Joshua Schwebel: One Hand Washes the Other

Struts Gallery

An AI-generated image of a goldmine in the style of Maurice Cullen, based on a landscape painting in the collection of Pierre Lassonde, painted by a student in the Pierre Lassonde School for the Arts who prefers to be unnamed.

Joshua Schwebel
One Hand Washes the Other

September 27 – November 30, 2024
Struts Gallery, Sackville

One Hand Washes the Other examines exchanges between resource extraction, wealth, and art in so-called Canada, a colonial nation built on the plunder of stolen land and represented by wilderness landscapes (without people). This project looks specifically at philanthropy given to art from the spoils of resource extraction. It questions why this money is accepted by cultural institutions, and what is purchased with these so-called gifts. This particular exhibition departs from gold mining financier Pierre Lassonde’s gift to Mount Allison University Fine Art Department, newly renamed as the Pierre Lassonde School for the Arts, as well as Lassonde’s previous position as the Chair of the board of the Canada Council for the Arts.

The artist gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, without which this project would not be possible.

Photo: Joshua Schwebel

The Paydirt Seminars

The Paydirt Seminars is a series of 11 online seminars that address different aspects of the exchanges between art, resource extraction, and philanthropy. Topics range from how resource extraction advances colonialism, the financialization of art, and counter-extractive practices and strategies undertaken by artists. Presenters include Sebastian De Line, Maggie Flynn, RYBN.org with Alain Deneault, Beyond Extraction, Jackie Olson, Nizan Shaked, Sydney Hart, Sonja Hornung & Daniele Tognozzi, Divest MT. A., Ana Alenso and Anna Stanley.

For a complete schedule and zoom links to each seminar, consult the full program here.

About the Artist

Joshua Schwebel (he / him) is a Canadian artist currently living in Berlin. His work takes the form of installations, interventions, redistributive transactions, and publications. His work has been exhibited across Canada, most recently at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Musée d’Art Contemporain de Joliette, L’Oeil de Poisson, Galerie UQO, and CLARK gallery, as well as internationally at Kreuzberg Pavillon, Berlin, La Galerie Noisy-le-Sec, Paris, among others. He was long-listed for the Sobey Art Award in 2022.

About Struts Gallery

Struts Gallery is an artist-run centre dedicated to presenting exceptional contemporary art to the public through exhibitions, artist residencies, screenings, workshops, talks and performances. Struts Gallery is located in the Siknikt district of Mi’kma’ki, the unceded lands of the Mi’kmaq Nation.

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