PARTICIPANTS BIOGRAPHIES
JessicaRachelCook,OCT,graduatedfromtheUniversityofWindsorwithanHonoursBachelorofFineArtanda
BachelorofEduca@onandispresentlyworkingtowardsherMasterofEduca@onattheUniversityofWindsor.Jessica
isamul@-media/computergraphicar@stwhoworksincombina@onwithtradi@onalfinearts,photographyand
contemporarymediumstocreatepromo@onalandmarke@ngmaterialsforonline,print,film&television.Shehas
workedonprojectswithsuchcompaniesasTheUniversityofWindsor,KickstandEntertainment,Mach2Films,NAFTC
Studio,PeerlessProduc@ons,TheDotFilmCompanyandMagicDoorFilms.
ElizabethChi2y’sworkexploreswhatitmeanstobeinabody,aplace,withothers.Shemakesprimarilyvideoand
soundinstalla@ons,aswellasperformances,video,ar@st’sgardensandotherwork.Shehasworkedwithcommunitybasedstrategiesandwithinwalkingprac@ce.Herworkisplace-basedandmuchofherrecentworkhasfocusedon
water,especiallyinnorthNiagarawhereshelives.
PatrickMahonisanar@st,curatorandteacher/academic.Hisworkincludesprint-basedprojectsthatengagewith
historicalandcontemporaryaspectsofprintmaking,andinvolvesrespondingtogalleryandmuseumcollec@ons,as
wellasestablishingcommunity-basedartini@[email protected]’sartworkhasbeenexhibitedwidelyinCanada,at
MuseumLondon,theArtGalleryofHamilton,theSouthernAlbertaArtGalleryandKamloopsArtGallery,and
interna@onally,includingattheSichuanFineArtsIns@tuteinChongqing,China(2005)andinBarthète(Toulouse),
France(2011).TheSSHRC-fundedprojectArtandColdCash,whichinvolvedar@stsfromsouthernCanadaandBaker
Lake,Nunavut,wasproducedandexhibitedbetween2004and2010atMOCCAinToronto;MacLarenArtCentrein
Barrie;PlaaorminWinnipeg;DunlopArtGalleryinRegina;andabookwaspublishedbyToronto’sYYZin2010.
Recentwater-relatedexhibi@onsincludeMcMasterMuseumofArt(2013);RobertLangenArtGalleryatWilfred
LaurierUniversity(2013);andGallery1C03attheUniversityofWinnipeg(2014),andKatzmanContemporary,
Toronto(2015).ThecatalogueWaterStructures,withaninterviewbyRobertEnright,wasreleasedin2014.
ColinMinerwasborninHalifax,N.S.,andcurrentlylivesandworksinToronto.HecompletedhisPhDatthe
UniversityofWesternOntario(2014)andholdsaMasterofFineArtsdegree(2007),aswellasaBachelorofFineArts,
fromtheUniversityofBri@shColumbia(2002).Alongsidehisartprac@ce,Minerworksonwri@ng,facilita@ng
exhibi@[email protected]@onprojectsincludeAlbumGalleryinToronto(2015)and
theMcIntoshGalleryinLondon,Ontario(2013).Selectedgroupexhibi@onsinclude,mostrecently,ArtGalleryof
Alberta,Edmonton(2016);Gallery44inToronto(2015);theBeijingCenterfortheArtsinBeijing(2009);Morrisand
HelenBelkinArtGalleryinVancouver(2007);andKulturforumPotsdamerPlatzinBerlin,Germany(2001).Mineris
therecipientofnumerousawardsandgrants,includingtheBarbaraSpohrMemorialAward(2014),theTorontoArts
Council(2014)and,mostrecently,theCanadaCouncilfortheArtsandtheOntarioArtsCouncil,bothin2015.
TroyDavidOuelle2e,isanar4st/researcherspecializinginpost-anthropocentricAssemblagetheory.Hisprac4cehas
developedtheconceptof‘par4clism’focusingonthebehaviourofmaterialsatvaryingscalesbyexploring,nonhumancrea4vity.Hisvisualworkandwri4ngsdescribehowpercep4on,insofarasitisanadap4vestateofmaFer,
plays-outinhumanandnon-humancrea4veacts.
StuartReidisanaward-winningwriterandcuratorofcontemporaryartwithoverhas25yearsofexperiencein
Canada’spublicartgalleries.From2012to2016,hewasDirectorandCuratorofRodmanHallArtCentre/Brock
UniversityinSt.Catharines.HehasalsoservedasExecu@veDirectoroftheMackenzieArtGalleryinRegina,
Saskatchewan,andwasanAdjunctProfessorattheUniversityofRegina,from2009to2012.From2001to2009,he
wasDirectoroftheTomThomsonArtGalleryinOwenSound.In2016,Reidjoinedthecommunityphilanthropy
movementastheExecu@veDirectorofCommunityFounda@onGreyBruceinOwenSound.
LeeRodneyisAssociateProfessorofMediaArtHistoriesandVisualCultureattheUniversityofWindsorwheresheis
currentlyCo-DirectoroftheIN/TerminusResearchGroup.Shehashaspublishedoncontemporaryartandvisual
cultureinarangeofpublica@onsrecentlyincludingTheInformalMarketWorldsAtlas,CartographiesofPlace,
andFutureAnterior.CuratorialprojectsincludetheBorderBookmobileandtheFron4erFiles(fron@erfiles.org).Her
book,LookingBeyondBorderlines:NorthAmerica’sFron4erImagina4onwaspublishedbyRoutledgethisyear.
OgichidaakweMonaStonefish,(PotawatomioftheThreeFiresConfederacyandMohawkofthe
Haudenosaunee),DoctorofTradi@onalMedicine,WisdomKeeper,SpiritualAdvisor,Educator,Ac@vist,
Environmentalist,Philanthropist,Actor,Model,and2013RecipientoftheQueenElizabethIIRoyalJubileeMedal.
RodStricklandhasexhibitedcollabora@veart,curatorialandcommunityprojectsthroughoutNorthAmerica.Themes
addressthetenuousbalancesinourever-changingconnec@onswithtechnologicaldevelopmentandnatural
environment.Mostrecently,projectshavebeenfocusedontheremotecommunityofPeleeIslandOntario,working
withlocalartsandcultureorganiza@onstodevelopcrea@veac@vi@esandcommunityeventsaimedatbuildinga
strongercrea@vecultureinthisruralcommunitywitheconomicopportuni@eslocal-residents.
The Living
River
Project:
Art, Water and
Possible Worlds
ASymposiumonWater
Saturday,March4,2017
ElizabethChiFy,ConfluenceFieldTrip#1-September12,2016;digitalphoto
ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM – The Question of Water
TheArtGalleryofWindsorisstepsfromtheedgeoftheDetroitRiver;thisone-daysymposiumaimstoprobe4melyissues
aroundwaterasinves4gatedandexpressedincontemporaryart.Theriver,connec4ngLakeSt.ClairwithLakeErie,isoneofthe
world’sbusiestwaterwaysandbordercrossingpoints,andhasthedis4nc4onofhavingdualheritagedesigna4onfromCanada
andAmerica.Theriver’sshoresembracethelargestmetropolitanareaonanyinterna4onalborder.Itisalsooneofthefirst
Interna4onalWildlifeRefuges,knownforbeingalargehabitatformanyecosystemsandspecies.TheWindsor-Detroitareahasa
fascina4nghistoryinrela4ontotheriver.Indigenouspeopleshavebeenrecordedontheshoresfromasearlyas400A.D.
SeFlementbyEuropeanstookplacearound1650,withtrade,cultureandindustrializa4onspurredbytheriveranditsresources.
TheDetroitRiverdefinesanimportantinterna4onalborderandwasalsoanintegralpartoftheUndergroundRailway,acrossing
pointforslavesescapingtofreedom.Theriverismythic,steepedinhistory—alifelineforpeoplethatliveonitsshore.
TheLivingRiverProjectsymposiumwillbeanopen-endedconversa4oninvolvingpresenta4onsbyregionalar4stsengagedwith
waterissues,includingUniversityofWindsorscholars,Dr.LeeRodneyandRodStrickland.Thelocalcontextoftheriverand
waterrelatedtotrea4esandFirstNa4onshistorywillbeprovidedbyIndigenouselder,MonaStonefish,andbyJessicaCook.
Newmediaandperformancear4st,ElizabethChiFy,willtalkonherrecentbodyofworkontheNiagarawatershedandwillleada
guidedwalkalongtheDetroitRiver.Asimultaneousinterven4onconductedbyphoto-basedar4stColinMinerwillrecordthe
proceedingsoftheday.Finally,a“processinterven4on”involvingthesymposiumpar4cipantswillbeledbyar4stsPatrick
MahonandTroyOuelleFe.Inasetoflinkedac4vi4es,MahonandOuelleFewillfurther“theques4on(s)ofwater”andrelate
thesespa4allytoanexamina4onoflocalwatergeographyanditscomplexity.
Thesymposiumisonestageinthedevelopmentofaforthcomingexhibi4ontobemountedinwinter2018.Co-curatorsPatrick
MahonandStuartReidwillbuilduponpreviousitera4onsastheyconveneanewsurveyexhibi4onfortheArtGalleryofWindsor
thatwillconsiderthesignificanceofwaterissuesinthecontextoftheWindsorregion,culturally,historically,and
environmentally.
ReidandMahonbegantheconversa4onaboutwaterin2012throughanar4stresearchgroupcalledImmersionEmergenciesand
PossibleWorldsthatheldtworesidencies,atNiagaraFallsandtheBanffCentrefortheArts,whichengagedwaterascultureand
resource.Thoseencountersresultedinamajorexhibi4on4tledTheSource:RethinkingWaterthroughContemporaryArt
mountedatRodmanHallArtCentre/BrockUniversityin2014inwhichar4stsfromamul4tudeofculturalbackgrounds,working
inadiversityofmedia,consideredchangingconceptsofwaterandassociatedcultural,poli4calandaesthe4cimplica4ons.The
publica4onforTheSource,includingwri4ngsbyReid,Mahonandrenownwater-specialistRobertSandford,willbereleasedthis
spring.
ColinMiner,blueeye,2014(photobyDannyCustodio)
Program of the Symposium*
1:00–WelcomeRemarks(J.Meloche)
1:15–IntroducDonofMonaStonefishbyJessicaCook
1:20–1:40MonaStonefish
1:40--2:10–Reviewing“TheSource”(StuartReidandPatrickMahon)
Ourera,markedbyrapidclimatechange,destruc4vehydro-climac4cweatherevents,lossofpolarice,andrisingglobalsea
levels,iswitnesstoshiSingshorelines,borders,migra4onpaFerns,andlinesofeconomicandculturalexchange.Inthis
exhibi4on,ar4stsconsiderchangingconceptsofwaterand
associatedcultural,poli4cal,andaesthe4cimplica4ons.BybringingtogetherCanadianrepresen4ngIndigenousandseFling
cultures,bothFrench-andEnglish-speaking,alongsideinterna4onalar4stswithrootsincountriesaroundtheglobe,TheSource:
RethinkingWaterThroughContemporaryArtcontemplateswaterfromana4onless,borderlessperspec4vethatisprofoundly
morehuman.
2:10–3:00–ElizabethChi2y–TalkandWalk
ElizabethChimy:Wewillwalkalongtheriverfromthegallerytotheriverfrontreten4onbasin,Windsor’ssolu4ontosewer
runoff,andreturnthesameroute.Beforeweleave,thear4stwillspeakbrieflyaboutthesewersthatliebeneathusandinvite
ustowalkinawarenessoftheriverandtheinfrastructurethataffectsitandsupportsurbanlife.Ahandheldaudiorecorderwill
bepassedaroundandpar4cipantscanrecordtheirthoughtsiftheychoose.If4meallows,Elizabethwillspeakbackatthe
galleryaboutthewalkingproject,website,installa4onandmul4ple,ConfluenceFieldTrips.
3:00–3:45–RefreshmentsandTalksbyDr.LeeRodneyandRodStrickland
LeeRodney:“TheWaterCommunica4on”wasadescrip4vephraseusedinthe1873TreatyofParistodescribetheGreatLakes
asacentralconduitbetweenAmericanandBri4shterritorialpossessions.Thisearlydescrip4onoftheinterna4onalboundary
betweenCanadaandtheUS,onethatrunsthroughGreatLakes,suggestsamoreopenandfluidinterpreta4onofthiscolonial
territorialboundarythaniscurrentlypermiFedthroughthe21centurysecuritycomplexthathasemergedontheGreatLakes.
WithJus4nLanglois,Iamcurrentlydevelopingapar4cipatorymappingprojectthatseekstocapturearangeofhistoricaland
culturalperspec4vesontheGreatLakes,focusingspecificallyonhistoriesofhumanmigra4onthroughthisregion,from
Indigenousculturesthroughthe19thandearly20thcenturies,priortotheestablishmentoftheBorderPatrolSectorsintheU.S.
inthe1920s.ThroughaexperimentalprojectcalledTheFloatSchool,weareinterestedindevelopingcri4calpedagogiesfor
varioustrans-boundarywaterwaysthattroubleordisturbwesternterritorialconceptsofownership.TheDetroit-Windsor
itera4onwillfocusonideasaroundalterna4veideasofci4zenship.
RodStrickland:CreaDvePartnershipsintheMiddleoftheLake
TheGreatLakesarethelargestgroupoffreshwaterlakesonEarth,containing21%oftheworld'ssurfacefreshwaterby
volume.PeleeIslandisaremoteruralcommunityof175full4meresidentsinthewesternbasinofLakeErie,geographically
locatedinthemiddleoftheGreatLakesMegalopolisRegionwithapopula4onof59millionpeople.
Mycurrentac4vi4esengagetheislandpopula4onaidinginthegrowthofthecrea4vecommunity.Helpingtodevelopan
awarenessoftheartsonmanylevels,workingwithexis4nggroupsandcrea4ngnewpossibili4esonanislandoflimited
recourses.
3:45–4:25–ProcessIntervenDon(PatrickMahonandTroyOuelle2e)
TroyDavidOuele2e:FormuchofmychildhoodIgrewupatmygrandparentshomeontheshoresofLakeErie,andlikeso
many“greatlakers,”waterhasplayedasignificantroleasasourceofrejuvena4on.MorerecentlyIhavebeentracingancestral
rootsandcameacrosssomedocumenta4onthatsuggestedthatmyrela4vesseFledonthebanksoftheDetroitRiverononeof
thefirstsiniorialsystemfarmsduringthe17thcentury-notfarfromwheretheAGWitselfstandstoday.Theonlyremaining
ves4gesofthissystemarethelongnarrowroadsdividingupthecity.MyancestorslivedalongsidetheOFawa,PoFawatomi,
HuronandChippewafirstna4ons,whowerereseFledintheareaandunderstoodtheimportanceoflivingwithsuchan
immensesharedresource.IntheseearlyseFlements,therelianceonthestablesupplyofwaterforirriga4on,andflourmill
technologies,wasparamount.TheDetroitRiverandthesurroundinggreatlakescon4nuetoshapetheland,nurturingits
inhabitantsinalltheirdiversity.Asanar4st,myinterestinwaterhasshownupindepic4onsofweather,condensa4onandrain.
Assomeonewhoisinterestedintechnologies,systemsesthe4cshasplayedanimportantroleinmyprac4ce.Ithas
alsoenhancedmyunderstandingofhowelectronicsandmechanismscanplayavitalroleinthewaysweinteractwithwateras
aresource.ItisthroughthislensthatIintendtoexamineanddiscusswatersystemsculturally,socially,poli4callyand
geologically—showinghowthesetopicsintertwine.
4:25–ClosingRemarksandThanks(S.Reid)
*ThroughouttheSymposium,ColinMinerwillbeengaginginaDocumentaryProcess/IntervenDon