Parkdale Talk

Parkdale Gallery and the Hintonburg Gallery Hop

2008-10-20T13:38:00.003-04:00

The Future of the Art Gallery: Democratization

2007-12-31T11:12:00.000-05:00

Over the last century the art gallery’s role and importance in society has been changing. New media and the digital image have irrevocably changed the nature of visual art and how it connects with society. The proliferation of visual culture through film, television, video and DVD diminished the power that art galleries have to arbitrate what is or is not visual art.

Visual art is no longer exclusive to the museum or art gallery. Communication innovation like the Internet are eroding hierarchal structures and democratizing the very foundations of the art world. On line images are able to inform, enlighten and entertain a great number of people.

As obsolete power structures decline, art galleries are finding a new purpose within society. The art gallery in the 21st century must survive the onslaught of a visual culture outside its authority. Galleries are becoming transparent and permeable, allowing a relationship to flow between the visual culture on the inside of the gallery walls and that on the outside.

To survive as an authority in interpreting and defining visual culture, do art galleries need to alter their essential purpose, divest of an elitist history and allow access to artists working outside of the traditional box?

An arts QUAD is born

2007-10-08T09:01:00.000-04:00

Hintonburg in the news: An arts QUAD is born Ottawa Citizen, Canada - October 8th, 2007 .

"Four years ago, Hintonburg, one of Ottawa's oldest communities, decided to reinvent itself as a hip new arts hotspot. The Hintonburg Community Association led the charge, dreaming of bustling galleries, theatres, artists, trendy restaurants ..

The association's strategies included rebranding the community as the QUAD (Quartier des artistes/Arts District), with a special focus on Wellington Street West, the Parkdale Market area and parts of Gladstone Avenue.

Today, that dream is starting to materialize, and optimism abounds that the Great Canadian Theatre Company, in brand new digs on Wellington Street, will be the key to a full-scale revival that will benefit not just Hintonburg but the adjoining neighbourhood of West Wellington as well.It's hard slogging, though. While several new galleries are flourishing, others have closed, a brave experiment in small theatre spaces is on hiatus, ...."

What do you think? How are these neighbourhood changes affecting you or your business?

BLAZE-AID. SEPTEMBER 15, 2007

2007-09-10T17:37:00.000-04:00

Three Somerset Street apartment buildings were destroyed by fire on August 16, 2007. It took 65 firefighters more than 10 hours to knock down the stubborn blaze.

On September 15th 2007, one month later, local Open Stage musicians will be holding a simultaneous Open Stage at 6 separate venues to help the 31 fire victims who lost their homes and possessions.

With the generous help of local businesses, the Somerset West Community Health Centre and the Hintonburg Economic Development Committee, this promises to be an Open Stage event like no other. Musicians from every part of the city will be making appearances throughout the day. Starting at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 15th, and to 7:00 PM. The music venues are:

Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Pub – 1211 Wellington Street, west of Parkdale, hosted by Tracy Clark and Midnight Mike
The Carleton Tavern – 223 Armstrong Street, hosted by Julie Element
The Rainbow Bistro– 76 Murray Street in the Byward Market, hosted by Carlton Howard & Mark Weatherbee
Irene’s Pub – 885 Bank Street near Lansdowne Park, hosted by Geoff Johnson
Bass Line Station – 2557 Baseline Road, east of Greenbank, hosted by Tony Rideout
Greenfields Pub and Eatery - Barrhaven Mall, 900 Greenbank Road, Nepean, host TBA

Performers from all over Ottawa will be making appearances throughout the day. This event is seeking musicians, raffle prizes, donations and sponsorships:

Volunteer coordinator Lorrie - Marlow 613-761-6672.
Media contact - Julie Element 613- 792-4432 jellimint@yahoo.ca
Corporate Sponsorship and Donations contact Laura-lee Baker 613- 796-2917 or llbaker@ldbconsulting.ca

Please help us get the word out!

Hintonburg in the news

2007-07-28T09:48:00.000-04:00

Our neighbourhood is getting a lot of attention. Both Enroute Magazine and the Financial Times of London have published articles about our urban haven. For those of us who have been “Hintonburgers” for some time now, it does not come as a surprise that others are discovering the joys of living in the QUAD. Where else can you walk or bike to work, and shop locally for everything from fresh veggies to odds and ends at the hardware store? Hopefully this attention will not be a mixed blessing.

Articles:

1. Financial Times June 2007

The Financial Times of London has aimed its sights at Hintonburg in their 8 June 2007 "House & Home" section. Reporter Diana Lawrence says "The area has begun to show signs of thriving again. One big factor is its mixed citizenry and perception as a welcoming place... There are pubs that sell both high-end whiskies and quart bottles of domestic beer, plenty of ethnic restaurants, including Italian, Thai and Ethiopian, and the popular Parkdale fruit and vegetable market, frequented in the summer by people from around Ottawa."Add to this some affordable housing in need of renovation and you can see why Hintonburg is starting to pique the interest of city home buyers... 'There are a lot of young families around... several schools within walking distance, local parks, galleries and a library'... "'In areas like this where there are some nice Victorian homes and the houses are not all the same, people can be creative and put their own touches on homes'

2. Enroute Magazine April 2007
Canada’s Next Great Neighbourhoods - Hintonbourg, Ottawa

Named after Joseph Hinton – the guy who secured the first post office here in the mid-1800s – this former down-market district has gotten an upmarket comb-over.
By Fateema Sayani
7:00 With heirloom tomatoes, purple beans and micro-greens from the Bryson Farms stall at the Ottawa Parkdale Market in hand, early birds head north to Remic Rapids Park to watch the sun rise over John-Félice Ceprano’s freestanding rock sculptures. Mind the joggers and dog walkers.
10:00 Shoppers drop the best friend at Dogz, a place for pup pampering and daycare, then head over to Ravensara for collectible tin toys. A Fine Thing has antiques galore, including mid-century favourite Fiestaware.
12:00 The back of the Melrose Groceteria houses Helen’s Cuisine, a lunch counter serving shawarma, tabouli, delicious baklava – and pot roast.
15:00 James Robinson, the owner of nearby Parkdale Gallery, paints on-site, while the one-room Pukka Gallery, housed inside artist co-op the Engine Room, changes exhibitions monthly.
17:00 While occasionally reclaimed as a hipster hovel for rock shows, the Carleton Tavern is a good old dive with decor to match.
18:00 Visiting cookbook authors teach the fundamentals of Slow Food or molecular gastronomy at the Urban Element, a retrofitted fire hall with an industrial kitchen. Bonus: Eat your work with your new pals and take recipes home. Don’t want to do the work? Sail over to Hino Restaurant for fine Asian-fusion cuisine.

http://www.enroutemag.com/e/april07/cover_d.html

To Pay or Not to Pay – The rise of the Vanity Gallery

2007-07-23T19:30:00.000-04:00

Artists often ask me whether or not it is worth it to rent gallery space or pay to have their work exhibited in a gallery in another city, like New York. I discourage the idea.

Conventional galleries represent the artist. The gallery assumes all costs and responsibility for advertising, exhibition announcements, installation and promotion, in exchange for 50% of the sales price of your work. Hopefully this investment will pay off. This tried and tested formula ensures that a gallery and artist have a mutual interest in and benefit from establishing long-term relationships. To succeed private commercial galleries have to work hard to promote an artist’s work and attract collectors and critics.

Vanity Galleries have no interest in selling or promoting an artists work. They have already made their money. Paying a gallery a lot of money to hang your work is a huge risk and likely not a good way to enhance your reputation. There is a stigma attached to these galleries as buyers know that the artists have paid to hang their work.

James Robinson,

When the artist excels, the Parkdale Gallery excels.

References:
1. Care of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_gallery.

“A vanity gallery is an art gallery that charges artists fees in order to exhibit their work. Some charge a lump sum to arrange an exhibition, while others ask artists to pay regular membership fees and then promise to organise an exhibition within a certain period. Some consider galleries that ask artists to contribute to expenses, e.g. by arranging for announcements of the exhibition themselves, to fall into the same category.

Many professional artists recommend new artists avoid exhibiting work in them, primarily because professional critics and reviewers tend to avoid them. The shows are not legitimately curated and will include as many artists as possible.”

2. Robert Genn Twice Weekly Newsletter:

Throw it in water? The value of showing in the right kind of places, please go to: http://clicks.robertgenn.com/context.php

Networking and Experience Sharing Café

2007-07-21T09:23:00.000-04:00

Thursday July 26th, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm

An informal social and singularly unique NETWORKING EVENT with:
Great multicultural music
Refreshments and desserts
Interesting company
A special showcase of multicultural artwork by New Canadians

And of course, a chance for you to grow by sharing your experience! You will meet skilled newcomers to Canada, with backgrounds ranging from Engineering, Medicine, Law, Finance, and more. Participants can also learn more about the Mentorship Partner Project at the event and explore your potential to be an official MENTOR to a skilled “job ready” newcomer to Canada.

This free event is being sponsored by the Catholic Immigration Centre, and Renaissance 50plus. To learn more please call Nicola at 613-232-9634 ext 348 or inquire at the gallery. Mentoring helps strengthen our community.

Parkdale Gallery celebrates the diversity of Canadian artistic visions. Featured artists and sculptors, established or newly emerging talents, are represented.
229 Armstrong Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario
Website: parkdalegallery.com
Email: mailto:theparkdalegallery@rogers.com?subject=Cafe
Phone: (613) 614-4308

Parkdale invites your comments

2007-05-16T18:07:00.000-04:00

We hope you will enjoy posting comments about the gallery or the QUAD.