Shelley Miller: REFINING HISTORY - A continued investigation into the history of sugar and its links to slavery and colonization. Works begun in Brazil between 2006-2009 are furthered here with a move from her earlier baking references into the digital as ideas of historicity and degradation over time are amplified and extended. The persistent reference in Miller’s work to the traditionally coded feminine practice of baking is augmented with the unpacking of other and exchange. Much of these works reference traditional azulejo tile murals that are common in both Portuguese and Brazilian culture and depict a colonial past that links these cultures together. Miller’s sugar facsimiles of these dystopian decorative architectural references address larger issues of excess, desire, waste, consumption and specifically here, the connection between the history of sugar with the history of slavery.
The FOFA GAllery exhibition will feature large scale photographic prints of “The Wealth of Some and the Ruin of Others”, a ceramic tile installation, “Historia Azulejado”, cast sugar sculptures, and a multimedia installation of “Cargo” that allows viewers to overlay images of the sugar tile mural with image tiles from varying states of decay. The images capture the essence of the original sugar mural and speak to the ephemeral nature of memory and history. By allowing visitors to move the square image tiles, Miller is encouraging the retelling of history as how images are juxtaposed or omitted can greatly modify interpretation, not unlike the construction and destruction of memory and history itself. (via FOFA GALLERY)
I loved this work when I first saw pictures of it some months ago, but had no idea it was being shown in my own school’s gallery until just right now! Apparently the prof who heads up the greenhouse internship I’m doing is giving a talk with this artist and a chef next week, about food and how their work intersects. I think I ought to go to this.
WHAT / QUOI
Join in on the conversation as an artist, a chef, and a professor of food politics whip up a batch of cupcakes made from fair trade, locally sourced products and explore ideas at the intersections of their work.
WHO / QUI
Shelley Miller, Visual Artist and Educator
Blake Mackay, Chef and Food Stylist
Dr. Satoshi Ikeda, Canada Research Chair in the Sociology of Global Futures
DATE
Tuesday August 10th / Mardi le 10 août
LOCATION / ENDROIT
La Galerie FOFA Gallery, Concordia Univeristy, 1455 Boul De Maisonneuve Ouest, EV 1-715
TIME / HEURE
7 :00 PM to 9:00PM / 19:00 à 21:00
