16 planet of the arts / spring 1998

IDENTITIES

Dealing With Type I Diabetes

The Sugar Dance

By Aidan Kelly

had just turned twenty one when I started feeling general- ly ill. For over a week I paid no heed to my unquenchable thirst. I assumed that urinating every two hours was the natural result of all I was drinking. I thought the headaches and nausea were the beginning of a flu. Somehow, traveling out of town to a family reunion didn’t seem like such a bad idea at the time. It was on that bus trip I realized I couldn't tell where I was because I couldn’t focus on the street signs around me. When I arrived I borrowed glasses from my brother-in-law, intending to get my eyes checked as soon as I got home. Two days later they were even worse and I was pushing the thought from my mind that I was going blind. That night there was acid burning my lungs and trachea, but I was so fatigued I could barely stay awake. When I got back home I saw my general practitioner and gave her a list of my symptoms. She sent me home with, “sounds like a bad flu.”

When I reached the office door, I turned around, “Could you at least check my eyes?”

She humoured me, sending me upstairs to an ophthalmologist. He knew what was wrong almost instantly and drove me to the door of Emergency himself. They gave me the insulin my body had been starved of and told me I had diabetes.

No, I never sued that general practitioner, though I never saw her again.

here were no choices in my new reality. From day one I had to [= to do my own injections. I was paralyzed with the fear of

how to function when I left the hospital. I remember believ- ing I would never learn how to “think” for my pancreas or learn to consciously coordinate my metabolism. I knew I couldn't go back to university, not yet. I lost my license and had to give up my job as a horse-drawn carriage driver. I stayed at home supported by my (com- mon law) husband, without working, for over a year in a remote town. I painted. I bought a puppy. I obsessed about keeping balanced blood glucose levels.

It’s been almost four years.

Up until the first day of class, all I had been thinking was that going to art school was exactly the right thing for me to do. I didn’t care if I found a job at the end, I just wanted to live each day to its fullest. I threw out all the detailed plans that I had hoped would one day become my life so that I could learn how to create and speak with visual art. Walking into class on the first day though, I remembered

why I'd quit university: dictated breaks, missed meals and frozen dinners. Since the last time I was a student, I’d gotten used to a schedule that was flexible in relation to my diabetes. I talked to the disability counsellor and asked him to help my instructors understand how potentially serious diabetes can be. But in doing so I felt myself being labelled with the word “disabled” for the first time. My discomfort wasn’t about feeling any stigma that others may have attached to the label, so much as it was feeling it to be an inaccurate description.

I tried to let that go, to just be one of the many students with a hurdle. But the highs and lows I experience remain frustrating. When my blood glucose (BG) levels are extremely high, I feel sick and can’t concentrate. Attending any courses requiring cre- ativity becomes futile. And by missing school and getting eo behind I end up getting stressed out. Unfortunately the body responds to stress by further increasing BG levels. A nasty lit- tle circle.

As well, sudden low BG levels must be treated immediately, even during a moment of inspiration or motivation. I have a frus- trating little collection of figure drawings, all half done.

epending on my mood it can be fascinating or infuriating to D= people’s myths about what it means to be diabetic. I

don’t blame anyone for ignorance. I sure didn’t know much about diabetes five years ago, but being in a new school means meet- ing new people all the time, so I hear lots. I have people tell me that insulin is bad for me and that I should try to wean myself off. Of course, the insulin I take is exactly the same thing that works in every- one; it’s even human (genetically engineered).

Many think I can’t eat sugar, sometimes I even get told I can’t; like I’ve been misinformed all these years.

There are also many who believe I’m a self-made diabetic. I sup- pose their assumption is that I ate too many sweets at Halloween or maybe I was a closet chocoholic as a child. Most of the confusion seems to come from mixing up insulin dependent diabetes, Type I, with diabetes controlled largely by diet, Type II.

Being a diabetic simply means that the sugar levels are abnormal- ly high in your blood, but there are different types. Type I’s (including me) make up only 10% of all diabetics. They are insulin dependent because they can’t make enough (or any) insulin and usually take from two to four injections a day. It’s also called juvenile onset dia- betes, because young people typically get it.

Aidan Kelly, Mastery, 1997. Toffee, syringe. 5115"

Type II diabetics, making up the other 90%, tend to have insulin that isn’t working properly in their bodies. They may take drugs that make it work more efficiently, they may inject extra insulin, or they may be able to control their levels with exercise, a restricted diet, or any combination of these. Type II is often associated with obesity and aging; two grandfathers, an uncle and both my parents have this. However, both types have the same complications that appear after years of poor control.

One of the most commonly asked question has been, “Why did you get it?” Simply put, the researchers don’t know. They do know you are more likely to get diabetes if you have immediate family with it, so there is a genetic factor. Though they don’t know what the trigger is, some people’s immune systems begin attacking the cells that produce insulin, until eventually your body doesn’t make it any more. Normally food is broken down into sugars and starts travelling through your blood to feed your muscles, your organs, your brain. It’s insulin that is responsible for getting the sugar that travels in the

continued on page 20, see “Dealing with Diabetes”

City of Dreams

Reflecting on First Nations Identity

By Maeve Doyle

As a mix of images from the classical and the contemporary, from the city and the reserve, the First Nations Student Exhibition (Emily Carr Institute Concourse Gallery, January 12-21, 1998) broke with recent traditions determining the way “native art” is seen in Vancouver galleries. (Recall the recent exhibition “Haida Beaver Pole” by Bill Reid at the Douglas Reynolds Gallery at 2335 Granville Street.)

Through the eyes of dislocation, the First Nations student artists produced an eclectic exhibi- tion that reflected on a shared history of conflict, art making, and the current circumstances of urban First Nations dwellers in Vancouver.

“City of Dreams’, an acrylic painting by Daina Warren, sounds Brechtian by title and appears to be influenced by surrealist painter Georgio de Chirico; however, neither of these impressions are accurate. To help prevent assumptions and/or misreadings of

the work, the artist issued a statement to clarify her.

intention: “My main goal in making art is to recov- er a sense of who I am and how I relate to my sur- roundings. A lot of my subject matter comes from my dreams and inner feelings. Through expressing this I feel better able to understand aspects of myself and explore it further.”

Daina Warren’s statement effectively frees her from the burden of art history as she engages exclu- sively with her feelings about herself. It is difficult to

determine what to make of the raw style of “City of Dreams”. The handling of the paint looks ham-fist- ed and, initially, confusing. As a whole, the painting cannot be considered “Outsider Art” nor “Visionary Art” because, unlike the outsider artist, Daina Warren is receiving a formal education. As well, unlike the visionary artist, she does not use religion as inspiration for her work.

“City of Dreams’, if the artist statement is any reference, is asking the viewer to appreciate and value therapy and its ability to enhance self-esteem. Of course what makes art therapy unique is that unlike talk therapy or scream therapy, after a few sessions you have finished a painting that can then hang in an exhibition as you begin to create an identity for yourself as an artist.

There was no artist statement to accompany the photographic work of Michelle McGeough. But her three pieces; “Virgin’, “Princess”, and “Cigar Store Indian” still speak volumes about identity stereo- types. The characters in the three photographs are difficult to contain in the photographic image. It is necessary that the viewer engage in the possibilities of who they really are and who they are supposed to represent. Michelle McGeough employs a sense of parody to bring into light the absurdities sur- rounding the nature of identity. Each of the three pictures show a woman with a “devil may care” grin that helps to alter a standardized perception of “The Virgin’, “The Princess’, and “The Cigar Store Indian.” The power of the work is in its ability to

provoke the viewer into asking why, how, where and with whom these assumptions originate. The answer that seems most obvious may not be a com- fort to acknowledge.

Che-Wal-Ka/Richard Campbell pinned an artist statement on the wall accompanying his work that read as follows: “the spirit does not journey down a straight road; it heaves a path of many junctions, intersections, curves, hills and valleys. Reclaiming ancient, linking with the present; accepting the mys-

tery of the two.” Clearly Che-Wal-Ka is taking all the paths simultaneously and experimenting whole- heartedly with a wide range of art making practices. “Sanctuary “ (wood and glass) also by Che-Wal-

Ka is similar in its dimensions and presentation to an architectural model or museum artifact. It is called “Sanctuary” but strangely it resembles a maze, trap, or some other kind of holding device—very different in appearance to what you might expect from a structure that is meant to be representative of a safe place. The

irony in this sculptural piece is the bleak contradiction between what the piece is called and how it looks. The after-effect of this disruptive piece is jolting. As with “Virgin’, “Princess”, and “Cigar Store Indian’, “Sanctuary” gets hold of the viewer’s consciousness and insists that the questioning begin.

The First Student Exhibition incorporated a wide and varied mix of contemporary and

Nations

traditional art making practices. There was everything from ceram- ics, painting, drawing, sculpture, video, and installation. This: ran- domness could, for some, have made the exhibition difficult to under- stand. At just a glance, the exhibition did not present the viewer with an accurate impression of what it was about. Instead, it demanded time and an analysis beyond the viewers first response.

Sondra Cross, Three Sisters, 1996. Silkscreen

16 planet of the arts / spring 1998

IDENTITIES

Dealing With Type I Diabetes

The Sugar Dance

By Aidan Kelly

haa just turned twenty one when I started feeling general Iy ill For over a week I paid no heed to my unquenchable thirst. Tasumed that urinating every two hours was the natural result of all 1 was drinking | thought the headaches and nausea were the beginning of au Somehow, traveling ‘out of town toa family reunion didnt sem ike such a bad

clized I couldn't

idea at the tm. Iwas on that bus trip tell where I was because I couldnt focus on the street signs around ime. When I arrived I borrowed glases from my brother in-law, intending to et my eyes checked as so0n a8 I got home. Two days Inter they were even worse and I was pushing the thought fom my

‘mind that Iwas going bind. That nigh there was acid burning my

Toop eosin be wes pet tt Mr Wen pbc be my neni til [sty eons She ct loess bt i Wien reid the ofc doo [vred sound "Cool you at Oo SEI Sener eae epee saved of antl ne had its Deeper per pce cg Tere ee rewire ces iy wey, From dye Io T= to-do owns Lepr ea of Towa ncn een tebe I emer ei ia Toca ae eet Gee a re Ses Baer oy ae

to give up my job asa horse-drawn catiage drive. I stayed at home supported by my (om ‘mon law) husband, without working, for over year in remote ‘oven: painted. bought a puppy. Labsesed about keeping balanced blood glucose levels.

[esteem almost four yeas

Up until the ist day of eas, all 1 had been thinking was that going to at school was exactly the right thing for me to do didet ‘are if [found ajo atthe end I just wanted to lve each day ois fullest. threw otal the detailed plans that I had hoped would one day become my life so that I could learn howto create and speak with visual art Walking into clas on te ist day though remembered

why Td quit university: dictated breaks, missed meals and frozen was a student, goten used toa schedule that was flexible i relation to my diabetes. talked to the disability counsellor and asked him to help my instructors understand how potentially serious diabetes canbe. But in doing So I felt myself being labelled with the word “disabled” forthe first time. My discomfort wasn't about feling any stigma that

dinners. Sng the lst time

‘others may have altace 16 the label, so much as it was eling itto bean inaccurate description.

[tried tole that goto just be one of the many students with a hurdle. But the highs and lows I experience remain frustrating When my blood ghicose (BG) levels are extremely high, Ife sick

fing any courses requiring ce

aiity becomes fate, And by missing school and getting behind {end up getting stressed out, Unfortunately the body responds to stress by further incresing BG levels. A nasty it

and cant concentrate, Ate

ie circ,

{As well, sudden low BG levels mast be trated immediate ven during a moment of inspiration or motivation, I havea fru ‘eating ite collection of figure drawing ll half done

Sere ae Ses D= spl ey beet ee ee eect Ee ree ery

habeas enero eae ted ees ing pel ot ne hot Lepore mt inn ed for ed tat sould yo wean mye of OF coun healing ors ry one ven ama (gta egiered.

Many hin ene sp cnn Tc poten ea

There ale any who bebe Tina ae dle 1 ap orth ssmpion that Lt to many sett Hallwern ot rien eee ey Bei Se mt tha coutraed pi by ip

ee ptR See Pe Ih inurl bate ieee Tp Calg i ale goa ace eyes Because they cat mak enough (ran) iain and way ake

from two to four injections a day. It’s also called juvenile onset din. betes because young people typically tit

Type Il diabetics, making up the other 90%, end to have insulin that isnt working properly in their bodies. They may take drugs that ject extra insulin, or they ay beable to control thee levels with execs, a restricted dict, of

make it work more efcently, they may

any combination ofthese. Type lis often associated with obesity and aging: two grandfathers, an uncle and both my parents have this However, both types have the same complications that appear after yeas of poor control

‘One ofthe most commonly asked question has been, “Why did you get it” Simply put the researchers dont know. They do know you are more likely to get diabetes if you have immediate family with it, so there isa genctic factor Though they dont know what the trigger i, some people’ immune systems begin attacking the cell that produce insulin, until eventually your body doesn't make it any ore. Normally fod is broken down into sugars and starts travelling {through your blood to feed your muscles, your organs, your brain,

insulin that is responsible for getting the sugar that travels in the

City of Dreams

Reflecting on First Nations Identity

By Maeve Doyle

‘As a mix of images from the classical and the ‘contemporary, fom the city and the reserve, the First Nations Student Exhibition (Emily Care Institute Concourse Gallery, January 12-2, 198) broke with recent trations determining the way “ative art” is seen in Vancouver galleries (Recall the recent exhibition “Haida Beaver Pole” by Bill Reid at the Douglas Reynolds Gallery at 2335, Granville Suet)

‘Through the eyes of dislocation, the Fist Nations student atts produced an eclectic exhib tion that reflected on share history of confit making, and the current circumstances of urban First Nations dwellers in Vancouver.

“City of Dreams" an acrylic painting by Daina ‘Warren, sounds Brechin by ile and appears tobe influenced by surrealist painter Georgio de Chicos however, neither ofthese impressions ate accurate,

‘To help prevent assumptions and/or miseeadings of the work, the ats issued a statement to clarify her imtenion:"My main goal in making at iso recov era sense of who Lam and how [relate tomy sur roundings. A Tot of my subject mater comes fom ‘my dreams and inner feng. Through expressing this fel better able to understand aspects of myself and explore it farther”

Daina Warren’s statement effectively frees her from the burden of at history as she engages ex: sively wit her feelings about herself. Is dificult to

determine what to make ofthe raw syle of City of ‘Dreams The handling of he pain looks ham-fist- and, nally confusing. Asa whole, the panting ‘anno be considered "Outsider Art” nor"Visonary ‘Ad” because, unlike the outsider artist, Daina ‘Warren is receiving a formal education, As wel, unlike the visionary artist she doesnot ws eligon asinspration for her work

“City of Dreams’ ifthe artist statement i any reference, is asking the viewer to appreciate and ‘value therapy and its ability to enhance self-esteem, (Of course what makes at therapy unique is that unlike talk therapy or Scream therapy, afer afew ‘sessions you have finshed a panting that can then hang in an exhibition as you begin to create an identity for yourself san

‘There was no artis statement to accompany the photographic work of Michelle McGeough. But her three pieces “Virgin “Princes and"

types. The character in dificult contain in

photographic image. is recesay thatthe viewer engage in the possibilities of who they rally are and who they ate supposed to represent, Michelle McGough employs a sense of parody to bring ito light the absurdities sur rounding the nature of identity. Each of the three Pictures showa woman witha "devi may care” grin that helps to alter a standardized perception of

The Virgin’ “The Princes and “The Cigar Store Indian” The power ofthe work is in its ability to

provoke the viwer into asking why, how, where and With whom these assumptions originate. The answer that cems most obvious may not be a om fort acknowledge

‘Che-Wal-Ka/Richard Campbell pinned an ats. ‘statement on the wall accompanying his wrk that, read as follows "the spirit doesnot journey down a ‘traght roads it heaves a path of many junctions, intersections, curves, hill and valleys. Reclaiming, ancient, inking withthe presen; accepting the mys

tery ofthe two” Clearly Che-WSl-Ka i takingall he paths simultaneously and experimenting, whole Inartedly with a wide range of art making practices Sanctuary” (wood and glass) also by Che-Wal

Ka is similar in its dimensions and presentation to an architectural model or museum artfct. It is called “Sanctuary” but strangely it resembles a maze, trap, oF some other kind of holding evice-very different in appearance to what you -might expect from a structure tha is meant t be representative of a safe place. The

irony inthis sclparal pee i the Weak contradiction between what the pice i called and how i ok ‘The aftertect of this drupe piece i joting. As wih “Vig? “Princes and “Cigar Stor Indian’ Sanctuary” gts old ofthe viewer’ consciousness and insists thatthe questioning begin.

“The Fest Nations Student Eshibiton incorporated a wide and varied mix‘ contemporary and teadiional art making practices ‘There was everything fom cera ics, painting, drawing, sculpture, ideo, and installation. This ran omnes could for some, have made the exhibition dificult to under: stand, Atjustaglanes the exhibition Aid mot preset the viewer with an accurate impression of what it was about Instead, it demanded time and an ans bond the viewers fis response, ©

Sondra Cros, Three Sisters, 1996. siksereen