Visit grunt gallery over the month of June to witness Valerie Salez’ Play, Fall, Rest, Dance, an installation that continously changes based on the creative output by children with disabilities. grunt gallery is proud to partner with KickStart Disability Arts and Culture to bring Salez’ project to Vancouver following a successful residency that occurred at Open Space (Victoria, BC) last year.
Artist Valerie Salez creates an environment that encourages artistic freedom, exploration and installation-making over the course of several weeks. Children participate in art-making sessions that reimagine the space through the use of various materials, some of which are repurposed from Salez’ past projects, and through performance, movement, sound and play.
The artist works with children with disabilities to emphasize the state of making and being, the pursuit of uninhibitied creative exploration that is void of rules, structures and concepts of ‘right or wrong’ and ‘perfection vs. mistakes’. Children are enabled with artistic autonomy and the artist thoughtfully guides them to explore their creative processes.
Visitors are invited to stop by the gallery throughout the month of June to see how the installation is reimagined, rebuilt and reconsidered during the month. The gallery is open to the public throughout the month of June.
Due to the nature of this project, there will be a closing reception on Thursday June 26, 7-10pm. The project will run from June 2-July 5.
Read the blog:
https://grunt.ca/play-fall-rest-dance-blog/
Press Clippings:
The Source: The artistry of play: installation showcases children’s art http://thelasource.com/en/2014/06/09/the-artistry-of-play-installation-showcases-childrens-art/
Article:
Crafting an experience of Art-making: Valerie Salez’ Play, Fall, Rest, Dance written by Anastasia Scherders
Artist Bio:
Since 2003, Valerie Salez has been engaged in a multi-disciplinary art practice that includes performance, video, photography, sculptural installation, and collage. Her work has been both collaborative and solo. Often relying on provisional materials, it can be framed as arte povera and/or situationist in nature. For four years, Salez engaged in snow-shoveling performances/interventions at residencies across Canada. Video and photo documentation of these performances have been exhibited at university art galleries and artist-run centers in Canada, including the 2010 Vancouver Cultural Olympiad. Other collaborations include large outdoor sculptural installations with elements of performance. As well, Salez has produced a number of solo installations using collected objects and textiles that have been installed in various galleries across Canada. Interspersed throughout the aforementioned practices she produced large-scale collage works that have been purchased by private collectors and art banks. Valerie Salez grew up in the Yukon and currently dwells in Victoria, B.C.
http://www.wooloo.org/valeriesalez
grunt gallery gratefully acknowledges Arts-Based Community Development funding from the British Columbia Arts Council for making this project possible.