CAFKA.01

AND THEN WE TAKE BERLIN

As the only major urban centre in Canada whose founding tradition is neither French nor English Kitchener, originally named Berlin, can reasonably claim to be the birthplace of allophone Canada.

As the Great War broke out between Germany and Britain there came the need to raise a battalion in Waterloo County to fight the Germans in Europe. Recruitment for 118 Battalion was slow in North Waterloo, partly because of the pacifism that is an essential part of the Mennonite faith. Suspicions of disloyalty led to mounting tensions: in 1915 the Kaiser's bust was dumped in the Victoria Park lake. When it was recovered the bust was stored at Concordia Club from where it then disappeared, creating a mystery that is still unsolved.
 
With the rise of jingoistic nationalism, the "Made in Berlin" trademark also became suspect and the local industrialists faced a loss in business. A movement to change the name of the city began in 1916 leading to what author William Chadwick calls a "campaign of intimidation, manipulation and misinformation". In the contest for a new name the winners were: Huronto, Bercana, Dunard, Hydro City, Agnoleo, Renoma; among those rejected: Verbena, Teck, Khaki, Brief, Amity, Arteaga, Cosmos, Uranus, Windigo. The winning names were publicly ridiculed and ultimately all rejected.
 
In June 1916 news reached Canada of the sinking of the armed cruiser HMS Hampshire after hitting a German mine off the west coast of the Orkneys and the drowning of Britain's Minister of War, Field Marshall Lord Kitchener. A Special Committee of Council selected a final list of possible new city names for a referendum: Brock, Corona, Adanac, Keowana, Benton, and Kitchener.
 
The turnout for the referendum was sparse: of the 892 ballots cast, Kitchener edged out Brock 346-335. There was widespread indignation: "an alien name had been foisted onto a city whose soul remains unchangedî. The name still had to be approved by Queen's Park and a petition of 2000 names asked to halt the process. Nevertheless the change became official on September 1, 1916: Berlin, Canada became Kitchener, Ontario.

Abigail Reynolds - 3o23'.0W 59o7'.5N

Lord Kitchener drowned at these coordinates on 5th June 1916 at 8pm. This film taken on 5th June 2001 at 8pm shows this exact location.

Mrs Julian Kitchener-Fellowes is lending various Kitchener artifacts to the exhibition. A documentary film of the journey from London to Marwick Head in Orkney required to make this film will also be screened.

Abigail Reynolds took a BA in Literature at St Catherine's College, Oxford University UK from 1990-94 and another BA in painting at Chelsea College of Art in London UK from 1997-2000. She is currently studying for an MA at Goldsmiths College, London. She lectures in Contemporary Art Theory and Contextual Studies for a variety of academic institutions in the UK.

Recent shows include: In the Event of Emergency, Southwark Park, London, June 2001 Get Myself Connected. Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Oslo [Norway] Gothenburg, Ladonia [Sweden], Summer 2001. Down to Earth Mafuji Gallery, London, April 2001. Coast, Artsway, New Forest, Hampshire, January 2001. Night Sites, Grizedale Forest, Cumbria, September 2000. Braziers International Artists Workshop, Oxfordshire, August 2000.

http://www.abigailreynolds.com/

Adrian Göllner - Untitled

There is art in bureaucracy. As you may know, the Region of Ottawa-Carleton recently amalgamated into the City of Ottawa. Having been employed by the Region's Art Program, I sat through numerous presentations on restructuring, all of which were illustrated by elaborate organizational charts. Short on specifics, the charts were just as readable as abstract compositions as they were as plans for a new city. That an element of the bureaucratic process could be read as art suggested the form for an artwork specific to Kitchener City Hall.

Organizational charts are familiar to most, in fact the one presented is of Kitchener's own municipal structure, but when integrated into the design of the building, the origin and intent of the chart becomes difficult to discern. Is this art or the Rosetta Stone of all bureaucratic directives? Equally, is this decoration or are the coloured squares a secular substitute for stained glass?

A contemporary artist living in Ottawa, Ontario. Combining disparate interest in abstraction, advertising, and the Cold War, Göllner presents work that often leaves the viewer wondering whether the piece is genuine, satirical, or both. Indeed, in works recently created for billboards, ad cases, and retail counters, Göllner is able to introduce subverted information by closely emulating commercial design standards. Of note are his self-published series trading cards, the Cold War Cards.

Göllner sits as president of the board of Artengine, a contemporary artist-run internet site. Göllner received a BFA from Queen's University in 1987.

www.adriangollner.ca

Andy Harper - A-Painting-A-Day - A Working Week

I have been involved in making paintings of grass, the night sky and the sea for over five years now. The contradiction of a romantic image being produced through a simple methodical and systematic process has always been central to the work. The spectator of these works however is always baffled and intrigued by the way they are made. I have hence made many attempts to make the painting process as evident as possible in the finished work. In the most extreme example I actually painted on glass to make the process quite literally transparent, however an element of mystification always appears to remain. I will hence paint a number of works on site which will remain there for the duration of the project. I will make one work every day for a working week (Monday to Friday). The painting process would hence be carried out in full public view, like a slow performance.

Andy Harper studied painting at the University of Brighton, U.K. from 1990 to 1993 and received and M.A. from the Royal College of Art, London in 1995. He then went on to complete a second masters degree in Visual Culture at Middlesex University in 1999. He is the Co-founder and partner of Not Cut, an organization which manages a studio complex and darkroom facilities for artists in South London. He has exhibited widely in Europe and has recently returned from Germany where he had an exhibition at Haus Ennepetal and Hattingen Gallery.

http://www.andyh.net/