Gareth Bate is a Toronto artist, responsible for a Stephane Dion spoof vid posted here when the guy was about to become prime minister (remember that ancient history, about three weeks ago?). Well, turns out he (Gareth) is an interesting guy. Sent me this. Watch it. Review it. — Garth
Artist’s Note:
The performance video Penance is intended to represent a bizarre act of self-punishment and humiliation for the guilt of environmental destruction. It also captures a sense of helplessness in the face of the overwhelming accumulation of problems facing the world. What can I do? I see this act as half serious and half ridiculous. In November 2007 I crawled on my stomach with a reconstructed field of grass on my back along Toronto’s Queen Street West starting at Soho Street. When I reached the busy intersection of Spadina Avenue I was faced with the dilemma of taking it to the next level and crossing the street, or turning back. Rather than take the risk, like our society I crawled backwards instead. After two painful and tiring hours I had to give up. The Penance video moves back and forth between the agonizing performance, the bewildered response of onlookers, and contemplative scenes of gleaning grass in the countryside. Reconstructing the body piece out of grass gleaned from the countryside was itself a reflective act. Agnès Vardas beautiful film The Gleaners and I was an inspiration for the gleaning process. Penance is my first performance and is best understood within the context of my paintings, installations and videos. — Gareth Bate
59 comments ↓
Is it April 1st? Genius is borderline to insanity!
Well at least the paint’s dry and the watched kettle has boiled!
If he’d tried that in Charing Cross station at rush hour, he would have been trampled!
I don’t understand
Um ….. Er …..
I guess that was pretty nice for Queen St.
As I said , Um … Er …
Dr Mike.
Gareth it was not enough, not even for your environmental sins -let alone your ancestors and progeny.
You should have given us at least 2 blocks worth of Penance! Yes 2 blocks should do it?
Not 1!
Mike on 12.30.08 at 10:05 am
Me neither Mike but I was amazed no one tried to help him, if they did, I missed it!
My thought is: In to-days age of You Tube most people have seen just about everything so this could be seen as just another You Tube or home movie stunt. Only one person actually voiced real concern and interesting enough it was a younger man. My fear was he was going to attempt crossing the street. Many stopped to take pictures just in case …. and just in case usually means money or fame for most.
Speaking of fame ….. is 2009 the year CNN’s Anderson Cooper gets himself killed doing another foolish on camera stunt for the News?
Obama, Government, & Hard Times:
Hard Times indeed my friend. Unemployment, foreclosures, falling home prices, higher food prices and that’s just the beginning for the average man.
Not to despair, Gala 2009 Inauguration is here. Cost to the taxpayer… approximately $50 million. That’s the same amount Congress provided to both Denver and St. Paul to host the Republican and Democratic conventions. Hard Times and belt pulling in, but do you notice…it’s never for the politicians.
If he REALLY wanted to make an impression. If he really wanted to show his voters that things were different. If he wanted to save their money, here was his first and biggest opportunity. A simple swearing in ceremony broadcast live. That would be much more Confidence inspiring than all the grandiose words thrown into the January wind.
That was awesome.
Message received and accepted.
It has become such a struggle to preserve the environment, that many just cannot be bothered. People do not want to see the struggle our natural environment has against the growth of urban sprawl, etc.
Once the “transformation” is complete, people forget what was there before it was turned into human habitat. Or, should I say “inhuman habitat”.
I have seen pristine wilderness become “developed”, with little regard as to the impact of that development. It just doesn’t look like much damage, when seen in the open surrounded by wide open spaces. Folks do not understand unseen seepages, ruined wildlife passages, lost food sources, etc.
I think it was Joni Mitchell who sang : “they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot”…
We should all do some penance for what we are doing to the environment. This fellow did an effective demonstration, but I did not recognise what the struggle was until the final title came in. Not sure how effective his communication to the city-folk watchers was…
#2 Mike on 12.30.08 at 10:05 am
I don’t understand
Well, Mike, first you have to ask yourself several questions:
-are we supposed to understand this presentation?
-is this some sort of social experiment to evaluate our reactions to the performance?
-is it appropriate to pass judgment on the success or failure of this as a work of video artistry? How can one rate the efforts of someone else’s mind set?
Personally, I like the innovative approach, but question the choice of location for presentation. Knowing the performance of some Toronto drivers, this could have easily ended in a severe tragedy for this artist! But I feel that as a penance it is a failure. One man in one act cannot atone for the miss begotten failed projects of his species or his fellow citizens. It is presumptuous to even attempt such a move. But it is his duty as an artist in a modern medium to question the “grand scheme” of things, but “penance” does not cut it for me. History cannot be rewritten and still be precise and accurate if there is a buy out or pay back. Revenge also can never reverse or erase the original offense.
But as a social experiment to observe the reactions of the current generation witnessing such a performance it is a fantastic success.
Thanx for posting this Garth, I also viewed his web site, as well!
If he presents more items, please post them. But please don’t call them “rebates”! [I know, I have been sick like this for a long time!]
Interesting video. The one positive that can be taken from our current economic disaster is that mother earth will get a much needed break. Perhaps the pain of this downturn is our “penance” for what we’ve been doing to our planet. We really have to find a new economic paradigm, where human beings don’t feel the need to fulfill themselves by way of consumption. Our greed and consumption of goods and materials have lead us into this mess and will it happen again with cyclical regularity if we don’t make some changes.
A fascinating social commentary by an intelligent artist. Too bad most people won’t get it.
OMG hilarious and sad.
Stupid, to say the least.
Lemme guess.
Getting out from under the oppression of Dubya?
If he had attempted to cross the street and succeeded, it would have given us hope. If he attempted and failed, he would have been looked upon as a martyr and inspired others. But to make no attempt at all to cross the street, and to actually retreat displays the reality of contemporary thinking about our environment, ie, it’s not worth taking the chance.
Some people will do anything to get their name out there. I am doing this in the name of ______ (fill in the blank with your fav. ’cause’). If the environment is this guy’s ’cause’, all he did here was to get people like Garth to post this video so he can get some of the attention he so desperately craves. Most people would watch perhaps 2 seconds of this video, think the guy is nuts and that will be that. In the 60’s people used to actually chain themselves to trees, or move into them for days at a time to save the planet. Yup, 40 years later we can see what good they did. Man is bent on paving the arable soil, pulling trees, turning our water toxic and there isn’t a darn thing anyone can do about it. Except…buy a few wetlands and protect them personally. L
Doug Kass had a lot of his “surprise events” predictions come true last year. Here are his 2009 predictions, and they’re not all gloom. (take with shaker of salt)
Kass 2009 Predictions – The Street.com
I guess I’m too thick to see his message. The one I took away from the video is the absolute disconnect there seems to be among all the bystanders from what they are observing. Is this a man who is mentally ill? Could it be someone high on something? Is he a victim of some horrible practical joke or hazing? Except for the chap very near the end, who only makes a seemingly half-hearted enquiry about what he is seeing, no one – not a single individual – makes any effort at all to prevent his crawling out into the intersection. This is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen.
Garth – As Jan 2/09 is fast approaching and TSFA’s will be available as of that date, could you please do a post on this topic. From what I have read one has to hold stocks, GIC ’s, mutual funds or bonds. As we have money in a savings & chequing account, I gather one can’t just transfer money from them and hold them in special TSFA savings’ accounts.
This is a visual metaphor of life’s struggles to advance oneself to a higher plane of human existence.
Which reminds me of the time I visited a local neon sign manufacturer .. and in the reception area they had artistic displays of their capabilities. One sign that particularly amused me was a small, framed, neon-lit word … “Shit” … what an appropriate symbol for this weblog forum.
Btw … only ~33 hours until Happy New Year … 2009 … the Year of the Coalition Junta?!
First thing that came to mind was of a real character in the book ‘City of Joy’, the innermost part of Calcutta, where the ‘undesirables’ live, and where Mother Teresa used to work.
Book is long and slightly better than the film, but the man was born with tiny stumps for legs, and both arms ended before the elbows.
The only way he could move was to ‘bounce’ from left to right, moving forward. One adapts to one’s own circumstances, makes the best of what he / she has.
A neat way to portray how fortunate we are to live here, no matter the ups and downs, or politics of life.
Compared with other situations in the world, there is nothing to complain about.
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#57 Dee, 10:38 pm — Glad to have been of unknown assistance!
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And now, one part of the Philosophy of Relationships is studied . . .
“I believe that sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, wholesome things that money can buy.” — Tom Clancy
“You know ‘that look’ women get when they want sex? Me neither.” — Steve Martin
“Sex at age 90 is like trying to shoot pool with a rope.” — George Burns
“Having sex is like playing bridge. If you don’t have a good partner, you’d better have a good hand.” — Woody Allen
“There are a number of mechanical devices which increase sexual arousal, particularly in women. Chief among these is the Mercedes-Benz 380SL.” — Lynn Lavner
“Leaving sex to the feminists is like letting your dog vacation at the taxidermist.” — Matt Barry
“Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night.” — Rodney Dangerfield
“Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation. The other eight are unimportant.” — George Burns
“Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships.” — Sharon Stone
“My girlfriend always laughs during sex —no matter what she’s reading.” — Steve Jobs (Founder, Apple Computers)
“My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.” — Jack Nicholson (Not sure, but I understand his grandparents or aunt / uncle raised him)
“Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives, but he never forgets oral sex, no matter how bad it is.” — Barbara Bush (Former US First Lady — and you didn’t think Barbara had a sense of humor)
“Ah, yes, divorce, from the Latin word meaning to rip out a man’s genitals through his wallet.” — Robin Williams
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First the Russian professor predicts the breakup of the US — http://tinyurl.com/a4wkge — now, the Chinese are saying the same thing — Rome and its’ gladiators has run its’ course as a world power, and is in the throes of a downward spiral. — http://tinyurl.com/8×7xmr
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A different take on 2009. — http://tinyurl.com/9hyssd
Gareth, thanks for giving Nature a voice.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Rhino wins Best Interpretation, how lessons get buried when we can’t see them, and what we can’t see, we don’t know. It just doesn’t look like much damage, when.. people forget what was there before — little regard as to the impact of development — people can’t see the struggle our natural environment has against the growth of urban sprawl — unseen seepages, ruined wildlife passages, lost food sources — such a struggle to preserve the environment that many just cannot be bothered
Calberta humours “..it was not enough, not even for your environmental sins – let alone your ancestors and progeny. You should have given us at least 2 blocks!”
But seriously Calberta, as an individual, Gareth has made a major contribution toward environmental awareness.
What, if anything, has anyone here done that even comes close to attempting to give the environment a voice in our society.
Dan had great interpretation. A tweaking wouldn’t hurt:
“…economic disaster…. mother earth will get a much needed break”
That’s hopeful Dan, but… the downside in economic hard times is that people feel sorry for themselves and might be too cheap and irresponsible to be “green”.
You mention “..find a new economic paradigm, where human beings don’t feel the need to fulfill themselves by way of consumption.
The answer is:
Make “living like a peasant” fashionable (hey, I’m a trendsetter!)
All kidding aside, it’s already “organically” happening on it’s own.
From hippie, to yuppie. Now back to hippie, please.
If people are confused or don’t get what the artist is trying to say – I’d say the artist failed in his presentation.
Well, that was 8 minutes and 58 seconds of my life I will never get back.
There are none so blind as those who will not see! I think Barb the Proof reader is correct on this one!
Slightly off-topic, but I just wanted to wish you and yours a Happy New Year 2009, Garth. Stay strong, determined, happy, healthy, and all the other good things in life.
With the very vague resemblence, although youngish, to Garth Turner, I am convinced this is an allegory of Garth’s recent tenure in the House of Commons.
I half expected Stephen Harper to fly down from the sky and ignite it.
I see a statement about human concern for humans. Whether genuine of for entertainment purposes. The weeds at the end without the person writhing underneath drew no interest whatsoever from passersbye. Only by injecting an actual person into the dance of nature can we attract attention of anykind.
#28 Ed Brooks on 12.30.08 at 4:46 pm
Good one!
#29 Jeremy on 12.30.08 at 5:08 pm
Interesting! I was disturbed though when no one talked to him and asked him if he was okay, or try to keep him from crossing the street. I like to think I would have. I don’t go to Toronto often, but when I do, I end up handing out smokes and money to the homeless. Not all of them–some are, unfortunately, scary. There are many mentally ill people on the streets. Maybe some people thought Gareth was–the video was a bit obscure for my tastes–and way too long. I fast-forwarded it eventually. Short attention span I guess.
The real price is being paid by the farmer whose crop was still out in the field as winter has arrived. Cost per acre $560, without the cost of land. 150 bushels per acre at less than $4 per bushel after drying costs. The corn was still in the field because of the low heat units we received this year. Global warming, I think not. Climate change for sure. Pentance, by an artie guy while the farmer is paying the real price.
Sceptic
US retailers only — first half of ‘09. — http://tinyurl.com/8jynxd
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Why has the US govt. bought a whole lotta troops back from Iraq, and loaded up with new ones in Af’stan? Unemployment has skyrocketed since the fiscal downturn began.
Could it be military rule under dubya, and is this the ’something’ that will happen on Jan. 21 or 22? — http://tinyurl.com/9hua5p
If so, this would be hairy’s (military) ‘coalition junta’ he keeps drooling on about — what are the chances of harpo following dubya’s orders?
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Don’t necessarily agree with them all — all possibilities are in existence, no matter what — but a slightly different POV than #17 PeckedToDeath By LameDucks — g’day, Pecked!
2009 predictions — first eleven from Daily Reckoning, and five further from Money & Markets (third) to confuse y’all!
http://tinyurl.com/7nptvd http://www.dailyreckoning.com/ http://tinyurl.com/8k59ca
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I posted a similar link not too long ago, but this views the economy and sunspots as being different.
Not so, as both are / have disappeared! — http://tinyurl.com/7hvm8b
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Current toll — http://tinyurl.com/9fqbbo ; seems a little one-sided, but since 2002 . . .
“The deaths brought the tally of civilian fatalities from rocket strikes to 19 since 2002, when militants in Gaza first began firing missiles at Israeli towns.”
Who could the aggressors be? Who wants more and more land? Why has the IAEA never been allowed to inspect the nuke facilities? Anyone can figure this out.
Gotta pass on this one. My art appreciation is stuck in the Renaissance, when art was art and performance art was a public execution. And I’ll take my metaphysics straight, from Aristotle to, say, Heidegger.
But I wonder how many people thought of the environment as they watched a man impersonating a weedy turtle creep across the sidewalk. It is not a logical connection I would have made.
And if Gareth had done his thing in Ottawa, I would want to know how much of a subsidiy he was getting out of my property taxes.
pen·ance (p?n’?ns)
noun. An act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing.
It’s interesting to see the breadth and complexity of cognition and comprehension here (or lack thereof). If one defines art as provoking thought and discussion, I would say this video is effective. On the other hand, holding an exclusive aesthetic must make life rather dull. I would not want to live in such a dull and uninspired world. Kudos to Mr. Bate.
Art is the direct communication of emotion. If it makes you feel something, it’s done it’s job even if you don’t intellectually ‘get it’.
Must be my OCA background, but I found the video disturbing and moving even before I caught the title. Then I started thinking about the ‘development’ process I see all around Milton every day, which inevitably starts with the removal of tons of fertile, living topsoil which is then replaced by houses and dead, impermeable asphalt. Even if those houses were removed and the pavement torn up, it would be decades before that smothered soil would be able to bear life again.
For me, the feeling of oppression and constraint I get thinking about that is the same as the feeling I get from this video. So yeah – I get it.
Did Gareth Bate receive government funding for his self professed act of enviromental penance?
Ah, the cry of the conservative – “why the hell should my hard earned tax dollars go to pay for blah blah blah?” It’s right up there with “You kids get off my damned lawn!!”
Tell you what – you don’t have to pay for arts funding when I don’t have to pay for sports arenas and the military. Ok?
My take on this video was similar to that of Maybe Rhino.
Dan’s view seemed logical too.
I noticed the three people were collecting corn stalks but when they were putting them into the material, they looked more like some kind of grasses. I didn’t really get it until I saw that patch of natural material sitting there on the vast area of pavement. Then I thought how difficult it was to get it there and how the things we have been doing to the planet will be even more difficult to reverse.
I found it disturbing when the girls just giggled and looked like they were laughing at Gareth and it made me feel a bit more hopeful when the young man showed concern as well as curiosity.
Barb. the P.R. put it all into perspective.
#25 Marc on 12.30.08 at 3:44 pm
Well, that was 8 minutes and 58 seconds of my life I will never get back.
You actually watched it?
Jennifer,
re your #35, I don’t think I would qualify as a conservative. But I do think that if you want to pursue a hobby, do so at your leisure and expense. And if you want to live by your art, do so, but not on the public’s dime.
“Ah, the cry of the conservative – “why the hell should my hard earned tax dollars go to pay for blah blah blah?” It’s right up there with “You kids get off my damned lawn!!”
I wasn’t going to comment on this item as it really doesn’t strike a cord for me but hey, different strokes for different folks. The comment above however, does strike a cord.
The funding/taxes comment was intended as humor. Seems you missed that as much as many missed the value of the guy’s video.
I expect there were no public funds involved, and would hope not. If one is attempting to connect with the public on an important issue, it is better to make a clear statement than one that few understand. Judging from the reactions of people on the street, it is quite likely most would be left wondering if the fellow was mentally competent.
I would think it a fair consideration to view this effort as that of someone who is generally disconnected from the larger target audience.
I’ve been saying this for a while; a large portion of liberals really need to find a way to associate with the street people.
Was that really Garth Turner? Tell me it isn’t so.
Most folks just don’t have an eye for Art, the Bushwacked Income Trust Investor.
Captain George:
Don’t worry about the Income Trust Issue. When the Coalition takes over IT’s will be restored to their former glory.
#33 Herb on 12.30.08 at 7:28 pm
Well, I scanned the flic (fast with the mouse dragging things along) and here is my two cents.
It reminded me of some of the Homeless people that park themselves in front of the theaters in T.O., as well as the mentally ill who can be found doing similar things daily.
As to it being art, I prefer clearly spoken speech and not the ‘free-interpretation’ silliness like the pile of rug scraps, and a two inch hawser wasting space at the National Art Gallery in Oddawahaha.
Perhaps it could qualify for a spot on ‘Canada’s Stupidest Videos’?
There that is a quarter’s worth, and more than it deserves.
#35 Jennifer Smith on 12.31.08 at 1:45 am
Hear! Hear! I could not agree more. Why are my tax dollars paying to build sports arenas for a 25% demographic who think hockey is a reputable sport?
As to funding the military, no problem as long as it is for OUR defense. So, who is the enemy?
How about funding for the out-of-date libraries? Government could buy a computer for thousands with internet connection for the construction and operating costs?
Let’s put that money into high-speed rail and hub airport services that actually serves our needs and reduces the load on our overcrowded highways.
Oh wait, I forgot, government is usually 20-50 years behind the present!
The saying holds true — if one does not learn from history, one is doomed to repeat it. Sheeple of this world have been there and done that before, and will do so again in different incarnations.
It happened in the 1860s – 70s. — http://tinyurl.com/8hhyc9
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To some extent, it goes with today’s http://www.dilbert.com/
It DOES look like Garth dragging his burden around, only to have people either not notice or to laugh – the fate of many good people who have tried to do the right thing before.
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re #40 Bocanut on 12.31.08 at 10:20 am
“…let’s send all the Queen St.W leeches/artistees off to Afghanistan where they can do their camoflauged crawl in front of Canadian tanks.”
Death of any kind in Afghanistan is no joke.
There’s something the matter with you. Please get some help.
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A truly beautiful ~4 min. video of the sky in motion, from APOD (astronomy picture of the day) from NASA.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap081231.html
Feel your tension relax – for a while, anyway.
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From Pam Martens, former Wall Street stockbroker:
“Wall Street’s greed and corruption blinded it to its own fragile existence. It completely neglected to notice that its survival was dependent upon the people it was looting. By destroying its customer base, it destroyed itself.”
(That’s always how I’ve felt about Wal Mart, and more recently, about the HarpoCons and their destruction of Canada.)
http://www.counterpunch.org/martens12312008.html
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The late lamented John Kenneth Galbraith once said that there were two kinds of economists, the ones who don’t know and the ones who don’t know that they don’t know what will happen.
I wonder which one our glorious leader is? I’ll opt for the second one. Harper would never admit that he didn’t know anything, unlike Socrates.
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May the new year hold better things for all of us than 2008 did, and most importantly, peace to men of good will. (I can dream, can’t I?)
#31 Murray on 12.30.08 at 6:05 pm
Is that really the case? Or is this not just cattle feed which can be stored on the stock, and combined [harvested] when cheaper rates and fuel is available? Also the field work is easier when the ground is frozen, and not so boggy as it was during this wet year.
In 1960 in Western Canada, much swathed grain lay on the ground well into the Winter. When it was picked up and used as cattle feed, the herds came through the late severe weather in the Spring of 1961 just fine since they were so well fed! Not all problems need to be a disaster.
I found it disturbing when the girls just giggled and looked like they were laughing at Gareth and it made me feel a bit more hopeful when the young man showed concern as well as curiosity.
Barb. the P.R. put it all into perspective.
#36 Pat G on 12.31.08 at 2:26 am
You may have hit on the point and audience that Gareth Bate was aiming at. Was he in fact attempting to actually make them think! The giggle responses are those of individuals who lack experience dealing with the unexpected, incongruent circumstances that life throws at us on occasion. If that is the case just maybe the success of his presentation is yet to be determined in the future! Not all responses are immediate nor lend themselves to “sound bytes”!
Well personally i think he should be on 24 hour watch
—But all to their own –
I wonder which one our glorious leader is? I’ll opt for the second one. Harper would never admit that he didn’t know anything, unlike Socrates.
#47 CM on 12.31.08 at 2:20 pm
Actually, I am finding it like a breath of fresh Spring air to NOT have to see headline after headline about Harper’s latest reniging on a promise. Maybe that is the real Xmas present we all needed? Likewise, as Parliament is abandoned, non-functional, the country is safe until January 27th. I wonder, however, what the meelee will be following the New Government in the U.S. which has elected a REAL Leader!
I would like to wish all on Garth’s blog, Garth, Dorothy, Bandit, Esther and their families a Happy 2009 . I have learned so much from all who participate on this blog and for that I am trully thankful. I have been reading Xurbia and look forward to reading more. Having gone without power for 7 days years ago, we are fairly well prepared for another major outage. We have a wood stove and a fireplace, about 4 ‘real’ cords of wood, cash in a good home safe, plenty of non-perishable food, a generator, coleman stove with lots of bottles, water on hand, etc., etc. There’s more we can do. As we are anticipating a major storm, my husband has already prepared for it. We shall be safe & cosy at home this evening, enjoying our $5.00/lb lobsters, collosal shrimp and shallops, while we can. Spent the day cooking 11 lobsters, making stock & pickled lobster tails, claws, to send to a sis. Not to make you envious
We’re not into N.Y’s eve parties.
Have a great New Year’s eve all. We’ll be watching Air Farce’s last program this evening. We’ll miss them, but thankfully This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Rick Mercer is still around. We’ll need some humour in 2009.
A very happy, healthy, prosperous (!?!) and Harperless new year to you, Garth, and to your real and virtual families.
Those who oppose arts funding must also be adverse to funding Olympic sports, amateur sports, youth programmes, professional sports arenas, cultural festivals, religious buildings etc.
There are several programmes which I deem unnecessary that my tax dollars support. I wish we could self-direct our taxes.
Hi
This is Gareth Bate, the artist in the Penance Video.
I wanted to respond to some of your feedback and answer questions.
Firstly thanks to Garth for posting it and adding the artist statement above to explain the piece! Thanks for the GREAT and passionate comments and responses from everyone. I am enjoying reading them. I invite you to continue to not hold back, and ask questions.
Your responses are very different from any I’ve had before and really took it to another level—a more political one which is what I intended. You noticed details that other people have not picked up on such as the farmer’s crop sitting in winter etc. Some of you have understood the intention really clearly. It would be great if you could post these responses on YouTube too as the level of commentary is not very high there…
I feel strongly that the video needs to be seen within the context of my other art, which is far less sensationalistic. This was my first performance. Much of my work addresses the environment and a naturalistic worldview. My Website: http://www.garethbate.com
RESPONSES:
Thanks for the great response Rhino Maybe, Bard the Proofreader and Charles Oxly, and Lana, Murray, Jennifer Smith. TOM #15 really got the part about reversing direction. Nice.
PUBLIC FUNDING:
There were NO arts grants involved in this piece. In fact it is a zero budget artwork made with a borrowed camera and the help of three friends and edited in iMovie. Saglara Kitchikova filmed the urban parts and Carolyn Dinsmore shot the stills. I shot the studio and country scenes and edited it.
I did however submit Penance as my portfolio submission for a $5000 Ontario Arts Council Grant, which I got. That grant money allowed me to actually get paid for a year’s work on a set design for a dance company in Montreal, which opens in January. 09. (Totally unrelated to Penance). It also paid for the materials for the set. Money really well spent considering it is a monumental design. It is a fabulous and daring dance piece.
If you want Canada to join the ranks of loser nations, then cut arts funding and watch what happens as we become nothing on the international scene. If you want a culture you have to invest in it, unless you are willing to just let others speak for you. There are lots of things that my tax money pays for that I don’t use personally, and do not necessarily agree with. Deal with it; it is called having a society.
Response to LEASA: #16
If you look at my other work you will see that my intention is not shock or getting attention. This is a genuine and was my first foray into performance art, I’m primarily a painter. I’m an artist making an artwork. Penance is very different from someone chaining himself or herself to a tree as an activist. Neither gesture is intended to save the world. We are putting something out there. Gestures like chaining oneself to a tree caught the popular imagination. They have contributed to the environmentalist movement as a whole by engaging people and getting them talking and perhaps caring. Penance engages people in discussion, and that was the intention.
SOCIAL EXPERIMENT
The response of the people on the street is as important to the interpretation of Penance as the act itself. It is all about that. People were making lots of comments; unfortunately they couldn’t really be picked up on camera except for the guy who spoke directly to the camera.
I see the video as having five important aspects. 1) The act of penance itself 2) The response on the street. 3) The gleaning process in the country 4) the contemplative act of reconstructing the field in the studio. 5) The response of the audience viewing the video as a whole. It was conceived as an edited video so the meaning is clearer to you than it may have been to the people on the street.
That’s all for now, if you have any more questions I can answer them. Or just let loose with the reviews, I’m enjoying the commentary –both good and bad.
thanks
Gareth
“thanks” ~Gareth
Gareth,
There were many, who understood your piece, and many who had questions. You did a fantastic job. I had viewed the piece a month or so ago when Garth posted your Dion “Rebel” video, which I just loved. Curious about it then, I had clicked on the link at that time and enjoyed your site and this work.
I wanted to reply to your post to warn you and let you know about the so-called “commenter” who “criticized” you — to not bother taking her seriously, the commenter named leesa is just a daily, and mean-spirited troll who only visits Garth’s blog on behalf Harper, her buddy. Her very ignorant and stupid crack about tree-hugging in the 60’s is actually completely inaccurate, as are most of her sneers each day here. So just ignore her. Truly. She and a couple of other politically motivated blog Trolls only come here only to disparage anything Garth Turner does or says. Just the fact Garth posted your video is her cue to bash anything Garth associates himself with, so you were only being criticized by association with Garth. (note in Garth’s next blog comment, his words and several commenters confirm that Garth is attacked by the neo-Conservatives and Harper without any justification other than the fact that Garth tells the truth and cares.) In other words, don’t take her comments personally, she was just shallowly sliming you because Garth liked your work. Garth is her target. Not you. And pathetically, leesa viciously accused you of craving attention, when it is really leesa who is doing so.
So Gareth, all in all, I’d say the reviews so far are very favourable. Good work. Good cause.
…….
And, for the record leesa is wrong on the distorted ‘facts’ in her comment as usual, incorrectly generalized and made up her above story — this time about tree huggers being from the ’60s’ and without altruistic intention.
Firstly these women in INDIA started in 1973 and they certainly were not selfish nor self interested:
“Chipko movement”
http://www.answers.com/tree-hugger
The movement began in Chamoli district in 1973 and spread throughout the Uttaranchal Himalayas by the end of the decade.
Chipko slogan 1974:
“Ecology is permanent economy.”
Anyone who would ‘put down’ a ‘tree hugger’ is an utter dunce and complete idiot. If anything, the tree huggers are the world’s heroes, well ahead of their time.
#56 Barb the proofreader on 01.01.09 at 5:31 am
Barbara, have you ever googled [world deforestation history] ? Those first articles tell it all very quickly where are and why.
I cannot be called a tree hugger, but there is a place for preservation of old growth forests, and there is a crying need to escalate the rate of replanting plus general sylvaculture. We need this to produce more cellulose for those uses that society needs it and it is a real genuine economy. Where has all those “stumpage fees” gone that have been collected? Obviously not replanting!
#57 Bocanut on 01.01.09 at 1:35 pm
#55 Gareth Bate on 12.31.08 at 8:46 pm
Do you support yourself exclusively by your art?
Bloconut, do you support yourself exclusively on your comments? If so we can soon hope for your demise by starvation!
The response of the people on the street is as important to the interpretation of Penance as the act itself. It is all about that.
#55 Gareth Bate
A curious statement. Consider a deep felt yearning to express urbanization and destruction of natural habitat. Then consider the act of delivery. Then the searing need to answer.
None of it matters if it is delivered as a riddle and qualifies one to go forth and further confuse. Few here are more guilty of confusing through imagery than me, but I can if necessary back up what I try to convey with the unpleasant truth that people can understand. It is easier for me not to.
Listen if you wish, or ignore if you want, but if it is your goal is to have an impact, be a great deal more precise.
It is the way
To the minds
Of the Street People
The .01 percent who ponder your angst, don’t make much difference in regards to governance.
And most of all remember, it’s not all about you.
Thanks Barb the Proofreader. —Gotta love Trolls.
Bacanut #57— Question: Do you earn a living exclusively from making art?
Answer: No. I have 5 jobs.
*I work as an artist and make paintings and sell them (and recently a set design in Montreal).
* I teach a night school painting class at Central Tech in Toronto
* I am a teaching assistant at the Ontario College of Art & Design
* I work in a artist studio who makes crazy exploding clocks.
* I design websites.
All interesting creative jobs.
* I work in a artist studio who makes crazy exploding clocks.
#62 Gareth Bate on 01.01.09 at 10:07 pm
I hope you make a version to sell to the Talaban than runs on “fast time”! Like make my day, and blast a WOG today!