1923), however, is convinced that the development of cities is unpredictable, which makes it impossible for an urban planner to design a proper city for its inhabitants.
  123. articulate
    express or state clearly
    • In order to engage with infrastructure and art production within the city, independent spaces in Taipei have been invited to articulate various levels of collaboration.
  124. resemble
    be similar or bear a likeness to
    From there, it was only a small step to designing bookcases that resembled works of Minimalist art, mostly those by Donald Judd.
  125. consciously
    with awareness
    Very consciously they deploy aspects such as time and coincidence in their work.
  126. reproduce
    make a copy or equivalent of
    In this installation, Graham is a sleepwalking amateur painter who attempts to reproduce a large-format abstract painting that had obviously interested him when he was studying art.
  127. staged
    deliberately arranged for effect
    In the heyday of mid-1990s neo-conceptualism, Bjarne Melgaard enters the art scene with expressionistic and chaotic paintings, sculptures and installations full of desire and fearful longings staged somewhere in between fiction and reality.
  128. boundary
    the line indicating the limit or extent of something
    During the last fifteen years, Melgaard has created multiple worlds while breaking down artistic boundaries and questioning the limits of morality.
  129. series
    similar things placed in order or one after another
    There is also a specially commissioned installation of ten loose-sheet picture books, individually titled and displayed on reading tables, as well as a series of seven large framed digital prints with accompanying short texts, also individually titled.
  130. projection
    the act of expelling or ejecting
    The display created for the 1950s architecture of Lunds konsthall includes, among other works, the slide and video installation Pavlina and the automated shadow theatre Petit Verre, both 2007, and the triple video projection Hermitage Pier, 2004.
  131. flexible
    able to bend easily
    Friedman wants to give the citizen the final say and in the 1950s he developed the ville spatiale; large, open and flexible structures, preferably raised from street level, in which the residents themselves can shape their living environment.
  132. multiple
    having or involving more than one part or entity
    During the last fifteen years, Melgaard has created multiple worlds while breaking down artistic boundaries and questioning the limits of morality.
  133. possibility
    capability of existing or happening or being true
    Graham's interest was piqued and he realised the inherent possibilities of repetition.
  134. represent
    be a delegate or spokesperson for
    Our society is built on security, represented by ideal images and ideal numbers.
  135. traditional
    consisting of or derived from a practice of long standing
    Traditional urban planning is based on the predictability of human behaviour.
  136. experience
    the content of observation or participation in an event
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  137. lens
    a transparent optical device used to form images
    His imagery is lens-based, reflecting an outside world, and his writing becomes an inner voice.
  138. landmark
    a prominent or well-known object in a particular place
    From a landmark exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and an arresting presentation of contemporary art based on the human form, to a massive two-floor survey of British Columbia's visual art, visitors will experience some of the most exciting programming in the Gallery's history.
  139. exclusion
    a deliberate act of omission
    All elements of his works, whether photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, films, books and catalogue, tell us the same story of exclusion and invoke the same quest for the individual's total freedom.
  140. symbolic
    relating to or using arbitrary signs
    His works are animated by a surrealistic impulse and are loaded with punctual symbolic references almost always explicitly sexual and violent in nature.
  141. distinctive
    of a feature that helps to identify a person or thing
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  142. aesthetic
    characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
    If there are aesthetic and political matters that set biennials apart, is there a way to use the format more precisely, more effectively, for everyone involved?
  143. discourse
    an extended communication dealing with some particular topic
    Melgaard situates himself within a Nietzschean discourse of instincts and passions, morality and normality.
  144. contemporary
    occurring in the same period of time
    Lunds konsthall is delighted to present this solo exhibition with one of Europe's leading contemporary artists.
  145. graphic
    written or drawn or engraved
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  146. device
    an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
    The device created appears like a machine for seeing.
  147. translation
    rendering in another language with the same meaning
    In that translation, Graham discovered a peculiarity of the layout: the words 'Through the forest' appear twice at points where the story continues from one page to another.
  148. inherent
    existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
    Graham's interest was piqued and he realised the inherent possibilities of repetition.
  149. narrative
    an account that tells the particulars of an act or event
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  150. vertical
    at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line
    A discussion not only lateral in context but also vertical in exhibition history.
  151. spontaneous
    said or done without having been planned in advance
    When creating his works, he will jump on the first spontaneous idea he gets, without preconception.
  152. provoke
    provide the needed stimulus for
    When his visions are exhibited in galleries and museums, they tend to provoke extreme reactions.
  153. instinctive
    unthinking
    An instinctive and genuine painter, Bjarne Melgaard adopts expressionist language in his works – or, perhaps more accurately, he has become adopted by this introspective style.
  154. rustic
    characteristic of rural life
    Titled from shangri-la to shangri-la, Lum's rustic cabins resemble those of the Maplewood Mudflats squatters' community.
  155. partnership
    a cooperative relationship between people or groups
    Thanks to a partnership that will see the Province of British Columbia's BC Canada Pavilion located on the fourth floor of the Gallery, all exhibitions will be free to the public during the 17 days of the Olympic Winter Games.
  156. exterior
    situated in the outdoors or outside of a building
    To emphasise the connection to an exterior reality, he sometimes incorporates images and photographs cut out from magazines into his works.
  157. inner
    located inward
    His imagery is lens-based, reflecting an outside world, and his writing becomes an inner voice.
  158. diverse
    distinctly dissimilar or unlike
    Graham plays on the art historical discourse of Modernity in which diverse directions are represented.
  159. presentation
    the act of formally giving something, as a prize
    From a landmark exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and an arresting presentation of contemporary art based on the human form, to a massive two-floor survey of British Columbia's visual art, visitors will experience some of the most exciting programming in the Gallery's history.
  160. advancement
    the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)
    Even when it comes to urban promotion, professional advancement or activist demands, the track record is quite disappointing.
  161. catalogue
    a complete list of things, usually arranged systematically
    All elements of his works, whether photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, films, books and catalogue, tell us the same story of exclusion and invoke the same quest for the individual's total freedom.
  162. commitment
    the act of binding yourself to a course of action
    We warmly thank all the lenders, and above all the artist for his extraordinary commitment and his fine sensibility towards the gallery's unique architecture.
  163. sensibility
    mental responsiveness and awareness
    We warmly thank all the lenders, and above all the artist for his extraordinary commitment and his fine sensibility towards the gallery's unique architecture.
  164. elements
    violent or severe weather
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  165. culture
    all the knowledge and values shared by a society
    The work of Vancouver artist Ken Lum questions the relationship between modernism, mass culture and everyday experience, often blurring the boundaries separating high art and popular culture.
  166. appropriation
    a deliberate act of acquisition, often without permission
    There is room for change, surprise and appropriation.
  167. loop
    anything with a round or oval shape
    For him, the text became a loop, as the term is used in film terminology, and a key element to later works.
  168. dimension
    a construct distinguishing objects or individuals
    For the film Coruscating Cinnamon Granules (1996), Graham strewed ground cinnamon onto a burner of the stove in his kitchen and filmed the glowing specks; the theatre space in which this film is shown has the same dimensions as the kitchen where it was made.
  169. premise
    a statement that is held to be true
    With the latter premise in mind, the Taipei Biennial 2010 will be restructuring the traditional format along the following lines.
  170. option
    one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
    To many others, the distinctive feature lies in the investigatory options, in the possibility of creating a situation that is more ambivalent and tentative than others.
  171. questioning
    a request for information
    During the last fifteen years, Melgaard has created multiple worlds while breaking down artistic boundaries and questioning the limits of morality.
  172. repetition
    the act of doing or performing again
    Graham's interest was piqued and he realised the inherent possibilities of repetition.
  173. reference
    the act of consulting
    His works are animated by a surrealistic impulse and are loaded with punctual symbolic references almost always explicitly sexual and violent in nature.
  174. unconsciously
    without awareness
    Navid Nuur (1976) explores and changes the way we perceive and experience a certain space starting from his interest in what we record unconsciously or risk missing because we are focusing on something else.
  175. scale
    an ordered reference standard
    The Vancouver Art Gallery has commissioned a large-scale site-specific installation by internationally renowned artist Ken Lum for display in one of the city's most prominent locations during the 2010 Winter Games.
  176. core
    the center of an object
    Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite offers a rotating program of innovative public art projects by local and international artists in Vancouver's downtown core, which respond to the city's unique urban environment.
  177. partially
    in some degree; not wholly
    • TB 2010 will partially build on ideas and projects from previous Taipei Biennials.
  178. tradition
    a specific practice of long standing
    Melgaard's art belongs to a long tradition of expressionism that can be traced back to Edvard Munch – Melgaard's spiritual and stylistic mentor – and to the founding of Die Brücke in Dresden in 1905.
  179. peculiarity
    an odd or unusual characteristic
    In that translation, Graham discovered a peculiarity of the layout: the words 'Through the forest' appear twice at points where the story continues from one page to another.
  180. impact
    the striking of one body against another
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  181. behaviour
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    Traditional urban planning is based on the predictability of human behaviour.
  182. logic
    the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference
    In this configuration, Penalva's works appear to be governed by the logic of the dream.
  183. classical
    of the most highly developed stage of an early civilization
    The exhibition Through the Forest displays a long path that goes from the adaptation of literary models and the appro¬priation of moments in art history to impressive film works, and finally culminates in a classical art medium, painting.
  184. excite
    act as a stimulant
    From a landmark exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and an arresting presentation of contemporary art based on the human form, to a massive two-floor survey of British Columbia's visual art, visitors will experience some of the most exciting programming in the Gallery's history.
  185. corresponding
    similar especially in position or purpose
    Although we can talk of Melgaard's oeuvre in terms of different stylistic periods corresponding to a greater or lesser degree to various chapters in his life, his art is a continued, and ongoing, flow of real and imagined narratives.
  186. bodily
    of or relating to or belonging to the body
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  187. quest
    the act of searching for something
    All elements of his works, whether photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, films, books and catalogue, tell us the same story of exclusion and invoke the same quest for the individual's total freedom.
  188. exclamation
    an abrupt excited utterance
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  189. layer
    a single thickness of some substance or material
    Mastering the line of drawing and the architecture of installation, he takes spectators into a labyrinth of layered and complex narratives, in which subjects are excessive and destructive, and where strokes and splashes take on the shape of otherworldly phenomena, often to the soundtrack of outrageous and violent words.
  190. data
    a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
    He offers viewers condensed reflections on visual data and precise modulations of emotional states.
  191. audience
    a gathering of spectators or listeners at a performance
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  192. datum
    an item of factual information from measurement or research
    He offers viewers condensed reflections on visual data and precise modulations of emotional states.
  193. event
    something that happens at a given place and time
    What is it that sets an art biennial apart from other official events.
  194. arrange
    put into a proper or systematic order
    The first five pages on which he recognised this phenomenon in the layout of the text are arranged so that the rotational effect becomes tangible.
  195. complicated
    difficult to analyze or understand
    In this retrospective exhibition a broad selection of his works are included across a spectrum of media – drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations – to give the audience an insightful experience of his artistic project, and a deeper understanding of what motivates his complicated and dark scenarios.
  196. pose
    assume a bearing as for artistic purposes
    In 3 Musicians (Members of the Early Music Group 'Renaissance Fare' Performing Matteo of Perugia's 'Le Greygnour Bien' at the Unitar¬ian Church of Vancouver, Late September, 1977) from 2006, and even more in the most recent work in this exhibition, enti¬tled Artist's Model Posing for 'The Old Bugler, Among the Fallen, Beaune-la-Rolande 1870' in the Studio of An Unknown Military Painter, Paris, 1885 (2009), Graham continues to re-enact his¬torical paintings.
  197. key
    metal device that allows a lock's mechanism to be rotated
    The impact of built space and bodily time are key elements in the works selected for the exhibition at Lunds konsthall, which bring together the palpable, the imaginary and the unconscious.
  198. impressive
    making a strong or vivid mental image
    The exhibition Through the Forest displays a long path that goes from the adaptation of literary models and the appro¬priation of moments in art history to impressive film works, and finally culminates in a classical art medium, painting.
  199. engage
    consume all of one's attention or time
    • In order to engage with infrastructure and art production within the city, independent spaces in Taipei have been invited to articulate various levels of collaboration.
  200. adopt
    take into one's family
    An instinctive and genuine painter, Bjarne Melgaard adopts expressionist language in his works – or, perhaps more accurately, he has become adopted by this introspective style.
  201. zone
    an area or region distinguished from adjacent parts
    Located along North Vancouver's intertidal zone from the early 20th century until 1971, this improvised village was home to a number of artists, writers and activists.
  202. illusion
    an erroneous mental representation
    All in vain, because security is an illusion.
  203. interpretation
    the act of expressing something in an artistic performance
    Friedman, Lommée and Nuur make an inviting gesture, encouraging the public, resident or user to give his or her own interpretation of the work.
  204. vivid
    having striking color
    Graham constructed a reading machine that he employed to make this experience both vivid and visible.
  205. studio
    workplace for the teaching or practice of an art
    In 3 Musicians (Members of the Early Music Group 'Renaissance Fare' Performing Matteo of Perugia's 'Le Greygnour Bien' at the Unitar¬ian Church of Vancouver, Late September, 1977) from 2006, and even more in the most recent work in this exhibition, enti¬tled Artist's Model Posing for 'The Old Bugler, Among the Fallen, Beaune-la-Rolande 1870' in the Studio of An Unknown Military Painter, Paris, 1885 (2009), Graham continues to re-enact his¬torical paintings.
  206. massive
    containing a great quantity of matter
    From a landmark exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and an arresting presentation of contemporary art based on the human form, to a massive two-floor survey of British Columbia's visual art, visitors will experience some of the most exciting programming in the Gallery's history.
  207. fundamental
    serving as an essential component
    These clippings serve to anchor them in a given moment in time and provide each work with a fundamental identity.
  208. process
    a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
    Allowing insecurity to enter the design process creates a sense of freedom.
  209. contribution
    a voluntary gift made to some worthwhile cause
    Artists are invited to critically revisit older contributions.
  210. render
    give or supply
    Melgaard invents fantastical scenes, or rather, he "renders visible" dreams and fantasies, as if trying to make them real.
  211. prominent
    conspicuous in position or importance
    The Vancouver Art Gallery has commissioned a large-scale site-specific installation by internationally renowned artist Ken Lum for display in one of the city's most prominent locations during the 2010 Winter Games.
  212. invent
    come up with after a mental effort
    Melgaard invents fantastical scenes, or rather, he "renders visible" dreams and fantasies, as if trying to make them real.
  213. derived
    formed or developed from something else; not original
    The Judd-like objects for books are derived from book bindings and covers Graham himself designed.
  214. stage
    any distinct time period in a sequence of events
    In the heyday of mid-1990s neo-conceptualism, Bjarne Melgaard enters the art scene with expressionistic and chaotic paintings, sculptures and installations full of desire and fearful longings staged somewhere in between fiction and reality.
  215. genuine
    not fake or counterfeit
    An instinctive and genuine painter, Bjarne Melgaard adopts expressionist language in his works – or, perhaps more accurately, he has become adopted by this introspective style.
  216. investment
    laying out money or capital in an enterprise
    Offsite is also supported by Ian Gillespie, President, Westbank; Ben Yeung, President, Peterson Investment Group; and the residents at Shangri-La.

    Inside the Vancouver Art Gallery:
    During the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Vancouver Art Gallery will present the best of British Columbia to the world and the best of the world in British Columbia.
  217. fragment
    a piece broken off or cut off of something else
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  218. challenge
    a call to engage in a contest or fight
    The artist is repeatedly telling the spectator and the world who he is, a homosexual and an outsider, while at the same time taking on different transient identities – Casanova, Rob Bo'bel, Bernard St. Summiere, Raoul – in his attempt to challenge repressive social conventions, expectations and prejudices.
  219. associate
    bring or come into action
    He conjures up any image he fancies, and the absurdity we associate with dreams is nothing but his attempt to analyse these images rather than just letting them flutter by.
  220. museum
    a building for collecting and displaying valuable objects
    When his visions are exhibited in galleries and museums, they tend to provoke extreme reactions.
  221. singular
    being a single and separate person or thing
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  222. balance
    harmonious arrangement or relation of parts within a whole
    In addition, Melgaard frequently makes use of text – fragmented sentences, exclamations and singular words – to balance the graphic, visual element with the phoneme, the small, segmental units of sound.
  223. designed
    done or made or performed with purpose and intent
    The Judd-like objects for books are derived from book bindings and covers Graham himself designed.
  224. impulse
    an impelling force or strength
    His works are animated by a surrealistic impulse and are loaded with punctual symbolic references almost always explicitly sexual and violent in nature.
  225. celebrated
    widely known and esteemed
    Lunds konsthall's programme for 2010 starts with a solo exhibition by the celebrated Portuguese artist João Penalva.
  226. launch
    propel with force
    On view from January 23 to September 6 at the Gallery's recently launched outdoor exhibition space, Offsite, the artist's large sculptural work includes three scale replicas of squatters' shacks that once populated North Vancouver's shoreline.
  227. instinct
    inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to stimuli
    Melgaard situates himself within a Nietzschean discourse of instincts and passions, morality and normality.
  228. departure
    the act of leaving
    Friedman's ville spatiale, Lommée's OpenStructures and Nuur's interimodules provide a point of departure, but don't comment on the final image.
  229. experiment
    the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation
    • Harking back to experiments in the early zeros, critical companions are invited to offer consistent feedback as "Sputniks", also amounting to interventions during the event.
  230. foundation
    the basis on which something is grounded
    The Gallery deeply appreciates support for Offsite: Ken Lum from the Michael O'Brian Family Foundation.
  231. convention
    the act of meeting formally
    The artist is repeatedly telling the spectator and the world who he is, a homosexual and an outsider, while at the same time taking on different transient identities – Casanova, Rob Bo'bel, Bernard St. Summiere, Raoul – in his attempt to challenge repressive social conventions, expectations and prejudices.
  232. arrangement
    an orderly grouping considered as a unit
    • The exhibition will amount to a variable arrangement including commissioned work, work-in-progress and discursive infrastructure.
  233. extraordinary
    highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
    We warmly thank all the lenders, and above all the artist for his extraordinary commitment and his fine sensibility towards the gallery's unique architecture.
  234. root
    underground plant organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes
    The roots of Graham's work, which is influenced by 1970s Conceptual art and its way of thinking, lie in the adaptation of literary models.
  235. produce
    bring forth or yield
    The focus is on works produced in the last five years, but one important earlier piece, the slide and sound installation Character and Player, 1998, has been included as a bass note for the whole exhibition.
Created on Sun Jan 31 11:14:11 EST 2010

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