GUEST AND MEMBER SPEAKERS
WINTER/SPRING 2023 SEASON
Scroll down to view information on upcoming Speakers
January 18, 2023 (1st Half)
FRÉDÉRIC BIRGRA-BURROGANO: Eco-responsible Practices and Photography
FRÉDÉRIC BIRGRA-BURROGANO: Eco-responsible Practices and Photography
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Bio
Frédéric Bigras-Burrogano (he/they) is an artist and curator based in Tio’tià:ke/Mooniyang (so-called “Montreal”). Their research-creation work is situated in affect theory, Energy Humanities and decolonial practices. Evolving through experimental approaches to cartography, documentary, and photography, they layer meaning and matter to deconstruct hegemonic narratives that are core to capitalist, imperialist, and neoliberalist understandings of the world(s). This process seeks to bring forward stories that have slipped between cracks or have been written out altogether. Bigras-Burrogano has shown in group and solo exhibits internationally. Notable presentations include Shapowei Art Zone, Xiamen, China (2015), The New Gallery +15, Calgary, CA (2016), Krakow Photography Festival (2016), and The Bundy Museum, Binghamton, USA (2019). They also co-curate Gallery Éphémère, an experimental and nomadic project space in Montreal. Their artworks and curatorial projects have received funding from institutions such as Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec (2016), UQAM (2020), Médiane (2020), and Canadian Council for the Arts (2019, 2021), among others. Bigras-Burrogano is currently pursuing an Interdisciplinary PhD at Concordia University. Website: www.fburrogano.com Eco-responsible Practices and Photography What new possibilities can photography unlock within the current environmental crisis? Photography, as we know it today, has mostly been understood through the idea of the image: capturing and reproducing elements that present themselves in front of our cameras. What if instead of looking at what photography portrays, we examine how photography, through this depiction, communicates a way of understanding the world that puts humans above the environment they are part of? This presentation will look at the role and new possibilities of photography within sustainability. I will explore two sets of ideas. Firstly, how the technology of photography depends on the mining and transformation of precious metals for the creation of silver gelatin film, digital sensors, and their paper support. I will follow by giving some examples of artists who have adapted their techniques to produce artworks in a more sustainable way or whose work is concerned with the environment. Secondly, I will revisit photography’s histories, presents and futures as a way to propose new truths that link photography to larger human-centric ideas that perpetuate violence towards the environment. This segment will shed light on some of the stories we tell ourselves about the nature-culture continuum which, in turn, will allow you to understand better how we came to be this way and what we can do to steer the ship around. If art is to be understood as a materialization of culture, what should art look like in the age of climate crisis?
 
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January 18, 2023 (2nd Half)
MICHEL SOUVERAIN: In Celebration of Butterflies: A Slideshow and More
MICHEL SOUVERAIN: In Celebration of Butterflies: A Slideshow and More
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Now for a segue from the environmental impact of photography to the fascinating shapes and colours of butterflies as captured by MCC member Michel Souverain. Also as inspired by the opening of the wonderful new space for butterflies, the Great Vivarium, part of the Insectarium at Montreal’s Jardin Botanique. At club outings to this space, many members have felt compelled to make photographs of these captivating creatures.
Members are also invited to present, discuss and enjoy three (3) of their butterfly images by submitting them to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 21, 2022.   |
January 25, 2023
CHARLES GURD: A Search for the Edge of Abstraction in Twentieth-Century Photography
CHARLES GURD: A Search for the Edge of Abstraction in Twentieth-Century Photography
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Bio
Former Montrealer Charles Gurd is a painter and photographer and retired architect living mainly in Provence. He is fascinated by the nature of non-representation or abstraction as a medium for visual communication. His curiosity encompasses the work of twentieth-century artists and some photographers especially concerned with an abstract way of seeing in an increasingly abstract world. Website: https://www.charliegurd.ca A Search for the Edge of Abstraction in Twentieth-Century Photography Charles Gurd will present four portfolios of his work as evidence of his inquiry of a ‘"gap or space" between representation as seen by a photographic lens and non-representation as edited by the photographer’s intention when the photograph is taken. Fractal Expressions: Ferns—a study of several years of the structure of ferns in a first-growth forest on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Screens/Trees—a study over 30 years of the sometimes chaotic structure of trees. Galisteo Basin Ghosts—a study of the post pine-beetle ravaged residue of pinyon trees in the Galisteo Basin of New Mexico. Montagne Sainte-Victoire—a multi-year study of the mountain that was the famous motif for painter Paul Cézanne. These works will be complemented by a review of selected works of Alfred Stieglitz, Aaron Siskind, and Minor White, three American photographers who were concerned with abstraction in photography.     |
February 15, 2023
KAS STONE: Sight & Sound: How to Create an Effective AV Show
KAS STONE: Sight & Sound: How to Create an Effective AV Show
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Bio
Kas Stone is a professional photographer based in Nova Scotia, where her work is inspired by the wild coastal scenery and lively maritime culture all around her. Once upon a time she wanted to be a musician. Thankfully (for audiences) she opted for photography and writing instead. However, she enjoys combining all three passions to create audio-visual shows. Website: www.kasstone.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/KasStoneArts Instagram: www.instagram.com/kasstonearts Email: [email protected] Sight & Sound: How to Create an Effective AV Show How many times have you sat through a photographic slide show longing for it to end? Have you ever created a show yourself and been disappointed by the response from family, friends, or competition judges? Have you wondered what it takes to make a really good show—one that leaves your audience asking for more? In this presentation, Kas shares tips for selecting photographs, music, and other ingredients to help you craft an effective AV show, and techniques for putting them together for maximum impact. She discusses some common mistakes—and how to avoid them—and inspires you with examples from her own award-winning collection. This is not a software how-to. Instead, it offers an artistic approach to AV show creation that is valuable no matter which software you use. |
March 29, 2023
JEAN-FRANÇOIS SEGUIN : The Importance of the Message Behind an Image
JEAN-FRANÇOIS SEGUIN : The Importance of the Message Behind an Image
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Bio
Award-winning photographer Jean-François Seguin is a photographer, director, and visual brand consultant. His work has been recognized countless times by Communication Arts Magazine, Applied Arts Magazine, and Lürzer's Archive, as well as many other advertising and commercial art magazines. Jean-François likes challenges and pushing images within realistic boundaries. He is known to master the combination of natural and artificial light in any given environment. He grew up having his eyes glued to his comic books, his friends’ sports magazines, and his mother’s fashion magazines. In a competitive field where only the final image counts, Jean-François attributes his success to working with a solution-oriented team focussed on a well-planned strategy to get them there. Among his many clients are Acura Honda Canada, Coca-Cola Ltd., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the Royal Canadian Air Force, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Jean-François actively shares his experience with photography students across art schools in Canada through his "Zero to One" conference. Away from work, he spends most of his recreational time in the mountains, on the water, and in the snow with his family and friends. Website: https://jeanfrancoisseguin.com/ The Importance of the Message Behind an Image In this talk, I will give you a glimpse into the world of commercial photography–how my team and I produce the winning final image that blends with a brand’s guidelines, personality, colours, and the goals of the marketing campaign. Messages are important in photography. Contrary to the adage that an image is worth a thousand words, less is more. Every advertising campaign is aimed at a targeted group of people. If your reaction to a particular advertising campaign is that it’s bad, it's because it wasn’t aimed at you. Clearly, you are not part of the target market group. When you go to Germany, you speak German; when you go to Norway, you speak Norwegian. It's the same when it comes to visual art. The image part of an advertising campaign has a very specific role–a clear message to a very specific group of people. A lot of planning goes into each image to make sure the message is heard loud and clear in a matter of seconds. And images that are remembered are conceptually original, aesthetically impressive, and have a massive impact. Some brands rise to the top of their game because of great images and campaigns. Advertising images are simply art put to work. It's the real test of effective visual art, and the results will be measured. I call it visual art under pressure! Just like an athlete having to perform in the finals.          |
April 5, 2023
SPOTLIGHT ON MCC MEMBERS 2: Jean-Louis Côté and Allison Haggarty
SPOTLIGHT ON MCC MEMBERS 2: Jean-Louis Côté and Allison Haggarty
Introduced in 2021-2022 as An Evening with . . . to re-create the sense of community of in-person meetings, it’s now back as Spotlight on MCC Members.
Jean-Louis Côté
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Don’t miss this opportunity to watch and listen to an informal show-and-tell by talented members, in alpha order, Jean-Louis Côté and Allison Haggarty, of some of their favourite images with Q & A. They will give us a behind-the-curtain peek into their background, process, technique, and anything else that takes their fancy, and take all our questions in stride.
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Allison Haggarty
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