I recently opened a solo exhibition at the Yukon Arts Centre, entitled “North of Myth” and would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of the individuals who helped with my project.
Many people were part of my various brainstorming processes and provided a soundboard as I described my thoughts and ideas over the last few years, so thanks to all of you!
Paul Baker, Don Watt, Jill Pangman and Suzanna Valera helped with construction or transportation of the core sample box and scroll mechanism. Joanna Lilley and Clea Roberts provided feedback and much-appreciated encouragement with my poems.
A fellow tall ship artist, Karen Power created a stunning 5.1 soundscape which Steve Philp magically burned to disk.
An Advanced Artist Award (Lotteries-Yukon government) and a Canada Council Travel Grant helped me get to Svalbard, Norway to participate in the Arctic Circle residency last year. Other much appreciated financial support was also provided by Integrated Solutions and Gordon Davis.
Thanks to all of the Yukon Arts Centre staff (Jessica, Ann and Matt) for your help. Also to Mary Bradshaw for curating the work and Patrick Matheson for the great help as sound/visual technician.
Don Watt was tireless in helping both Zea Morvitz and I install the work. Guin Lalena designed a stunning catalogue (my first) and Lisa Christensen wrote a great essay.
Finally, I want to celebrate my good friend and collaborator Zea Morvitz for sharing her time and inspiration with me over the years. There are still copies of Canyon Flow (a book of images from our collaboration on Miles Canyon) available for sale.
There will be a few events happening in the gallery related to my show. Karen Power and her husband John will be in Whitehorse from Dec. 30 until Jan. 11 and will be performing in the gallery and the Old Fire Hall. There will be poetry, a drawing session and an artist’s talk in the new year.
We live in a unique place here in the Yukon: it’s geographically remote, yet a vibrant and thriving centre of arts and culture. Our location and reputation has made it an important intersection in the world, a place where (sometimes unexpectedly), creative people show up to interact, collaborate, enrich and become enriched, then go off to spread the word.
It is likely why so many artists want to come here. We live in a remarkable landscape but more importantly, we embody a remarkable community of people who are supportive of the arts and its artists. Were it not for this community and its support, many of us would not be able to do what we do.
In that light, I thank all of you, my Yukon community, for the continued support over the development of my artistic career.
If you have not already done so, I invite you to visit the Yukon Arts Centre. “North of Myth” and the “Alchemy of Collaboration” is up until Feb 21, 2015.
Joyce Majiski
Whitehorse