grunt gallery is excited to announce the exhibition for MAMOOK IPSOOT (Chinook Translation: To Hide or Make Hidden).
This past summer, grunt gallery invited Dutch artist, Desiree Palmen, to visit Vancouver and work with 7 local Aboriginal youth on a collaborative project called Mamook Ipsoot. This project is the Vancouver incarnation of Palmen’s art practice in which she helps youth camouflage themselves into a chosen setting within their urban landscape and photo-document the results. The project took place at grunt gallery this past July; the outcome was 7 unique camouflage images that were created by the youth with the help of the artist.
This project evolved out of Palmen’s performance arts practice of interventions in everyday scenarios. In 1999 Palmen used camouflage suits to intervene and respond to public surveillance cameras that monitored citizens without permission. She later expanded this idea into youth-driven projects in which she helps youth to explore how they connect with their surroundings and affirm their presence in familiar and favorite locations in their home city.
“In Istanbul, this project was called “Saklambaç,” which is Turkish for the children’s game Hide & Seek. Often this project takes place in areas where the youth’s connection to the land is extremely important, whether that be historically, culturally or politically,” says Palmen. “It was great to see the relationships the youth developed among one another during the workshop, each in his or her own individual way, working with huge confidence to blend in with their favorite chosen spot.”
These camouflage images have been produced as bus shelter posters and can be seen in various off-site locations around Vancouver, BC, from October to November.
Bus transit poster locations:
King Edward 20m west of Granville NS
MacDonald 23m North of W. 4th ES
Arbutus 28m North of Valley ES
E. Broadway 32m East of Glen NS
E. Hastings 20m West of Dunlevy NS
Nanaimo 20m North of Charles ES
Renfrew 20m North of E. Broadway ES
SW Marine 20m West of Laurel NS
Victoria 24m South of Kingsway WS
W. 16th 33m East of Highbury SS
Visit grunt gallery from October 16th–19th to see the exhibition of the large-scale posters hanging in our gallery. The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 18th, from 6pm–9pm. Artist Desiree Palmen, Project Coordinator Jolene Andrews, and project youth participants will be in attendance at this event.
Add the Facebook Event.
Purchase a set of the Mamook Ipsoot Art Cards here! Limited edition.
Press Clippings:
Vancouver Sun – Mamook Ipsoot: What’s hiding in the landscape?
Read an article on the project from “The Source”.