32 planet of the arts / october 1997 Mary Kelly ...continued from page 30 women. At the moment when the birth control pill pro- vided women with a stronger case for equality and choice than had previously existed, it also meant that they became engaged in redefining the terms of femininity and the gendered construction of women’s roles in the family and in society. Kelly’s attention, like that of many other women, was focussed on sexuality and gender as well as class and institutional critique. In particular, Kelly’s reading and study turned to the psychoanalytical construction of “woman, as a category, participating in a wide variety of contemporary and subsequent investiga- tions of subjectivity, gender and sexuality. Kelly’s prac- tice, while feminist, was not aesthetically or politically distinct from: other conceptualist art practices at the time. Its distinction lay in its content; providing a con- temporary investigation of mother and child, invested with a utopian impulse toward equality for women with- in the structures of the family and society, and equality for men too, for that matter, within the context of the family, by acknowledging their active role in childcare. There is no reason why these concerns should be exclud- ed and set apart from other art practices of those years. They functioned at both the level of material practice and the level of metadiscourse about art and about society, constructing a set of propositions, working these out conceptually within the frame of reference of a visual arts — practice and presenting them a exhibitions which chal- lenged the conventions of aesthetic and institutional practice. ce) Reprinted courtesy of Judith Mastai and Greg Bellerby. Sir Lucky ...continued from page 27 worldliness effortlessly in comments such as: “We come here from our country to make a better living, to improve ourselves. Many artists at this school are living like in the Third World. They don’t know what they are going to do after they leave. They don’t know how they are going to pay back their loans. They don’t know their future. They live day to day, enjoying life.” For his own two children, aged four and five years, Sir Lucky hopes that “they don’t end up in the job I’m doing, that they have a better future.” With a good education, he hopes they will become “a doctor, a lawyer, or maybe Emily Carr president, and at least make good money.” Sir Lucky plans to make his next visit to the Institute in May, during the annual exhibition of graduating stu- dents work. By the way, his favourite artist is Andy Warhol. O! Sebastian and Michael (Todd McGillibray and Don McWilliams) from The Time Being. mackenzic stro, PHOTO eevrnee DEAR M.L.€., PEW LINES IN THE PLAN AT THE OL'NUS.A, THREE YEARS. AND WONDERFUL. A Jump} \ FiGuReD tHE BESr WAY AND ATTENDANCE AT THE VA ENTINE / RETIREMENT PUB NIGHT WOULD BE TO RIGuT A THEOLOGICAL REFERENCES; FRom THE 60's TO Tite 90'S.» THE AVERAGE AGE oF THe STUDENTS STAYED THe Same «- | GOT ANOTHER YHA OLyeER NN ft a ees es ft, ; Pa. fe Anan = : ies Le x 2 ‘dag i } ig} \ 4 i{ : | om) t. ‘g o . ae oe Le “A Se | ANY Ni a \ , As eo ae i 2 it : \ = ® H I, = S 2 ee EAS tii : ®' £ 1% ® Os — e Se = Lp Ty fill, : ‘ a »y y 4 \ Hg i QP : F ; a os —= nl \ oC A\ @.° pee ee —— re es ? f) ASS ENDING N AE Ee TI vaweouv Pir ee ee Se Ee eS - Tank EVER ONE Wie PAR CIS TS, IF & CounT THE Foug | WILL HALF BEEN WANDERING THE HALLS WITH MISSMUSE FoR THIRTY IN THAT Time I'VE BEEN PRIVILAGED TO BE ALONG Sipe THE WIERD FRom THOSE BORDERING ON THE CRIMINALLY INSANE ToD THOSE QuOnNG LEA? ATED IN Tite” PLANN ING EARS | SPENT AS A STODENT ING LIZZAADS 11) WHAT THE PUB NIGHT WAS AN'AMALING REMINDER OF PAST AND PRESENT... OLD FRENS, NEW | FRENS.... FNO, AST A PARTING ST,,, EEP_THAT INTERATH ON OF ALUMNI ONGDING.!. @ THANK PAST, PREJONT .. WORK, ye You_ Att ..U.e@ str wew, ITU DENTS «6 COLLEAGVES ... EVERYONE wit Maes THAT Cameos ANO_RLEMEM BER _,, ANY Pare THAT HAS BEER , PIZZA, LIVE MUSIC Ans NAKED PEOLE is A Goov. PARTY |} = o. 58 OLD, By Maeve Doyle s fall filled the air with all the hope, promise and best intentions for another year at ECIAD, I had an opportunity to see the results of Kenneth Sherman’s years of labour that started here, when his film The Time Being had its World Premiere at The Vancouver International Film Festival. The Time Being is a visually stunning and evocative contemporary narrative that follows one man’s obsessive struggle for survival after the cor- poreality of death is revealed to him by mutually taking the life of his beloved. Sherman began production of this ambitious project in his final year in the film/video program. Its 52 minutes in length and cost exceeded the standard parameters of an Emily Carr film pro- duction. With only a preview of The Time Being and a short experimental film in the 1996 Grad Show, Sherman was awarded the first place Helen Pitt Award for “the most outstanding work of the graduating class.” After graduation, he went on to receive completion funds from Canada Council, B.C. Arts Council and the NFB. a e “T didn’t want to come out of Emily Carr with a box of souvenirs of the art school experience, and I had no interest in challenging or taking the responsibility of restructuring the inherent bureaucracy of the institute. I was there to do my work and fully exploit the resources and facilities available,” says Sherman. : After doing an invitational exchange at the San Francisco Art Institute, Sherman realized that “for all the bitching and whining over equipment and access at ECIAD, we’re actually quite spoiled. The A/V facilities and equipment at SFAI are nowhere near as good or accessible.” On set, with almost the entire A/V crib plus truckloads of commercial equipment (mostly donated), Sherman remained calm and inspired through the eight day shooting schedule. With cast, crew and extras numbering over a hundred (myself included) the mood of the production was never tense. Sherman acted more as a facilita- tor of group creation than a dictator. Sherman’s style of directing began by selecting his cast of trained actors with care, and then allowing them to naturally play out their parts. “While I was fully organized for the shoot,” says Sherman, “I wasn’t eath Becomes Him prepared for the intense degree of intimacy. I was on-set almost twenty-four hours a day, unless I had to run equipment, and I was averaging only about three hours of sleep a night. That space became the whole world to us, and it was very dif- ficult and somewhat surreal to go back to our reg- ular routines.” With the film finished and the formation of his production company, ANGEL[man]MEDIA, Sherman is developing his debut feature script Go-Go in association with John Greyson (Lilies, Zero Patience) and Brad Fraser (Love and Human Remains). His adaptation of Neil Johnston’s super-hero comic series will be a high-concept urban fantasy that explores the very real implica- tions of the body and technology, and the new era of the post-human. Sherman concluded, “It’s wonderful to have that fresh feeling of tackling a new project, all potential and no rules. The Time Being was ‘so deeply personal and painful to make, I dort think Pll ever do another film on that level. Having said that, I have no regrets about making it. It changed my life and I’m happier now than I’ve ever been, largely because of making this film.” ey 32 plonet of the arts / october 1997 Mary Kelly women. At the moment when the birth contol pill ro: ‘ded women witha stronger case for equality and choice than had previously existed, it also meant that they became engaged in redefining the tems of femininity and the gendered construction of women's role inthe family and in society, Kellys attention like that of mam her women, was focused on sexuality and gender as well as class and institutional critique. In particular, Kellys eading and study turned t the psychoanalyticl tice, while feminist, was not aesthetically or politically distinct from other conceptualist att practices at the time, ls distinction lay in ts contents provid with a utopian impulse toward equality for women with in te structures ofthe family and society, and equality for men too, for that mate, within the context of the family, by acknowledging their active role in chiar Theres no reason why these concerns shouldbe exelud ced and set apart from other art practices of those years, They functioned at both the evel of material practice and the level of metadiscourse about art and about society constructing 4 set of propositions, working these out conceptually within the frame of reference of visual arts practice and presenting them a exhibitions which chal lenged the conventions of aesthetic and institutional practice 61 Reprinted courtesy of Judith Masai and Greg Beller. Sir Lucky \woldnes efforts in comments such a: “We come het rom our county to makea better living, to improve ‘urslves: Many artists at this schoo! are living lik in the Third World. They dont know what they are going to do after they lave. They don't know how they are going to pay back their loans They don't know thet future. They live day today enjoying lie Forhisown two children, aged four and five years, Sir Lacky hopes that “they don't end up in the job I'm dang, that they have a beter future” Witha god education, he hopes they will become “a doctor, a lawyer, oF maybe Emily Car president, and atleast make good money Sir Lucky plans to make his next vst tothe Isttte in May, daring the annual exhibition of graduating tu dents work By dhe wa his favourite artist is Andy Warhol. Sebastian and Michael Todd Mesiibray and Don MeWilions) fom The Tie Being \ Flquaes mee ger Pew Lives THREE Yeon « AND Wen DERFUL. A sunt In THE PLAWSTOPMRImETS THEOLGICAL REFERENCES; Flom THE GO TO THE 90!d 10m Goor eves DEAR MLE, teBTY I $5 Liming LizzAeoe I THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE STUDENTS TIVE TIRE Same mL. GOT ANOTIER Yen CLIER THE PUB NIGET WAL AN'AMALING REMIUOER OF PAST AND PRETENT.. eri EVER ONE Whe PRRMCITATED IN THE PLANNING AND wereNoRNCE AT THe VAC eNTINE/ RETIREMENT PUB NIGET WOULO BE TO RigrT A IF | Coun THE FOUR ERKS 1 SPenT ASA SrODENT AT TRE OU NSA 7 WILE HALE BEEN WANDERING mE WALLS Wine migsMUsE FoR THIRTY in TWAT Time IVE SGN PRIVILAGED 10 AE MONG ier Tike WIETS | aw WOSE BORDERING ON THE CRIMINALLY INSMWE TO Tete QoTIN | | ) wie OL) PAENE , WEW Nao ING. Peat jer A eemk Fier RE TT RE a ok RET Se ee Nee hans tarsesese “crvvmir? © cgccenged , eYen( thet i aes ector Jie stastreiigeaenestceas | AL Paere THAT HRs BEER, PIZZA, LIVE music Ans ave? PEOLe is A — Death Becomes Him By Maeve Doyle 1 file ts wih al he hope, fr BOLD ee cet ce the results of Kenneth Sherman's years of labour that started here, when his film The Tie Being had its World Premiere at The Vancouver International Film Festival The Time Being is a visually stunning and vocative contemporary naratve that follows one ‘man's obsessive struggle for survival afer the co poreality of death is revealed to him by mutually taking the life of his beloved ‘Sherman began production of this ambitious roc in his inal yea nthe livido program. Its 52 minutes in length and cost exceeded the standard parameters of an Emily Car film pro ‘duction. With only a preview of The Time Being apd a short experimental film in the 1996 Grad Show, Sherman was awarded the first place Helen Pitt Award for “the most oustanding work ofthe _raduating class” After graduation, he went on to rectve completion funds from Canada Council, BC. Ars Council and the NEB. 1 didnt want to come out of Emily Car with 4 box of souvenirs ofthe art school experience, and I had no interest in challenging or taking the responsibility of restructuring the inherent bureaucracy ofthe isttut. Iwas there todo my work and filly exploit the resources and facilities available says Sherman, ‘After doing an invitational exchange athe San Francisco Art Institute, Sherman realized that "for all the bitching and whining over equipment and access a ECIAD, we're actualy quite spoiled. The AW faites and equipment a SFA are nowhere nea as good or accessible (On st, with almost the entire A/V crib pus truckloads of commercial equipment (mostly donated), Sherman remained calm and inspired ‘through the eight day shooting schedule. With cast crew and extras numbering over a hundred (myself included) the mood of the production was never tense, Sherman acted more asa facia tor of group creation than a dictator. Sherman's style of directing began by selecting his ast of trained actors with cae, and then allowing them ‘to naturally lay out thee parts. “Whi was fly ‘organized for the shoot” says Sherman," wasn't prepared forthe intense degree of intimacy. was ‘on-set almost twenty-four hours a day unless 1 had trun equipment, and I was aver about three hours of sleep a night. That space became the whole word tous and twas very di Fcult and somewhat sutra to go back to out reg lar rotines With the film Gnished and the formation of Du Sherman is developing his debut feature script his production company, ANGEL man] (Go-Go in association with John Greyson (ils Zero Patience) and Brad Fraser (Lore and Human Remains). His adaptation of Neil Johnston's superhero comie series will be a high-concept ‘urban fantasy that explores the wer real implica tions ofthe Body and technology, and the new ra ofthe post- human: Sherman concud, “Its wonderful to have that fresh feling of tackling a new project ll potential and no rules. The Tine Being was s0 deeply personal and paintal to make, dont think Pl ever do another fil om that lve. Having sid that, have no regrets about making itt changed ‘ny life and I'm happier now than I've ever been, largely because of making this film”