Black Artists Union, I Declare this Meeting of the Midnight Society Closed: Part I, video still, 2019

A maze of collapsing lines
Chapter 2
A Dark Room: Black Artist Union

Gallery 44 is excited to launch Chapter 2 of A maze of collapsing lines; titled A Dark Room, Chapter 2 features the self-curated work of Black Artists Union members Jem Baptiste, Oreka James, Sylvia Limbana, Filmon Yohannes and Zoma.

A Dark Room takes the form of two mini-series that explore Black representation in film through self-expression and storytelling. The first mini-series, The Body Talks and I’m Listenin’, consists of two videos that highlight Black nightlife as the originator of many popular styles of dance that have been appropriated by mainstream culture. These videos function to give credit back to the originators of these dance styles, that include queer nightlife, and “voguing”, among others. The second series, I Declare this Meeting of the Midnight Society Closed, foregrounds storytelling as a way to learn Black histories and ancestral lineage, and honours the domestic labour performed by Black wimmin. These videos will be released sequentially, on a weekly basis.

Alongside the film series, A Dark Room serves as a place for interaction and discourse about Black film and Black media for the Black community; A Dark Room features an online archive, created by and for the community. Only members of the Black community will be given access to this section of the website, and will have the opportunity to embed and link to their own content, creating a crowd-sourced archive.

20/20: Screening at Gallery 44

August 16th, 2019, 6:00pm-9:30 pm

Coinciding with Black Artist Union’s online exhibition A Dark Room, Gallery 44 will be hosting a screening and discussion on August 16th, from 6:00pm-9:30 pm. BAU will be screening their web series created for A maze of collapsing lines, as well as a black-made film chosen by the public. A question and answer period will follow the screenings. Food and refreshments will be served. This event is free to the public, and pre-registration is not required. For more information, please email sophia@gallery44.org

Black Artists Union, Hot Girl Summer, video still, 2019

About A maze of collapsing lines

On the occasion of Gallery 44’s 40th Anniversary, we launched A maze of collapsing lines, a hybrid online exhibition and publication. Comprised of five chapters, each features contemporary lens-based work by artists from different regions of Canada, and associated programming. Gallery 44 is excited to be collaborating with artist Tricia Livingston, Toronto-based collective Black Artists Union, the Inuit Art Foundation, Ociciwan Contemporary Art Collective and AKA Artist-Run Centre. This digital publication considers shifting notions of geographical and virtual spaces, perceived sensations of groundlessness, and how a gallery rooted in lens-based imagery can use the web to expand dialogues on contemporary image culture and artist-run platforms.

This project’s title conjures imagery of lines in a state of collapse, indicating multiple ways of moving and seeing. Our approach marks an intentional departure from the way we usually work within the gallery context – a deviation from that which is spatially, temporally and logically linear. To navigate this, a horizontal layout is used in reference to lateral thinking, collaboration, and to espouse connections between that which is both geographically and conceptually disparate.

In the indeterminate space that many artist-run cultures inhabit, how can we leverage our networks to build conversations that are less reliant on singular, locative, physical containers? The digital nature of this publication allows us to extend our reach, regardless of situated geography, while accompanying site-specific programming puts multiple locations in conversation with one another. We hope this project will serve to expand the networks between artist-run centers and their communities while considering the productivity, and new ways of seeing, that multiple perspectives offer.

Gallery 44 is looking to our community of supporters to complete the fundraising for this online and public programming initiative, and has started a campaign through Fundrazr. The Bulmash-Siegel Fund, a long-time member and supporter of Gallery 44, will match every dollar raised, with a contribution of up to $3500.

A maze of collapsing lines is supported by both Canada Council for the Arts’ Arts Across Canada Public Outreach Stream Grant, and OCAD University’s Career Launchers program.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.

Gallery 44 is open Tuesday to Saturday 11AM to 5PM | Free admission
Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography is a charitable, non-profit, artist-run centre committed to supporting multi-faceted approaches to photography and lens-based media. Founded in 1979 to establish a supportive environment for the development of artistic practice, Gallery 44’s mandate is to provide a context for meaningful reflection and dialogue on contemporary photography.

Gallery 44 is committed to programs that reflect the continuously changing definition of photography by presenting a wide range of practices that engage timely and critical explorations of the medium. Through exhibitions, public engagement, education programs and production facilities our objective is to explore the artistic, cultural, historic, social and political implications of the image in our ever-expanding visual world.

Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography
401 Richmond Street West, Suite 120
Toronto, Ontario M5V 3A8
www.gallery44.org
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Gallery 44 is wheelchair accessible.

For further details, please contact:
Heather Rigg
Curator of Exhibitions and Public Programs
heather@gallery44.org
416.979.3941 ext. 3