The above video is an ASL translation of the text below.

Over time, grunt gallery has explored and supported a wide range of practices including exhibitions, performances, online projects, public art, residencies, media- and time-based works, talks and symposia, publications and community-engaged practices. Our wide range of programming has always included the creation and dissemination of audio/ visual materials and online experiences. With a mandate to support artists and inspire public dialogues, we are committed to doing the work to create an environment that allows for accessible conversation. This aim informs how we develop and build our archive, engage with audiences and look to the future of our organization.

In Spring 2020, we created an Accessibility Committee composed of grunt staff and contractors and chaired by our Exhibitions Manager (and Accessibility consultant) Kay Slater. This committee gathers to audit and review systems, procedures, and policies of grunt gallery to identify, think through, improve, and share the way we show up in our public programming, exhibitions, and for our community. Over the past year, we have drafted guidelines for hosting online and hybrid events, video captioning and transcription, and have begun re-drafting contracts. In Spring 2021, we launched a series of captioning, transcription and non-auditory access workshops offered to our communities for free. This ongoing series includes a mentorship opportunity to learn captioning alongside experienced and practicing access professionals with an invitation for mentees to co-facilitate their own non-auditory access workshops designed specifically for their own communities.

We are informed by anti-oppression practices, a commitment to learning and sharing our findings, and a belief in social justice through the arts. We understand these processes take time, resources and long-term commitment.

If you have questions regarding this work, or suggestions for how we can do it better, please contact us at access@grunt.ca

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Glenn Alteen, grunt’s founder, curator and program director, has been awarded the Governor General’s Outstanding Contribution Award. (more…)

Deshik drew cause I asked him to.

Because I introduced him to some new materials.

He entertained my suggestions and churned out a few new drawings.

He ended up resorting back to his favorite….felt pens.

As he drew this very detailed Boa Constrictor.

Then the questions started rolling in.

Questions like, “Is the rattler hollow like a music rattler?”

Like, “What is the oldest animal alive?”  & “What is the youngest?”

We did some research online.

He was fascinated with the still living, primitive fish the STURGEON.

It was only logical, to Deshik, that he BECOMES the STURGEON.

Read more here

It was all about the hammer.

First thing Henry grabbed when he entered the gallery.

But his mom brought in a folder of Henry’s drawings.

We spread them out on the floor and I marveled at his mark making.

Henry showed his embarrassment by grabbing the ones he thought I shouldn’t see.

The subject matter was that of any typical 12 year old……sci-fi, comic, warrior, fighting, robot beings.

But there was an intensity about the way he attacked the lines.

Also these were a few of many hundreds of drawings.  Henry draws ALL THE TIME.

But only with pencil.

I pulled out some charcoal sticks and large paper.

Asked Henry if he would like to try drawing with these materials.

Curious as always he jumped at the chance.

I showed him how an eraser and brush….and even the hammer…. could also be used as drawing tools.

He chose to draw ETRIGAN.  I don’t usually dig this boy stuff at all.

But watching this Demon (who actually does good deeds) come to life at the hands of Henry was like watching a live animation come to life.

Henry was ecstatic when I took the drawing and hung it on the wall.

Then some healthy destruction was needed.

He wandered the gallery with hammer in hand just wanting to rip it up.

I got a plywood sheet, a big piece of grey cardboard, and some sticks of chalk.

I love watching the process of experimenting with materials.

Is a magical, chaotic symphony.

In the end it was just about ways to dissect the chalky sticks.

I let him use scissors and a tool with a razor blade. He was so excited to use these ‘dangerous’ tools.

I let him continue using them as he listened to my safety and how-to-use-properly instructions very carefully.

Through the 2 hours Henry kept saying “quotes, quotes”

I kept asking him what he meant.  Eventually he pointed to the ETRIGAN drawing and said “quotes quotes”.

We went online and sure enough there are a bunch of quotes as said by this demon creature.

“It is the Demon who dominates, now! It is the Demon who will deal with our ruthless enemies! Instead of fading into limbo, so an imposter can take my place — I now have another chance to fight for my existence!”

Whoa.

Read more here

 Amelie continues on the wall work started on Day 1.

Back up on the tall ladder she works with tape and geometric shapes.

We add long dangley clumps of plasticy jewels.

I do…this was too high for her to reach.

She joyfully splatters paint all over the wall work, tentacles out the purple strands and adds finishing touches.

This is a beautifully delicate work that measures 22 feet high!

On Day 3 Amelie is stuck.

She just messes around with some material in the studio area.

She pours pools of black & red ink on paper.

We sit back and watch it mix and move itself across the surface.

Soon she feels lost. “I dont know what to do now?”

She seems uninspired or bored.  We had talked about various options earlier.

I said, “I am not going to tell you what to do. It has to come from you. “

She fell silent and looked discouraged.

I said we can just sit here and if she is done with the project then we can just quit and the wall work is enough.

Before I could finish my sentence she said, “I want to paint one of those cubes.  Can I paint all over it?”

This cube was a giant plinth.

Removing tape is oh so satisfying.

Read more here

Isabelle is the dedicated sculpture / assembler of the Grunt group.

She loves colour, shape, pattern and texture.

She has a hard time with figuring out what to do.

I asked her to choose a few items…spontaneously.

Then we hung out on the floor and simply played with the materials.

Eventually a tower rose out of the chaos.

This was a brave balancing act that Isabelle carefully pursued .

She never gave up or got frustrated.

This is an amazing  8 foot tower that when looked at in person is totally a psychedelic optical mind game.

Read more here

Deshik does not have any pets.

Yet all he talks about and draws are animals and birds.

I promised I would bring my dog (Negrita) to the gallery so Deshik could meet her.

Upon meeting the dog Deshik spent the first 20 minutes running in a circle around her.

Then he spent a full hour examining Negritas fur, teeth, nose, inside of ears, etc.

Negrita is infinitely patient and gentle.

She is so mellow that she would often lay her head down amidst poking and prodding.

When this happened Deshik would ask “Is she dead now?”

Deshik started to get objects from the materials room and test them out on Negrita.

Basically this was the art process / project of the day.

I just let it unfold.

My favorite…..a bone balanced on dogs head.

Then he wanted to feed her.

I brought him half a carton of milk.

Deshik grabbed it and poured it directly on the gallery floor.

Fascinated, Deshik watched Negrita gently lap up the spilt milk.

He observed that as she licked away the white liquid  “…….It makes a moving drawing!”

For the last hour Deshik gets to drawing directly on the wall.

He draws animals. He draws quickly and with full assurance in his sweeping lines.

The whole while he talks about Negrita and his observations.

Mostly he repeated that Negrita was “…..so unusual cause she’s got a mane like a lion and fluffer ears.”

It started with zip ties.

Henry silently created knotty concoctions on his hands.

I thought they were meant to be playful faux weapons.

But Henry had other plans.

He pointed to the painting he made the week before and the new cans of paint I scrounged up.

The plastic hand weapons were actually self made paint applicators.

Henry started adding to the painting he made last week…the one I thought was so beautifully complete.

For the next hour Henry re-imagined his entire painting.

Using mostly his DIY applicators and other strange objects to scrape and scour the paint.

Then he completed the work with a roller.

I was speechless at his frenetic painting style and the re-visioned work.

And then Henry started to talk to me for the first time.

He took my hand, turned around to the opposite wall and walked us over to Amelies wallwork.

“Thats good.” Henry said.

Following that sweet moment Henry bustled around the materials room with a hammer in hand.

He was visibly hyper.

He eventually grabbed some chalk and a piece of 2×4.

For the next 30 minutes he smashed away, watching how chalk dust rise and fall on the board.

I’ve got some healthy destructive art making plans for Henry next week!

Stay tuned…..

Solange participated in the PLAY FALL REST DANCE project last summer at Open Space Gallery.

Open Space IMAGES

The untraditional territory of delight and frustration

All the children during that residency were ‘able’.

Solange was in Vancouver with her mom and I invited her to be a guest artist in the GRUNT project.

She works swiftly, with confidence and great focus.

Working with her here magnified the stark differences between doing this project with ‘able’ children and ‘disabled’ children.

With the GRUNT group I do not notice the diagnosed disabilities of the participants.

But what is overwhelmingly noticeable are their insecurities and low confidence.

It is debilitating and the biggest challenge for them and me.

Not speaking a word, no eye contact, low inaudible talking, standing frozen in one spot, not trusting themselves to make a decision.

My message and instruction to this group of children is that there are no mistakes.

That there are no expectations to create masterpieces.

That randomness, chaos and freedom reign in this space.

Every time I work with them their voices are getting louder, smiles bigger, and they are better able to ask, with confidence, what they need assistance with.

Henry even talked to me in the last hour of our second time together.

See video of Solanges kinetic sculpture HERE