First visitor

Today we had our first visitor; a middle-aged lady who lived in the neighborhood. She was curios of the Centre for Culture and Leisure and our Self-Directed Residency, but It was hard to tell if she understood the concept behind the space and our project. But who could blame her; we still haven't figured out what we are doing...

Tomorrow the Self-Directed Residency will be relocated to the first annual CRCP Symposium at OCAD: Between Adaptation and Death – Artist, Critic, Designer, Curator.

The Symposium will be held at 100 McCaul (the main OCAD building) in room 190, 9 am - 6 pm.

Between Adaptation and Death – Artist, Critic, Designer, Curator

Thesis-year Criticism and Curatorial Students at OCAD invite you to attend the first annual CRCP Symposium.

Between Adaptation and Death: Artist, Critic, Designer, Curator. Saturday, February 10, 9 am - 6 pm

The separation of professions into specialized practices has become a staple of modernized societies. With changing times we encounter changing mores, and with them the birth, adaptation, and extinction of various professions. How does this affect the roles of the artist, the curator, the designer, and the critic?

What does the term creative professional mean today if professions are defined by their specific objectives and comparable methodologies? Are they all struggling to define themselves relative to one another in order to solidify their credentials within today's complex social landscape?

Six undergraduate and graduate students deliver papers asking:

Should professional interdisciplinarity be encouraged?

What can be achieved - or lost - with the blurring of boundaries?

Might the future foresee further divisions within these creative professions?

How do educational strategies and industry standards affect these discussions?

Also featuring keynote speaker Alex Alberro, Professor of Art History at the University of Florida; speakers include Peter Theodoropolous (U of T), Shirley Yoon (OCAD), J.Bounty (YorkU), Johan Lundh (Konstfack), Liz Pead (OCAD) and Paul Byron (McMaster).

This event will be followed by a reception at 4 pm.

Room 190
The Ontario College of Art and Design
113 McCaul St.
Toronto, Ontario

Snow Day

Today Valentine's Day we woke up to a snowstorm. Brian had offered us to take the day of, but we decided to go to CCL1 anyway. Alissa loves the snow – Johan does nothing but complain about it. Alissa thinks Johan is a brat. Even lovers don't get along some time.




By the end of the day artist Jen Hutton came to visit us for an informal conversation. It was great – she’s amazing. You can still see Jen’s work at Alissa’s Sleepwalker Project Space at Queen Street West 787, for another week or so.

Closed

The Centre for Culture and Leisure No. 1 is closed today Thursday. We will be open again tomorrow Friday.

Sunny Day

Today Friday all the snow that fell on Tuesday melted away. But the beautiful weather didn’t distract us from our duties at CCL1. We are after all professional curators who take our work most seriously.

Last but not least, an art-joke Johan found in the blog-o-sphere earlier today: Those who can, do. Those who can't, Duchamp.

Until Monday: Centre for Culture and Leisure No. 1

Created by local artist Brian Joseph Davis and his partner-in-art, writer Emily Schultz (whose recent novel Joyland, about coming of age during the mid-80s birth of the video game era is mesmerizing), the CCL1 is tucked away just a few steps south of Queen Street in the heart of Parkdale, at 83 Elm Grove Avenue. For exactly one year, Brian and Emily have converted half of their home into an exhibition space, where artists and curators have been invited to explore, experiment, and create, all for free.

The space is commercially zoned, but CCL1’s creators are mindful of respecting their residential neighbours - so don’t expect loud DJed parties. Instead, the space has hosted lectures, scavenger hunts & instant-band workshops, as well as more standard exhibits of visual art. Since they’ll only be open for one year, they’re not taking submissions, so if you love this idea, they suggest you “start your own open format project and art centre”.

In February, look for local curator Alissa Firth Eagland to transform the space with her unique vision. Alissa and fellow curator Johan Lundh will be moving their studio into the CCL1 gallery space, and, as researchers-in-residence, investigating the “landscape between public, private, work and leisure zones". Their specific plans haven’t been unveiled, but with a background in video, performance art, and cross-disciplinary work, the show surely won’t disappoint. To keep up with the comings and goings at The Culture & Leisure Centre No. 1, check their calendar.

Thursday, February 8 - Thursday, March 1, hours TBD. 83 Elm Grove Avenue, Toronto Centre for Culture and Leisure No. 1

By Katrina Collins, Until Monday (www.untilmonday.com)

Saturday February 17, 2007

Today Alissa decided to get a head start on an upcoming administrative nightmare: personal income taxes 2006. She did this because it was much easier than thinking about 2005's income taxes, which also aren't done.

Johan came for visit too, straight from the Mercer Union exhibition which ends today. If you haven't gone, go now - Kate Terry and Diane Morin's works are each totally amazing. You can still make it before they close. Mercer Union: www.mercerunion.org

Conversation at the Centre for Culture and Leisure No. 1

Today Wednesday February 21, we had a conversation with Tejpal Ajji, artist and curator in residence at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery and John Paul Ricco, performance artist and University of Toronto professor, at our studio/office. It all went very well, thanks to our great guests and alert audience.

Next Wednesday we will be talking with Andrea Carson, critic, writer and View on Canadian Art initiator and David Liss, Director/Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art.

Strange weather

Today we woke up to a raging thunder- and snowstorm, leaving half the city powerless for half an hour. After looking out the window we decided to go back to bed again. When we finally got up all the snow was gone. Strange weather indeed, most likely due to climate change.

Michael Maranda from Mercer Union came by the space to drop off some books for Brian and Emily, but was kind enough to stay for an informal conversation with us. Spontaneous discussions are often the most exciting ones.

The more we think about yesterday’s conversations, the better they seem to get. Lets hope next Wednesday's ones will be as good, or even better.

Saturday February 24, 2007

Today we had more visitors than ever, maybe because it was a beautiful sunny day. Two gents came with their little girls completely separately. Both were a bit shocked to find that there was no art on the walls of the gallery. We explained the project, and Brian facilitated by suggesting that if they had any questions about curatorial practice, they could ask us, but they each seemed a bit confused by the whole scenario. It's a confusing project, we admit, and we don't have it all figured out ourselves, but it was nice to see that dads are introducing their toddlers to art!

Brenda Goldstein, a Toronto-based multimedia artist, writer and curator also came by for a nice long chat. She and Alissa have just completed 'spin' a performative video project which was shot in Banff, AB and Brantford, ON. They developed a distribution strategy.

Last but not least, the three of us shared a vietnamese feast for lunch.

Wednesday February 28, 2007, CCL1 hosts MOCCA and VoCA

Tonight we hosted the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art's Director/Curator David Liss and View on Canadian Art's initiator Andrea Carson. The discussion circled around how we can create attention and excitement for contemporary art in Canada generally, and Toronto specifically. No unlike previous Wednesday’s session, on other words. Even thou we didn’t come to any conclusions, we believe that addressing the issues is the first step to solving them.

MOCCA: www.mocca.toronto.on.ca
WoCA: http://www.viewoncanadianart.blogspot.com

Closing Reception

The end, or a new beginning, time will tell...