Editorial Note
Maxine Proctor, Managing Editor

Gut Feelings: Digesting the work of Catherine Telford-Keogh 
By Daniella Sanader (ON)

The Weird Seduction of Michelle Bui’s Photography
By Emma Sharpe (ON/QC)

Seeing yourself/seeing others: ambiguous identification in Reza Rezai’s sculptural photography
By Jase Falk (MB)

Heart Flora: A Response to Karen Asher’s “Class”
By Nic Wilson (SK)

Offerings to both Past and Future: Still life photographs by Shellie Zhang
Introduction by Lorraine Chuen (ON)

Andil Gosine’s Cane Portraiture and the Aesthetics of Indenture
By Matthew Ryan Smith (ON)

The Limits of Self-Representation: A Conversation on Beatrice Gibson’s “Dreams of Social Life”
By Katherine Connell and Esme Hogeveen (ON/QC/UK)


Editorial Note
By Maxine Proctor, Managing Editor

A Habit of Tenderness: Michèle Pearson Clarke on Vulnerability and Black Visuality
By Letticia Cosbert Miller (ON)
In A Habit of Tenderness Letticia Cosbert Miller provides insight into the intimate portraits of Michèle Pearson Clarke (ON). 

Cast Your Glance Back at Me
By Maeve Hanna (AB)
In Cast your glance back at me, Maeve Hanna explores the difficulty and potential threat of deterioration associated when exhibiting fragile seminal video works. 

She calls me back to my body
By Quill Christie-Peters (ON)
Quill Christie-Peters revisits Rebecca Belmore’s (ON) 2000 performance The Indian Factory. 

Joi T. Arcand’s Wayfinding: a continuum of old and new school tagging and teachings
Introduction Cheryl L’Hirondelle (ON)
Over a number of years, Joi T. Arcand (SK/ON) has installed neon signs in galleries, institutions, and public spaces across Canada. 

They are all formidable: The interviews and portraits of Thelma Pepper
By Maxine Proctor (ON/SK)
Prairie icon Thelma Pepper (SK) is most revered for subverting the social and cultural expectations of age. At 60 years old, Pepper reinvigorated her lifelong interest in photography and dedicated new found free time to documenting the lives of Saskatchewan seniors, particularly women.

touching listening
Joanne Bristol (SK)
With the work of Kristin Nelson (MB) and Barbara Meneley (SK) in mind, Joanne Bristol offers questions of how to read, regard, and listen to the land and water without the common act of consumption. 

Joe Hambleton: Perambulation
By Yam Lau (ON)
Yam Lau discusses the future of consumption through the CGI technology in Joe Hambleton’s (ON) Perambulation.

BlackFlash Magazine’s annual Optic Nerve Image Contest 
Winner: B. G-Osborne (ON/QC), A Thousand Cuts, 2018 (ongoing).
Honourable Mentions: 
John Healey, Plastic Beach: Lake Superior, Jug Top, 2019.
Graham Wiebe, Mighty, 2018.

Editorial by Maxine Proctor, Managing Editor

Hardly Scraps: ASMR, Empathy, and Self-Care by Karie Liao 
When discussing the work of Yuula Benivolski (ON), Karie Liao (ON) drawns on the cultural significance and healing properties of ASMR.

Hot Spells: Image and Environment in the Work of Laura St. Pierre by Rose Bouthillier 
Rose Bouthillier (SK) examines the work of Laura St. Pierre (SK) in conjunction with how their communities are dealing with dramatic change and the uncertainty of the future; ecological devastation, cultural upheaval, and the endlessly exhausting effects of colonialism. 

The Visionary: Jessica Eaton’s Alternate Reality by Saelan Twerdy 
Saelan Twerdy illustrates how Jessica Eaton is driven to capture an alternate vision of reality, awaken our perceptions, and subsequently explore the abstract governance of our socio-economic landscape and digital culture. 

Between Reach and Grasp: The Eros Portfolio by Steven Beckly 
Steven Beckly’s (ON) photographic practice balances organic life and technological tools, illustrating the fine equilibrium that is necessary to live in a world that prioritizes rigid individuality over kinship intimacy. 

Luther Konadu and Pao Houa Her in Conversation 
Luther Konadu (MB) and Pao Houa Her (MN) share their personal experiences photographing their families, communities, and themselves. Through this conversation, they explore the binary between actively seeking change and at the same time grappling with a nostalgia for home and tradition. 

Archiving Affection: Randy Grskovic’s Dangerous Times by Rebecca Travis
Rebecca Travis (ON) interviews Toronto-based artist Randy Grskovic’s (ON) about his project Dangerous Times. . 

Tough Guy Mountain: Hypercapitalism in the Digital Realm by Paige Adrian 
Paige Adrian (SK) explores Tough Guy Mountain’s (ON) use of humour and the uncanny experience of Virtual Reality to showcase how labour and wealth is controlled in our contemporary economy.

FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS

Editorial by Managing Editor Maxine Proctor

We Are Still Here by Jeff Thomas
We Are Still Here is an inside look into the life and career of one of the most influential contemporary photographers, Jeff Thomas. 

Responsible Hearts: T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss and Anne Riley by Tarin Dehod
During a visit to the Banff Centre this summer, Tarin Dehod witnessed a performance by T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss and Anne Riley as a part of the exhibition “If the river ran upwards” curated by Jacqueline Bell. 

Along for the Ride: A Conversation with Lori Blondeau by Troy Gronsdahl
This timely interview utilizes Lori Blondeau’s mid-career exhibition Grace: A Survey as a backdrop for this intimate conversation about her formidable practice. 

Consumer Symbols: A Glass Order by Cole Thompson
Cole Thompson discusses the work of Shelley Niro, Lori Blondeau, Marja Helander, and Thriza Cuthand in an attempt to showcase how Indigenous artist’s dissect consumer culture and its impact on contemporary ideologies, imagery, and relationships.

Redefining the Past: Christian Chapman’s Edmazinbiiget and the Remaking of Anishinaabe Visual Art by Nadia Kurd
Christian Chapman’s Super-8 film Edmazinbiiget is an ode to the life and times of Anishinaabe artists who lived and worked in Northern Ontario during the 1950s and 60s, Norval Morrisseau, Jackson Beardy, Roy Thomas, Benjamin Chee Chee, and Carl Ray. 
 
An Open Letter to Lawren Harris by Professor William Starling
Starlings are an invasive species of bird that were brought to Ontario alongside the European settlers. In a letter directed at the infamous Canadian painter Lawren Harris, Professor William Starling retraces the steps and missteps of Canadian history, culture, and identity from his almost omnipresent point of view.

BRUT NEUVE
Issue 35.2 was guest edited by Vancouver-based cultural geographer, writer, and collections manager Rhiannon Herbert, BA, MSc, and MLIS.  In her editorial statement, Herbert states, " 'Time and Lens-based' is morphing into a lightspeed-timelessness that requires new ways of looking. This issue doesn't attempt to fixedly capture a thesis of the 'Brut Nueve' of Internet Land.  But it does have a cohesive weirdness to it that I feel very much at home in, and where I hope that the voices and perspectives of those operating  in these brave new zones of creative social production can be heard."

Issue 35.2 contains writings by Geronimo Inutiq (QC),  Claire Scherzinger (BC), Elwood Jimmy (ON),  Steffanie Ling (BC),  Golboo Amani (ON), Francisco-Fernando Granados (ON), and Everest Pipkin (TX). We are also offering an In Studio interview with Sandra Semchuk (BC) by Althea Thauberger (BC) as well as an Artist Portfolio by Risa Horowitz. 

This spring we showcased the annual Optic Nerve Image Contest winner:  Luther Konadu (MB) and Honourable Mentions: Farihah Shah (ON) and Natalie Hunter (ON). Herbert also curated an @blackflashmag June Instagram Takeover by Adam Evanik, @tofuhermit.

FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS

An editorial on our 35th anniversary and commentary on this issue by managing editor Travis Cole.

Feature: Marcus Miller (SK) writes on the touring exhibition “Brenda Francis Pelkey: A Retrospective.”

Feature: Mitch Speed (SK/DE) contemplates on the ever-changing medium of photography over the last 35 years in an essay entitled Stolen Spirits.

Feature: Randy Lee Cutler (BC) speaks on Vancouver based artist Marina Roy’s practice and its focus on environmental degradation and animal extinction as a historical reality.

Feature: Toby Lawrence (BC) interviews Dana Claxton (SK/BC) where they discuss “The Sioux Project – Tatanka Oyate,” the first art exhibition to explore contemporary Sioux aesthetics in Saskatchewan, on exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina.

Risa Horowitz (SK) presents an Artist Folio based on her time during the Arctic Circle Summer Solstice Expedition residency entitled “I Set out to Track the Sun.”

Matthew Hills (NL) conducts our most recent STUDIO with “Two Chromogenic Curmudgeons: Evergon and Jean-Jacques Ringuette.”

In Focus: Portia Priegert (AB) discusses Victoria-based Tara Nicholson’s series “Arctic Claims.”

In Focus: Helen Wong (BC) speaks on indigenous curator and artist from the Secwepemc nation, Tania Willard’s recent work “#haunted_hunted” and her ongoing practice.

In Focus: Noor Bhangu (MB) speaks on the intersection of landscape art, lens based media and contemporary politics in her piece “The Language of Landscapes and Photographies.”

In Focus: Peter Morin (MB) previews the touring Indigenous sound exhibition “wnoondwaamin: we hear them.”

In Focus: Heather Rigg (ON) writes an article on Toronto-based artist Stephanie Comilang’s film Lumapit Sa Akin, Paraiso (Come To Me, Paradise).

In Focus: Jessica Karuhanga (ON) writes on multi-media artist Kapwani Kiwanga (FR).

In Focus: Natasha Chaykowski (AB) interprets the works and texts of Southern California-based Kite’s recent exhibition and performance “Everything I Say Is True.”

In Focus: Maxine Proctor (ON) discusses the dank memery of Goth Shakira (QC).

Sandee Moore (SK) corresponds with Kara Uzelman (SK) in our fourth STUDIO feature.

Saskatoon-based artist Jean-Sebastien Gauthier presents his Artist Folio Within Measure.

Pablo de Ocampo (BC) on the recent works of multi-media artist Allison Hrabluik (BC).

Michael DiRisio (ON) and Teresa Carlesimo (ON) discuss recent photo and video work that offers a critical analysis of global capitalism through the depiction of rocks and minerals as contested subjects.

Laurence Butet-Roch (ON) writes our feature article on photography and video artist Sarah Angelucci (ON).

Genevieve Flavelle (ON) conducts an interview with Samra Habib (ON), the creator of “Just me and Allah: A Queer Muslim Photo Project.”

In Focus: Media artist Clint Enns (ON) interviews Montreal filmmaker Guillaume Vallée.

In Focus: Filmmaker and film historian Stephen Broomer (ON) writes on Calgary filmmaker Kyle Whitehead.

In Focus: Curator Blair Fornwald (SK) writes on Regina collage collective Phomohobes: Jason Cawood and Colby Richardson.

In Focus: Writer Tom Kohut (MB) on sound Artist Adam Basanta (QC).

Media artist Farheen Haq (BC) along with multidisciplinary artist, curator and researcher France Trepanier (QC) produce our third STUDIO feature.

Anishinabe intermedia artist Scott Benesiinaabandan (MB) presents an Artist Folio of some of his most recent work.

Remai Modern curator of collections Sandra Fraser (SK) speaks to multidisciplinary artist Dominique Rey (MB).

Curator at the MacKenzie Art Gallery and artist Michelle Lavallee (SK) writes on multidisciplinary artist Jordan Bennett (NL)

Curator of exhibitions at the Remai Modern Rose Bouthillier (SK) speaks to visual artist Annie MacDonell (ON).

Matthew Ryan Smith (ON) interviews Jeff Bierk (ON) on his photography practice, addiction and exploitation in this incredible featured article.

Sheilah Wilson (NS/OH) and Dani Leventhal (OH) speak with Sarah Hollenberg (UT) on their video, Strangely Ordinary this Devotion for this issue's STUDIO feature.

Kegan McFadden(MB) presents his condensed ArtistFolio 'zine on Plug In Inc.'s 70's pop-up punk performance “band,” Mondo Trasho, from the upcoming publication Mondo Trasho: from the personal archives of Suzanne Gillies and Douglas Sigurdson.

Tarah Hogue (BC) writes on thirstDays, VIVO’s ongoing series of video, film, performance and ceremony events by project curator/artist-in-residence Jayce Salloum.

Amy Fung (ON) of Mice Magazine conducts a roundtable discussion on Media Art and publishing in the 21st century.

Daniella Sanader (ON) presents her In Focus article on Anna Hawkins (MD/QC) video “How to Chop and Onion.”

Rhiannon Herbert (BC) talks to Toronto based Kyler Zeleny on his incredible ongoing project Found Polaroids .

Filmmaker Leslie Supnet (ON) writes on filmmaker and photographer Christine Lucy Latimer (ON).

Filmmaker and writer Walter Forsberg talks to Aaron Zeghers about his expanded experimental documentary film "Holland, Man." based on the final days of his family's farm in our new feature, Studio.

Curator and writer India Rael discusses the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria's upcoming exhibition "Trans-Pacific Transmissions: Video Art Across the Pacific."

Artist and Curator Danielle St. Amour speaks on Charlotte Moth’s work and interviews Celia Perrin Sidarous about their simultaneous exhibitions last fall at the Esker Foundation in Calgary.

Visual arts critic and curator Stephen Horne discusses Yam Lau's recent video work.

Jean-Philippe Deneault looks at Stacey Tyrell's self-portrait series “Backra Bluid.”

Writer and art historian Denise Ryner discusses Manuel Piña-Baldoquín's video work Naufrago.

Documentary filmmaker Tasha Hubbard speaks to Tanya Lukin-Linklater about her multi media performance the the.

Jason Lazarus, a Florida based artist, educator, curator, and writer, follows up his Artist Folio from BlackFlash Issue 33.2 with an experimental manifesto entitled 33 meditations on photography.

Dagmara Genda presents her Artist Folio based on the work of Rachel Ruysch, a painter during Holland’s golden age of still-lifes.


Features & Highlights: 

Liz Park writes on Eritrean born Saskatchewan raised photographer Dawit Petros. 

Magdalyn Asimakis on Spanish born photographer Christina de Middel. 

Heather Rigg on AIMIA | AGO photography prize nominee Hito Steyerl. 

Tanya Lukin Linklater writes on indigenous multi-media artist Wendy Red Star.  

Jean Philippe Denault speaks to Quebec based multidisciplinary artist Caroline Monnet. 

Jason Lazarus presents his Artist Folio. 

Curator of the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver Shaun Dacey speaks to Director-Curator team Sarah Joyce and Gordon Duggan of the New Westminster New Media Gallery. 

Video Artist and Curator Clint Enns speaks on Ontario based experimental filmmaker Christine Negus. 

And film programmer, artist and writer Irene Bindi talks to Winnipeg photographer Karen Asher on her new body of work The Full Catastrophe. 

Features & Highlights:

Natasha Chaykowski writes on the popularity of vernacular photography.

Matthew Ryan Smith discusses the prevalence of Pixelation in photography and video.

Amber Christensen speaks with Winnipeg animator Leslie Supnet.

Randy Lee Cutler looks at Cyprian Gaillard’s film ‘Nightlife’.

Michael DiRisio on found photography artist Penelope Umbrico.

Stephen Broomer writes his final column for BlackFlash on Montreal based filmmaker Alexandre Larose.

An Artist Folio by Vancouver based filmmaker and animator Barry Doupe.

As well, the winners of Optic Nerve, our annual image contest.

Guest Edited by Haema Sivanesan

FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS:

Yesomi Umolu, Assistant Curator, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (USA) interviews Lao-American photographer Pao Houa Her (USA) on recent work and exhibition titled “Focus: Pao Houa Her”, which received an honourable mention in the Huffington Post’s “21 Art Exhibitions You’ll Be Talking About This Year”.

Writer and artist, Jen Hutton (ON) considers the work of Oliver Husain (ON), a film and installation artist with an interest in notions of theatrical and cinematic spectatorship.

Artist Lori Blondeau (SK) presents 10 photographs from the archive celebrating 20 years of TRIBE, a centre for evolving Aboriginal media, visual and performing arts.

Amy Kazymerchyk, Curator of Audain Gallery at SFU Galleries (BC) reflects on issues of art and labour in Althea Thauberger’s (BC) latest ‘experimental documentary’, “Preuzmimo Bencic”.

Artist, Andrea Pinheiro (ON/BC) considers the relationship between photography, painting and print in a series of artist pages, especially commissioned for this issue.

Filmmaker and film historian, Stephen Broomer (ON) writes on Montreal based video artist Sabrina Ratté (QC).

Artist, Isabelle Pauwels (BC) discusses artist, Vishal Jugdeo’s (SK/CA, USA) approach to script as a conduit of meaning in recent video installation work.

Emerging writer and curator, Ellyn Walker (ON) writes on artist Meryl McMaster’s (ON) ongoing photo-series “In-Between Worlds”, which examines relationships between Indigenous identity, art and territory.

32.2 (April, 2015) Features and highlights:

An article on Ethiopia-born, New York-based photographer/sculptor/video artist Awol Erizku by Matthew Ryan Smith (ON).

Heather Rigg (ON) writes on Algerian-born, Paris-based artist Mohamed Bourouissa's work, using photographs he took from a trip to Baffin Island, sculptures made from his own 3D printer and drawings inspired by the AGO's collection of Inuit Art to explore issues of copyright, cultural exchange and appropriation.

Alexandra McIntosh (NL) speaks on Richard Mosse's (IRL) visually arresting installation The Enclave prompted by the conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo and presented at DHC/ART.

In response to Stronger Than Stone: (Re)Inventing the Indigenous Monument, Tarin Hughes (SK) contemplates the contemporary role of public art and monuments in conversation with artists and symposium participants.

Leah Taylor (SK) interviews painter Anna Plesset (NY) on her recent photo-based works.

Sheilah Wilson (US) continues her investigation into the changing face of photography in the 21st century with an interview with Raymonde April (QC).

Kyler Zeleny (ON) revisits his old prairie haunts by (re)presenting his Out West photography series in an exclusive artist project for BlackFlash.

As well, Stephen Broomer (ON) presents an In Focus column on the expanded cinema works of film maker Scott Fitzpatrick (MB).


32.1 (January, 2015) Features and highlights:

Alison Cooley (ON) writes on photographer Sarah Anne Johnson (MB).

Haema Sivanesan (SK) conducts an interview with Sandra Semchuk (BC) on her recent exhibition in North Battleford, entitled “Love Stories.”

Sheilah Wilson (US) continues her investigation into the changing face of photography in the 21st century with an interview with Evergon (QC).

Kegan McFadden (MB) presents his final column, “Notes With a Broken Camera” focusing on Berlin based artist Przemek Pyszczek (DE).

Clint Enns (ON) looks into the work of New Media artist Isiah Medina (ON).

Yam Lau (ON) writes an In Focus article on local artist Ellen Moffat (SK).

Melentie Pandilovski (MB) reviews V.16 of Send + Receive A Festival of Sound.

Josh Schwebel (QC) produces an artist project that laments the end of several Arts magazines by reinterpreting their old ad campaigns.

Along with the annual Optic Nerve Image Contest winners!!




31.3 (August, 2014) Features and highlights:

Manon Blanchette investigates Marisa Portolese’s prolific back catalogue. Presented alongside this article is the second installment of our new ArtistFolio feature, showcasing Portolese’s beautiful new series Belle de Jour II.

Rhiannon Vogl interviews Zachari Logan about his relationship to photography as source material for his incredible nature-based tapestry works.

Andrea Williamson explores Tyler Los-Jones (de)constructed landscape photographs.

Michael Nardone (QC) conducts an interview with Jan Michalko (DE) about his various trips to Eastern Europe, his process, and the trajectory of his work as he continues to document the region through it’s ongoing transition.

J.J. Kegan McFadden (MB) continues his ongoing column “Notes With a Broken Camera no. 3″ which looks at Raymond Boisjoly’s (BC) new work Station to Station through McFadden’s trademark personalized lens.

These highlights are presented alongside our regular In Focus departments featuring the work of Thomas Gardiner (BC), Christina Battle (ON), Kristie MacDonald (ON), and Ryan Trecartin (US).

31.2 (May, 2014) Features and highlights:

A conversation between Jacynthe Carrier (QC) (Photographer) and writer / artist  Katy Levan (ON).

A review of the 13th Istanbul Biennial by curator and writer Victor Wang (UK).

An in depth interview with French Moroccan video artist Bouchra Kahlili by arts writer Omayra Issa (SK).

A fascinating discussion with sound artist Richard Garet speaking on the first major exhibition on sound art in New York last year entitled “Soundings: a contemporary score” by critic / sound artist Esther Bourdages (QC).

A Review of the exhibition of British Columbian filmmaker Tyler Hagen’s “In the Similkameen” by Magdalyn Asimakis (ON)

In Focus

Jeannie Mah (SK) (Photographs on ceramics, site specific installation) by Julie Yu (SK)

Genevieve Thauvette (ON) (Photographer) by Sarah Beck (SK/ON)

Pascale Theoret-Groulx (QC/BC) (Video Artist) by Raymond Aubin (QC)

31.1 (February, 2014) Features and highlights:

A review of Erin Shirreff’s (BC/NY) Pictures exhibition at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, presented alongside a specially commissioned Artist portfolio assembled exclusively for BlackFlash. Erin Shirreff was recently awarded the AIMIA | AGO Photography Prize for 2013.

An experimental cut up style interview conversation between found footage Video Artist Aleesa Cohene (BC) and curator/writer Amy Fung (BC).

An interview with controversial Canadian photographer Jonathan Hobin (ON) where he discusses his previous series of recreated tragedies entitled “In the Playroom” along with his new unreleased work “Cry Babies.”

As well as a critical overview of the Ryerson exhibition Ghost Dance: Activism. Resistance. Art. By writer / curator Matthew Smith (ON).

Presented alongside this is our regular departments:

In Focus (previously Of Interest) featuring the work of photographers Vivian Maier (NY) and Ayana Jackson (NJ) as well as new regular column by past Platform Gallery (Winnipeg) director / curator JJ Kegan McFadden (MB) entitled Notes With a Broken Camera focusing on intermediate artists works. For his first column he decided to focus on the video artist Chance Taylor’s film That First Friend.

Issue 36.2

Issue 36.1

Issue 35.3

Issue 35.2

Issue 35.1

Issue 34.3

Issue 34.2

Issue 34.1

Issue 33.3

Issue 33.2

Issue 33.1

Issue 32.3

Issue 32.2

Issue 32.1

Issue 31.3

BlackFlash Magazine is dedicated to promoting photo-based and new media art in Canada. With a commitment to producing challenging writing, BlackFlash offers a distinct view on thought-provoking artwork.

The magazine was founded in 1983 by the Photographer’s Gallery in Saskatoon, SK. under the name The Photographer’s Gallery. In 1984 the name was changed to BlackFlash.

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BlackFlash Magazine - Issue 36.3

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In this issue