Meryl McMaster: In-Between Worlds at the AGH Design Annex

Meryl McMaster, Wingeds Calling, 2012, digital chromogenic print. Courtesy of Katzman Contemporary

While things have been a little quiet on this blog as of late, I've been working away behind the scenes on two exhibitions that both open on February the first.  The bulk of the preparations have been for an exhibition at Pier 8 in Hamilton called Winterlore, a series of outdoor installations that draw from international folk symbols and stories that will animate the pier during Hamilton Winterfest's all ages kick-off event.  More to come here on that exhibition shortly.

A satellite exhibition of the incredible work of emerging photographer Meryl McMaster will, as part of Winterlore, be showing concurrently at the AGH Design Annex.  This show will give the Pier show a presence on James Street North during and after the kick-off event.  Meryl's show was recently announced on the Design Annex's website. Many thanks to the Design Annex and my collaborator Melissa Bennett for drawing Winterlore (and me!) into their 2014 exhibition program!

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Meryl McMaster: In-Between Worlds
On view February 1 to March 22, 2014
Curated by Melissa Bennett and Tara Bursey
Presented in association with Winterlore,
A Hamilton Winterfest exhibition
hamiltonwinterfest.ca

In-Between Worlds explores bi-cultural identities through photographs of a lone figure in the landscape. Identity and myth are intertwined here, in dialogue with the codes of photographic representation. As self-portraits, these images expose the vulnerable subject, inviting viewers to consider themselves as characters in this theatrical yet open-ended narrative. McMaster’s Aboriginal and Euro-Canadian identities have informed this work, wherein she incorporates ideas of liminality. For McMaster, “In-Between Worlds is a sequence of moments that appear out of the ordinary and can be interpreted as being in a state of suspended belief.”

This exhibition is presented in association with Winterlore, a Hamilton Winterfest exhibition that runs as part of the Winterfest Kick Off event on Saturday February 1st, 3-10 pm at Pier 8. Curated by Tara Bursey, Winterlore features dynamic art installations by ten artists. The works draw on winter folklore, stories and symbols from around the world, in celebration of the diverse cultures of Hamilton.

The Design Annex exhibition space features experimental contemporary art installations by artists from Hamilton and farther afield. Exhibition receptions are held on the second Friday of each month during the James Street North Art Crawls. 

The Design Annex provides artists with a new location in which to present works in all media, including new media. The space welcomes Hamilton residents and visitors to engage with contemporary art in a highly visible and accessible venue in the heart of Hamilton’s James Street North Arts District.