On Friday, June 30th, Electric City Culture Council (EC3) and Artspace are turning Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough into a stage for “New Visions/Old Land”, an meida arts exhibition that celebrates Canada 150.
EC3 and Artspace asked artists in Peterborough to reimagine what the idea of Canada means to them, and to offer new visions of what it could or should be. Who are we? What does it mean to be Canadian? What is the role of the land and the landscape in shaping this definition? How can we trace an outline of the future in the fragments of the past?
“New Visions/Old Land”, a series of four original works in film or video with live music or sound by local musicians, recasts Canada’s past and invents alternative futures. The exhibition takes place in stores, office fronts, alleyways and tents along Hunter Street West between George Street and and Sam’s Deli from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The four media art projects are:
- “Time-Scape” by Kerri Kennedy (2017, 5 minutes, digital video), with live sound by Jake Ryan, every hour starting at 10 a.m. at CIBC (corner of George and Hunter St. W.)
- “Boerner Divider” by Meagan Christou (2017, 5 minutes, 16mm film), with live sound by Andrew Savery-Whiteway, every hour starting at 10:15 a.m. in a tent on Hunter St. W.
- “Land” by Shannon Taylor (2017, 5 minutes, digital video), with live sound by Benj Rowland, every hour starting at 10:30 a.m. at Meta4 Gallery (164 Hunter St. W.)
- “I Remember… Stories from a 500-year Old Tree” by Joeann Argue and Cara Mumford (2017, 5 minutes, digital video), with live sound by Nick Ferrio, every hour starting at 10:45 a.m. at Hunter Street Books (164 Hunter St. W.)
Filmmaker and Trent University Professor Kelly Egan will curate the show.
During the exhibition, EC3 will be hosting a Canadian Culture Trivia Contest with prizes. Trent Radio 92.7 will be broadcasting live from a booth on Hunter Street West, and people can visit the booth or call in to participate in the trivia contest.
Seeds for Justice, the Art School of Peterborough, and the sidewalk chalk bridgade will also be there for giant puzzles, storytelling, free cake, popcorn, and more.
If you’re interested in making your own film, EC3 is also offering a unique opportunity with a camera-less film production table. It’s a great way to learn about the history of moving images and the differences between video and celluloid, through “camera-less” 16mm filmmaking.
You can scratch, paint, stamp, and draw directly on provided 16mm film. Once your film is finished (and dried if needed), you can watch your creation projected live on Hunter Street West. This activity is open to all ages, and children are encouraged to participate.
You can also expect to see photographers in abundance during the exhibit. Throughout the four days of Canada 150 celebrations in Peterborough, volunteer photographers from the SPARK Photo Festival will be capturing the sights and sounds for a special Canada 150 exhibit in the future.
VIDEO: Techniques of Cameraless Filmmaking
All the Canada 150 celebrations over four days in Peterborough are free. Some events are subject to last-minute changes, and other events are weather dependent. For more information and for last-minute updates on Peterborough’s Canada 150th celebration schedule, visit www.peterborough.ca/ptbo150, www.facebook.com/PTBO150, or @Ptbo150, and search for the hashtag #Ptbo150 on social media.
