MANDATE

Hamilton is a culturally diverse city navigating the shifting dynamics of global change within a historically industrial economy.

In this context, Hamilton Artists Inc. is an artist-run centre that acts as an incubator for contemporary visual aesthetics and ideas that reflect and respond to the situations and concerns of artists and the community.  The centre exhibits all visual arts disciplines of emerging, mid-career and established artists.  Hamilton Artists Inc. also facilitates critical dialogue surrounding issues in contemporary art.

Through exhibition, publication, performance and public events, the centre supports and reflects the diverse environment in which we live. We actively engage in community arts programming and educational initiatives that represent the breadth and depth of cultural life in our city.

This centre is dedicated to upholding professional standards for artists and pays CARFAC fees for all selected activities.  As a member-driven organization, we provide an accessible and inclusive forum to address the social and professional needs of artists through workshops, lectures and our dedicated Members' Gallery. By situating our artists and audience within relevant regional, national and international discourses, we aim to promote and contribute to Hamilton's evolving cultural voice.

MANDAT

Marquée par la diversité culturelle, la ville d'Hamilton se transforme en fonction de la dynamique  changeante de la mondialisation, sur les assises historiques d'une économie industrielle.

Dans ce contexte, Hamilton Artists Inc. est un centre d'artistes autogéré agissant comme un incubateur des esthétiques visuelles contemporaines et des idées qui reflètent et répondent aux situations et préoccupations des artistes et de la communauté.  Le centre présente des expositions dans toutes les disciplines en arts visuels, par des artistes en début ou en milieu de carrière, et des artistes établis.  Hamilton Artists Inc. favorise également le dialogue critique au sujet des questions touchant l'art contemporain.

Par ses expositions, publications, performances et événements publics, le centre soutient et reflète l'environnement varié dans lequel nous vivons. Nous participons activement au développement d'une programmation artistique pour la communauté, et d'initiatives en éducation qui correspondent à l'étendue et à la richesse de la vie culturelle de notre ville.  

Notre centre se consacre au maintien des normes professionnelles pour les artistes, et verse les cachets de CARFAC pour toutes ses activités sélectionnées.  En tant qu'organisation dirigée par ses membres, nous offrons une tribune accessible et ouverte, répondant aux exigences sociales et professionnelles des artistes, grâce à des ateliers, à des conférences et à notre espace d'exposition réservé aux membres. En positionnant nos artistes et notre public au sein des discours régionaux, nationaux et internationaux appropriés, nous visons à contribuer à l'expression culturelle en transformation de la ville d'Hamilton.

HISTORY

Founded in 1975 by a core group of area artists reacting to the lack of professional exhibition venues available, the original Hamilton Artists' Co-op was initiated as an arena for artists to exhibit artwork and meet with their peers to promote art production in the City of Hamilton. The gallery received operations funding in 1976 and received charitable status after its incorporation as an artist-run centre in 1979. The centre has been exhibiting emerging and mid-career artists both locally and from across Canada for over 25 years.  In 1988, V. Jane Gordon established a curatorial Committee to encourage regional research, curating and writing using the model of artist-as-curator.  Building on this strategy, the current Programming Committee continues to initiate curatorial investigations, community partnerships and off-site projects. A concerted effort has also been made to commit resources to continued publication and critical writing. Hamilton Artists Inc. continues to define a regional dialogue within a national and international context by presenting challenging contemporary artwork, stimulating critical dialogue and fostering local artist initiatives.

A shortlist of projects includes:

2010 Mooswa, Muskwa, PuskwaMoostoos - Digital Creations with Immemorial Relations An exhibition of video/installation and digital paintings by Cree artist Jude Norris.  Essay by Tannis Nielsen.

2009 Carbon Interiorities Interarts residency with Vida Simon and Rachel Echenberg.  Essay by Curator Irene Loughlin

2008  Histoires Paintings by Acadian artist Mario Doucette.  Essay by Erin Langille

Off site 2008  The Urban Moorings Project  Cootes Paradise Royal Botanical Gardens Public Art Installation by Tor Lukasik-Foss, Steve Mazza, Susan Detwiler, Noel Harding, David Acheson.  Curated by Nora Hutchinson.  Catalogue Essays by Irene Loughlin, Nora Hutchinson and John Terpstra.

2007  Attila Richard Lukacs Essay by Sky Gilbert.

2007 Environs An exploration of Colina Maxwell, Matt McInnes, John Smith and Mirela Zdjelaric.  Essay by Curator Jim Riley.

2007 Edgey Fred Bilanzola Retrospective: Co-production with Art Gallery of Hamilton and Carnegie Gallery. In memory of Ferdinando Bilanzola (1956-2001).  Catalogue Essay by Bryce Kanbara.

2006 drift drag  An Exhibition by Fae Logie.

2006  Tune In, Turn On, Bleach Out  Marcia Huyer.  Essay by Anne Milne.

2005  In The Shadows:  An Exchange between Artcite, Windsor and Hamilton Artists Inc.  Catalogue Essay by Curator Simon Frank.

2004  Affectations Contact Festival Photographic works by Susan Dobson, Susan Bozic.

2003  Superstition II  An Exhibition by FASTWÜRMS   

2002  Allegories  An Exhibition by Catherine Heard 

2001 Photophobia 3 screening included recent works by film and video producers from across Canada, including Michael Balser, Pierre-Yves Cruaud, Lisa Hayes, Peter Karuna, Charles Officer, Su Rynard, Kika Thorne, Ian Toews, Jessie Wallace and others. Produced by The Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton Artists Inc., Hamilton & Region Arts Council and Trinity Square Video.

Off-site 2000 Exile on James Street Jane Adeney, Michael Allgoewer, Dianne Bos, Gary Buttrum, Chris Eddy, Simon Frank, Chris Hortnett, Juliet Jancso, Ivan Jurakic, Laurie Kilgore, Tor Lukasik-Foss, Machyderm Inc., Rick Pottruff, Marianne Reim, Matt Schofield, Matthew Walker.  Publication Essays by C. Wells and Shirley Madill.

Off-site, 2000 Zone 6B: Art in the Environment Michael Allgoewer, Marlene Creates, Aganetha Dyck, Fastwürms, Alan Flint, Simon Frank, Marguerite Larmand, Mike MacDonald, Shelley Niro, Reinhard Reitzenstein, Peter von Tiesenhausen.
Publication essays by  Ivan Jurakic and Shirley Madill.  

       
1999 Kelly Mark: Messages   In partnership with "Kelly Mark: 9 to 5" at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.  Co-Publication Essays by Ivan Jurakic, Shirley Madill, Cliff Eyland, Eileen Sommerman

1998  Industrial Strength Drawing: Rick Pottruff vs. Paul Walty  Publication Essay by Gary Michael Dault.

1997  Communities  Spencer J. Harrison, Soonki Park Schaub, Marguerite Larmand, Sandra Vida & Cat Cayuga Publication Essay by Carol Podedworny

1993  Photo Re:Union Anne Milne

1994  Subconscious Mythologies Ivan Jurakic

1997  Valve Paul Ropel-Morski

1989 Shikata Ga Nai Bryce Kanbara

1988  The Eccentric Furniture Show V. Jane Gordon

Selected Community Programming Initiatives

2010-2009  New Harbours Sound Art Music Series  James St North Artcrawl, St Paul’s Cathedral.

2009 Massimo Grimaldi Installation presented in collaboration with The Art Gallery of Hamilton TURN ON Series:  Italian Contemporary Art.

2008  Carl Brown  Exhibition and Screening of the work Blue Monet  Essay/Interview by Curator Josephine Massarella.

2008  Duality Games and Chirajito:  Clown Painter  Rita Kamacho and Ulysses Castellanos  Relational Performance Art at Mex-i-Can Restaurant, James St North, Hamilton, ON

2007 Considerations: Art from Wesley Urban Ministries  Wesley Urban Ministries Hamilton, ON 

2007 Digital Dubscapes: Multi-Arts Installation/Event hosted by Klyde Broox

2007 Francois Morelli workshops in collaboration with youth at Jamesville Community Centre, co-produced with the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

(Limited copies of Publications noted are available at the gallery)