Neither Here Nor There: Drawing on the Edge of Perception

A collaborative work by Simone Jones and Colette Laliberté

Neither Here Nor There: Drawing on the Edge of Perception
A collaborative work by Simone Jones and Colette Laliberté

November 2 – December 3, 2023
Opening Reception: Thursday November 2, 5-8 pm
The Campus Gallery, Georgian College Barrie

Curated by Carol-Ann Ryan

Neither Here Nor There: Drawing on the Edge of Perception re-frames the conventional use of traditional art materials and elevates the viewing experience by animating it with technology. Robotic arms position LED lights into conversation with the two and three-dimensional artworks to cast moving shadows and create dynamic visual extensions into the gallery space. The result is an exhibition of theatrical abstraction, in the formal sense, but also speaks to the fluidity and shifting nature of images within our contemporary moment.

In this third collaboration, Simone Jones and Colette Laliberté continue to explore a shared interest in pictorial illusion and the transformation of architectural space. Building on previous experiments, this multi-faceted installation brings together measured and controlled electronic lighting elements created by Jones that animate and bring ephemerality to Laliberté’s intuitive drawings and sculptures. Designed for slow viewing, visitors will encounter an immersive and evolving gallery experience.

Neither Here Nor There: Drawing on the Edge of Perception was curated for The Campus Gallery by Carol-Ann Ryan. An exhibition essay by Dr. Caroline Seck Langill is forthcoming.

Bios:

Simone Jones is a multidisciplinary artist who works with the moving image, sculpture and electronics to explore the shifting relationships between time and space. A key component of these investigations is the performative nature of the work itself. Jones’ works uncover the tensions that can arise between illusion and reality as they apply to modes of perception, representation, and the body. Jones graduated from the Ontario College of Art (OCA) with a concentration in Experimental Art and received her MFA in Sculpture Installation from York University in Toronto.

Colette Laliberté’s conceptual approach to abstraction includes drawings, digital prints, paintings, and site-oriented wall artwork. Although the aesthetic of the forms is integral to her pictorial language, abstraction serves as a gateway to establishing a physical and emotional relationship with materials and shapes, invoking narrative, and inviting reflection on a given subject. She received her BFA from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and her MFA from Windsor University. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in Canada and abroad.

Simone Jones and Colette Laliberté have previously collaborated on two exhibitions: Fitted at the Wynnick/Tuck Gallery (Toronto, 2009) and Interactivos? Vision Play at the MediaLab Prado (Madrid, 2008).

Dr. Caroline Seck Langill is a writer and curator whose academic scholarship and curatorial work looks at the intersection between art and science, as well as the related fields of new media art history, criticism and preservation. Dr. Langill holds an MFA from York University, and a PhD in Canadian Studies from Trent University. Currently, she is Vice-President Academic and Provost at OCAD University.

Carol-Ann Ryan is an independent curator who also works as Public Art Coordinator for the City of Barrie. She holds an MA in Art History from Western University and an Honours BA in Art & Art History from the University of Toronto & Sheridan College.

About The Campus Gallery at Georgian College:

The Campus Gallery at Georgian College is a vibrant multi-disciplinary exhibition space where students in Design and Visual Arts programs and established artists showcase their work. Located in Barrie, Ontario, the Campus Gallery hosts a variety of exhibitions and artist talks that reflect regional, national and international art, craft and design. For more information, please visit here.

Contact: Amy Bagshaw, Director of The Campus Gallery, amy.bagshaw@georgiancollege.ca

@thecampusgallery
www.facebook.com/DVAcampusgallery

Address: One Georgian Drive, Barrie, ON L4M 3X9
Room 140, D Building, Helen and Arch Brown Centre for Design and Visual Arts
Gallery Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

Land Acknowledgement:

Georgian College acknowledges that all campuses are situated on the traditional land of the Anishnaabeg people. The Anishnaabeg include the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Pottawatomi nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. Georgian College is dedicated to honouring Indigenous history and culture and committed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation and respect with all First Nation, Métis and Inuit people.

Neither Here Nor There: Drawing on the Edge of Perception has been supported by The Campus Gallery at Georgian College and the Georgian College Department of Research and Innovation. The artists gratefully acknowledge support from the Ontario Arts Council and OCAD University.