Comments for UnFolding

Comment on Michel Luc Bellemare Responds To His Accusers by Ross Rheaume

Ross Rheaume — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:32:38 +0000

There is no excuse for misleading the public or galleries regarding your resume. It harms all of your fellow artists when you do so. Trying to build a career and a resume takes time and these kind of short cuts are un-ethical in my opion. It is the equivalent of ‘lip syncing’ by artists or faking who is singing on an album (See Millie Vanillie c.1982).

Ross Rheaume

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by MLevin

MLevin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:07:36 +0000

Pearl. Went once last year, don’t remember thanks given, but that could just be old age. Glad to hear this happens, and for pointing it out. Mike

Comment on Mat Dubé’s World of Choice by jo

jo — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:42:00 +0000

Interesting comments about you mom…Is she that loud????
Hugx

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by Pearl

Pearl — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:30:43 +0000

>No hoots from either giver or taker at a time when any success in Ottawa’s arts should be publicly cherished.

Have you gone to an AB Series? Each time the host thanks the granting bodies and volunteers for the grants and assistance.

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by MLevin

MLevin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:57:46 +0000

a little fanfare never hurts.

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by Reid McL

Reid McL — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:51:44 +0000

Ya, it’s a bit of a double edged sword. Shouting for joy from the rooftops will inevitably bring comments from those who will say “Huh…, my tax money for that? C’mon, if you can’t make real money doing your art then get a real job” where as keeping it quiet could cause the funds to shrivel.
As I alluded to above I still think that much of the problem really lies in much of the “general public’s” lack of awareness, understanding and appreciation of the arts. Yes it’s up to us as artists to educate but ideally it has to somehow become part of our national culture like sport or, god help us, hollywood.
Tons of other issues at play of course. I’m sure some groups have come to expect annual grants and others are perhaps ho hum about them, many are small amounts etc… but I’ve got to give props to the frontline arts bureaucrats here, I think that they are dedicated and genuinely passionate about our cultural scene for the most part.
Hey Mike, you know what? Now that you’ve made me think about it more in depth, you may be right. It does kinda seem obvious that we (artists) and the bureaucrats should both be celebrating these grants much more publicly. After all it is worthy of a fanfare.
Gee I feel a bit more cheery now!
Thanks for that and for the dialogue.

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by MLevin

MLevin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:33:21 +0000

Thanks for the words Reid, especially those about how you feel good for others getting support. This is so freaking important, and motivating. Now about the “fear of backlash”……hmmmm. Should artists be afraid of backlash at all? Maybe it’s a chicken-and-egg thing where fear of losing funding comes from fear of public backlash which comes from the public not hearing people celebrate arts funding (like a Senators win), and so on. Mike

Comment on The Banality Of Ottawa’s Arts Grants by Reid McLachlan

Reid McLachlan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:51:44 +0000

Hmmmm, I wonder if the artists’(not to mention the city’s) reluctance to trumpet the support they have received comes more from a fear of a back-lash from the general public rather than other factors. As you know it’s like pulling teeth getting any funding out of public agencies in the capital area and the feeling is that these programs are always under threat. I would posit that it may well be fear of losing that funding that pushes artists and bureaucrats to hide it because they don’t feel supported by a critical mass of residents. I realize that this lack of support, or perception of it, from a majority of constituents opens a whole new whoop-ass can o’ worms that is one of, if not the root of the problem, but I will gingerly side-step it here.
However, I would also argue that any envy artists may feel could/should drive them to try harder and inspire them to be more creative in accessing these funds. It’s a small community and within our disciplines we know each others work, and I for one generally feel if not a heart swelling pride at least a kind of contentment and comfort knowing that someone is getting some support out there.
Finally, I love the blog Mike and for all your work maybe you should be getting a little slice of that pie too!

Comment on Claudia Salguero’s Embrace Of The Unknown by Martin Elso konig

Martin Elso konig — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:28:01 +0000

Me emociona ,y tu no sabes porque… tu vida vivida…Claudia.
Un abrazo desde Chile.
te enviare un mail

Martin

Comment on Michel Luc Bellemare Responds To His Accusers by Michel Luc Bellemare

Michel Luc Bellemare — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:34:52 +0000

Some new insights:

1. A primary misconception about the article is the fact that the national gallery of canada’s library does discriminate between what gets into its collection and what does not. In 2005-2006, an earlier book of mine, called the machine, i.e. [=], was refused by the Gallery’s library. So this is not courtesy on its part, it does discriminate as to what gets in and what does not.

2. I told the reporter that I had sold 14, not 10, at the time.

3. Another misconception about the article is the paintings L’enfer and inferno, which are clearly two different paintings both in reality and in the virtual world, hence the different prices.

“the brush is mightier than the pen”.

Michel