The Possibilities Are Endless, edition of 500.
In the Details, by Jamie Q.
Visual artist Jamie Q believes in a kaleidoscope of endless possibility.
Their (Jamie Q prefers the non-gender-specific pronouns “they” and “their”) colourful solo exhibition and book launch, The Possibilities Are Endless, opens at Halifax’s Parentheses gallery on Nov 15.
“The exhibition will have all original paintings and from my new art book, The Possibilities Are Endless,” they say. “Plus, it will include other work that led up to the book project: more paintings, papier-mâché sculptures, fabric collages and screen prints based on images in the book.”
After Halifax, Jamie Q will head to Montreal to participate in Expozine, one of the largest small-press fairs in North America, on Nov 17 and 18, and then an exhibit and book launch at Montreal’s gallery Monastiraki on Nov 23.
Jamie Q graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design with a bachelor of fine arts in sculpture, then completed a master’s of fine arts at the University of Western Ontario. They spent their formative years in Edmonton, lived in Montreal for a while, and now call London, Ontario, home. Having spent several years making art books and zines, it’s only natural for Jamie Q to be building relationships in the small press and self-publishing communities.
“It feels very accessible, and the book format is just something I’m drawn to,” they say. “Creating a book of art feels like the equivalent of putting out an album of music. It’s a way for artists to share what we’re up to in a format that can extend beyond the gallery.”
The Possibilities Are Endless toys with surprise, chance and intuition. Jamie Q takes a playfully curious approach to the creative process, working from their home studio at all hours of the night. Their philosophical approach to art is simple: the possibilities of the page really are endless.
“I like making formal decisions. Shapes and colours and the qualities specific to whatever materials I’m using are just what make it interesting for me, so I guess that’s how they end up taking centre stage.”
Jamie Q’s previous work, What Makes An Object Queer?, explores Sara Ahmed’s Queer Phenomenology and suggests that an object might be queer when it’s not one thing or another, is in-between, or moves in a different direction or doesn’t do what it’s supposed to.
“I think that my work can be described through a queer lens, but I’m not sure that queerness is integrally part of the pieces,” Jamie Q says. “If we talk about it, then it becomes part of the work on some level. But that’s only one way of looking at my art, and I think it would be limiting to leave it at that.”
Inspired by Lynda Barry and her radical take on creativity – “Stop judging what you’re making, be okay with not knowing and just move your hand” — Jamie Q is nourished by friends and other local artists.
“I’m always most active in whatever community I’m living in. I hadn’t thought about regionalism in art before living here, but London has that as part of its history. I think that it’s really important to do things locally in general – supporting local farms and small businesses – so it makes sense that art should have similar values.”
The Possibilities Are Endless is available for sale online; see below.
The Possibilities Are Endless
Launch and exhibition reception
Thurs, Nov 15
Parentheses
2180 Gottingen St, Halifax
Meet the Artist
Sat, Nov 17 & Sun, Nov 18
Noon–6pm
Expozine
5035 rue St-Dominique, Montreal
Free
The Possibilities Are Endless
Exhibit and book launch
Fri, Nov 23, 5–7pm
Monastiraki
5478 rue St-Laurent, Montreal
Online book sales
The Possibilities Are Endless
Published by the McIntosh Gallery Curatorial Study Centre
Edition of 500, 32 pages, full colour + gold spot, singer sewn binding, 16.5 x 22 cm
$15 + $4 shipping.
Available at jamieq.net
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