Her Notebook

Book Burning Audio
Inspired by the work of Paul De Marini, I have proposed to complete an installation which tells the story of the 1933 Book Burning Rally in Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. This is a photoshopped version of what I had in mind. The installation will incorporate the audio above, the smell of burning paper and an intense heat from around the room to give the viewer an intense interaction with an event of the past.
The piece is to commemorate the millions of people, thoughts and words lost to the Nazi Era. It is an incorporation of new media, the power of the wrath of nature and history all summed up into one.
OCAD Special Focus Nature: Claire Brunet.

See more under the tab “Her Projects”

We are all biological ticking time clocks. The concept of this piece revolves around the idea of “lifespan” and preservation. A final assignment for Body and Object, you are to take a common object and make it into something other then what it is used for. I used the image of the syringe as the focal point to create the image of a tree which is symbolic for growth and existence. I wanted to make the tree into veins that were being injected by the needles. They act as branches in a space that is surreal. The space the isolated tree sits in is to suggest that in death you are alone and that in life, sometimes it is important to be just that: alone.

The concept goes further as it touches upon author Arundhati Roy’s quote from The God of Small Things, as she states, “We all know that one day we will die, but we live as though we won’t”. The mechanical contraption at the bottom acts as the roots or core of the tree’s existence, just like the human heart. The time is no longer ticking, which represents the loss of life or something that once kept you alive. The mechanics of the tree is almost cyborg like, which can relate to the life of a machine being made to work forever. We as humans are not built to live forever, yet we all work hard to hold onto every last breath of our lives. Life is sometimes cherished. Life is sometimes thrown away. When sickness or illness arises, we attempt to find a cure. We are always trying ways to hold onto this life we live. I believe that we have our time to be and exist and it is okay to say goodbye. It is okay to move on from the things we find comfortable and to bring in something new. I think that it is essential that we find refuge in the fact that we will not be here forever and to make the most of the gifts we have in front of us.

The material used for this piece consisted of the use of paper, thread ,nails, wires, syringes, watch leather straps, clear medical tubes, circuits and parts of batteries. The scale of the work is to be a one on one interaction with the viewer. I want the piece to stand isolated and alone with no sound and no movement. I want a minimalist reflection in regards to the message it will send out. The thought of having the numbers descend was something I thought about connecting with a battery. I wanted a formal presentation done in a simple frame. I want people to go up close to the image presented and look at the symbol of a tree as their lives.
I want people to just feel again.

Music of Influence:

So, do the stereotypes clearly label and define what it means to be queer?
I believe that there are multiple shades and hues of brilliant colours between simple butch and femme labels and dynamics.
These colours make our community vibrant. They give depth and life and individuality to the term “queer”.

The installation also comments on a personal level of what I feel comfortable in and to parts of the body that I chose not to expose due to levels of discomfort.
This piece was constructed for Body & Object and gives the viewer a glimpse into a world of assumption and how “assuming” is no longer good enough.
It was constructed by creating a mold of a classmates collarbone and casting it in wax in Claire Brunet’s mould making Class.
Not in love with mould making though, as I’m sure most of my classmates have come to realize.
There may be a switch in majors coming up for my next semester.

ROCK*ER | Friday, November 27th

Be Loud. Be Proud. Rock On in November!

Lesbian Lu of 102.1 The Edge will be hosting the 4th Official Rock Night on Church Street.

This month brings in a huge range of awesome new people and experiences! Be there for 9pm-limited entry!

-An acoustic performance by The Livin’ Art @ 9 30 pm.
Check them out at: www.myspace.com/thelivinart

-Sex toy prizes and FREE sexual gifts sponsored by Ashleigh Duffy’s Passion Parties! There will be sex ed-lessons everywhere! So if you’re shy, or need some new toys, now is the time!

-A wicked Drag King performance lead by Cameron, Andy and Kenny from the Toronto Kings with a lesson on how to move to a ROCK tune.

-Did we mention the sex dancers? There will be sex dancers who remove clothing.

-DJ #5 spinning EDGE tunes all night long!!!

An event for LGBT, boys, girls, men and women. Straight, gay, bi- It really doesn’t matter! ROCK*ER will flood Voglie with the latest EDGE rock music!

NO COVER!!!!

Voglie Lounge| 582 Church Street
9pm start time, 19+ Event.

For further information, contact: tania@voglielounge.com

Spread the word and be a part of history as ROCK*ER makes room for alternative Rock in our scene.

Sponsored by:
102.1 The Edge | Corus Radio Entertainment • www.edge.ca
Passion Parties by Ashleigh Duffy

A bit of art for the ears. Why not?
I used acrylic paint and a mat gesso on these headphones for a friend. The pictures are inspired from the album art of Dredg, a band we both love. I outlined a very brief paint sketch done with a black ink fine liner once the first layer was dry. I coated them with a seal so that the use of the headphones won’t chip away at the work.
I like painting on different surfaces. I think I can get the hang of this.

The Loss of Sight

An assignment to portray the anxiety of losing sight.
A short clip prepared for Claire Brunet’s Special Focus Nature Class/ OCAD 2009
Music of Influence: Teagan and Sarah- Hell

“Now I just sit here watching you burn away. All those notes never had a play to hear the music of what you had to say. Stay. I could hook up my heart to your ears and let my tears be your morphine drip. So I hold my breath instead of watching you go. Stay….Write me a poem to make me happy”- Shane Koyczan

What happens if I get to do Nuit Blanche in Toronto?
I’d close a subway station down….and turn it into this:

How pissed would people be? Would it be a roadblock, or something to admire? You decide.

The Fence
When asked to propose what my idea of “ownership” means, this is what came to mind. It was built and executed for my Body and Object Class at OCAD. This is the write up:

The construction of my installation stemmed from the idea of “ownership” and the institution of marriage. In using symbolism and metaphor, I wanted to portray the idea of marriage as ownership . Growing up, the idea of marriage has had to change for me as I identified with the idea of “family” meaning that one parent was higher then the other in regards to power and say in a relationship. This poses the question of “ownership” in a marriage and if it exists between two people who promise to spend the rest of their lives together.

Creatively, the assignment was put together with multiple long pieces of wood found in a dumpster near Church and Wellesley. I nailed them together creating the idea of a fence, leaving no room to pier through. The white fence with black hinges slowly faded into broken pieces of wood with a rough texture and scattered nails throughout. There is a latch in the upper right hand side that does not come together with its other component. There are two wedding bands on either side of it with a string tied to the latch. The fence sits propped up on the wall. The scale of work is approximately 4” x 6” in width and height.

Conceptually, there is a wide range of symbolism in the piece constructed. The idea of a fence barricades a certain section from another. It creates boundaries and rules, the accessible versus the non accessible. There is no room left between one piece of wood and another. This leaves little to no room to peer within or between each piece to see what is going on behind them. This symbolizes the private unhappiness and struggle that neighbours, friends and family do not get to see in a marriage.

The application of white paint symbolizes the idea of perfection and the suburban way of life. Living in the suburbs isolates a stay at home mom from her family and friends, which is something I have personally come to understand through my family unit and friends in new marriages. The fence’s unfinished painted job represents the attempt of marriage and love and how it can fade over time. This idea has now transcended into my work of seeing the constant struggle between my parents growing up in a tense household.

The fence latch on the far right hand does not allow both pieces to match up. They were built to work together, yet they are dysfunctional if unmatched. Although two pieces are made to fit, they will not work if they do not come together, like a partnership. One wedding band sits on the long portion of the latch with more range to be taken off and on. Another wedding band sits clasped in the latch with out range or movement. One holds more freedom then the other. This connects on another personal level for myself, as one ring belonged to my father and the other to my mother. This, in turn connects to the idea of ownership and one partner who sets boundaries and rules over the other.

The piece was constructed to question the institution of marriage, free range and to question if you completely give yourself to someone, what exactly does that mean? Does it mean completely giving up your freedom and happiness? Does it mean being barricaded and restricted from spaces, isolation and decision making? Does marriage actually mean ownership? Is a completely balanced marriage actually an achievable reality? I wish for these questions to be asked when this piece is displayed and for people to think more critically about the idea of matrimony and power dynamics within the family unit.

These are a few shots taken for Marcelo and his family. He just started walking a few days prior to these shots so it was beautiful to see him exploring new ground. It was one of the nicest days we’ve had in the city all summer and I tried to wait for a good time for lighting. I wanted to create a heavy contrast with colour and it helped that Marcelo was wearing a vibrant orange shirt. It’s always fun to watch them explore as I take shots. I attempt to not interrupt their flow so I could get natural and candid shots of their movement and curiosity.

I wanted to capture intense shadow and hue combinations with the luminous blue sky and vivid green grass at his feet. His big blue eyes jumped out of each shot and it helped  that he wasn’t very shy, either! It was a pleasure shooting these shots as a gift from his aunt to him for his first birthday!