Craig Francis Power's Salty Dog at the Rogue Gallery, Eastern Edge
Please go see my piece, Salty Dog, at Eastern Edge. It's up until August 12th.
posted by craigfrancis at 1:23 p.m.
Monday, August 07, 2006
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15 Comments:
Craig Francis Power's brilliant installation begins with a giant furry rug covering over the entrance to a dark room. Upon entering you noitce the tarpaulin hanging over head and then right before you is this big bejesus newfoundland dog! It looked kind of reminded me of a Yeti at first, but then the more often I went back the more cute and cuddily it became. Anyways, when you look at the "massive, massive" dog you see a heart-shaped box in the center and there is a dvd playing of the artist sitting down to have a smoke. He begins telling the tale of how he was inspired by a dream and his wood walk experiences to be the camera and eventually build the "Salty Dog". He uses a variety of gestures and accents to humour the viewer and to highlight his criticism of folk art and artists. Believe me, the humour will have you dying and people may be wondering what's happening beyond the furry curtain, but it will brighten you day, that I can guarantee. Near the end there is a beautiful and poetic moment that places all humour aside and has the viewer take a serious thought of art and it moved me.
Please take the time to go down and view this before it closes. It truly is a amazing work of satire.
Milan: While I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the work and went back multiple times to view the installation, I must say that it was never my intention to make fun of folk artists or Newfoundland artists but rather to examine how sincerity and one's idea of authenticity operate in a seemingly "naive" artwork.
I enjoyed every minute of the video Craig, and the dog is hilarious. I had no idea what to expect. Reminds me of a Christopher Guest film, mocking just a little bit (even if it was unintended), with a great big heart in the middle. My only suggestion is to put a foot stool in there, haha.
i dunno what to make of it.
i hear bits of it everyday and only just
now made the point of watching it the whole way through.
i wish you would elaborate a bit-when i was a folklore student the authenticity debate was raised at various points, especially post watching "folk art found me"
i dunno.
To Craig Francis:
Your Salty Dog installation is very imaginative.I did not know what to expect upon going to view it.I think this is a good thing,particularly when it comes to art exhibits.I really admire the non-traditional use of the mythic figure that is the Newfoundland dog.This is a refreshing direction for art in St.john's.Keeep up the good work.
Vanessa Wade
Assuming an easy access to a digital camera, this blog would benefit from photographs of the art in question, not only in regard to this posting, but for all postings. Not all readers are St John's residents.
good point anon
would like to see images, don't know how much exta work that would take..? but would be convenient..
first commenter, could you maybe elaborate on the brilliance of piece?
Besides being a good laugh..Is it because you find it outwardly critical? -
aesthetically it is fun and very professional looking in my opinion.. but what have you concluded upon your examinations of how sincerity and authenticity work in a seemingly naive artwork? I'd like farther insight into this piece.. because in my opinion this does't have the appearance of being naive.. Maybe you could elaborate a little on your intentions?
before or if you respond - you question authenticity by the persona you put forth as the maker of this particular piece..( i didn't catch the whole thing so forgive me for the questions ) I guess the question is would such a character create such an artpiece/ installation that hasn't been educated for an artworld audience? Can we separate the naive styled dog from the obviously informed installation? Or is this piece also questioning the authenticity of educated art makers as well? Perhaps listening to the complete narration would have answered the last question..
Still, one of the stronger looking and thoughtful shows in a while..
please check this before the art marathon
i am looking for art video and super eight to run with a programe of my own work. I am showing a couple three minute super-8 flims (on a good projector) and ten minute video of a super-8.
So if any folks reading this has made a funny, documentative or arty film let me know.
I will be screening it using my van as a projection booth and screening the films either back projected outside or on an wall outside(if avaliable).
Foks can repond on my blog, or send me an email at
stopping@myrealbox.com
Thanks in advance
hey craig are you still posting?
miss your bi-weekly critiques.
Yes, I'm just on hiatus. Sorry everybody. In the meantime, check this:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2006/09/14/licence-newfie.html
For more than two decades, the slang term for Newfoundlander has been on the list of words restricted from licence plates in Alberta.
But after an appeal from a Calgary man, the government changed its minds.
Government spokesman Eoin Kenny said the director of motor vehicles recently decided the perception of the term Newfie has changed over the years.
The word is now considered a term of endearment, he said Thursday.
"We based our decision on input from folks," Kenny said. "People spoke and we listened and we decided to act."
That is funny,
I wonder what the consensus is here in Newfoundland? Seemed like a large part of the art community found the use of that word offensive.Personally i don't take it as a derogatory remark.
Isn't that the same governemet whose leader walked into a homeless shelter after a night of drinking to insult and taunt the poor as they slept?
I don't know about anyone else but I am not going to follow Rlaphie's lead when it come's to society and acceptable behavior.
We based our decision on input from folks," Kenny said.-
Maybe one of the homeless that night was a Newfie
Hello Craig.
I've just started up a blogroll of the arts - trying to start an artsy on-line community taking my cues from Eli and the NFLB blogroll.
The homepage is http://artblogroll.blogspot.com.
If you want to join, please let me know and I'll add your link and email you the code.
Regarding the term Newfie. I drove a schoolbus for years north of Toronto. The term 'gay' was the usual putdown on my bus by kids aged 8-12. I had many talks with them over the use of that word. One day I heard a young fellow call the guy next to him, a Newfie. It was said in a durogatory way. I pulled the bus over and had a chat with that fella. he didn't even fully understand what it meant, only that it was a putdown. I hope I left him with some insight. cheers everyone. Laurie
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