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| Soft Shapes Series 2002-2008 |
| Vivian Gottheim |
| January 13 to February 13 |
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| Artist's Statement |
Soft Shapes is composed of an ensemble of graphite drawings on paper as well as scanned and enlarged drawings on photographic paper. These drawings are invented or appropriated shapes from signs and symbols present within the visual inventory of our culture. What these images have in common is that they all belong to a type of iconography which reminds us of the multifaceted nature of human representation. |
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| Artist's Bio |
| Brazilian born artist from the city of São Paulo, Vivian Gottheim now lives and works in Montreal. Established in Québec since 1985, she has received grants from the Brazilian Government and from the Conseil des arts et letters du Québec. Ms. Gottheim earned a Doctorate of Arts from New York University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Syracuse University, New York. Her artworks have been exhibited in Brazil, Québec, the United States of America, Germany, Italy, and Portugal, and belong to public collections such as the Collection Prêt d’oeuvres d’art of the Musée National du Québec, the National bank of Canada, and Loto-Québec among others. She has spoken in Canada, the U.S.A., and Brazil, and has published on art in Brazil, Germany, and France. Works by Vivian Gottheim have been integrated into public schools in Montreal, as part of the Politique d’intégration des arts à l’architecture et à l’environnement du gouvernement du Québec. |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, December 8, 2008 – Glendon Gallery, part of York University, has slightly changed its 2008-2009 program. Vivian Gottheim's exhibition, originally scheduled for mid-November to mid-December, was postponed until January 2009 (January 13th to February 6th 2009). We are very excited to start the New Year, 2009 with such a talented and flexible artist.
Opening reception and artist's talk: The public is invited to meet Vivian Gottheim, Tuesday, January 13th at 5:30 p.m. for a guided visit of the exhibit, Soft Shapes 2002-2008, followed by the opening reception at 6:00 p.m. This is a special occasion to speak to the artist and discover these strong and sensual images which explore the endless heteromorphism of the human body.
Description
Soft Shapes is composed of an ensemble of graphite drawings on paper as well as scanned and enlarged drawings on photographic paper. These drawings are invented or appropriated shapes from signs and symbols present within the visual inventory of our culture. What these images have in common is that they all belong to a type of iconography which reminds us of the multifaceted nature of human representation.
Curator Marc Audette comments on exhibit: “The basis for Vivian Gottheim’s work shown at Glendon Gallery is a study of our culture’s forms and symbols. The artist proposes a philosophical approach which radically turns away from the superficial usage of product symbols and brands. "Logo" here is given back its original nobility in Greek etymology: the word, the reason, the meaning of things“.
Biography
Brazilian born artist from the city of São Paulo, Vivian Gottheim now lives and works in Montreal. Established in Québec since 1985, she has received grants from the Brazilian Government and from the Conseil des arts et letters du Québec. Ms. Gottheim earned a Doctorate of Arts from New York University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Syracuse University, New York. Her artworks have been exhibited in Brazil, Québec, the United States of America, Germany, Italy, and Portugal, and belong to public collections such as the Collection Prêt d’oeuvres d’art of the Musée National du Québec, the National bank of Canada, and Loto-Québec among others. She has spoken in Canada, the U.S.A., and Brazil, and has published on art in Brazil, Germany, and France. Works by Vivian Gottheim have been integrated into public schools in Montreal, as part of the Politique d’intégration des arts à l’architecture et à l’environnement du gouvernement du Québec.
Exhibition Title: Soft Shapes Series 2002-2008
Artist: Vivian Gottheim
Dates: January 13th to February 6th, 2009
Opening Reception: January 13th, 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Guide tour by the artist at 5:30 PM.
Curator: Marc Audette
Location: Glendon Gallery, Glendon College, York University, 2275 Bayview Ave. Toronto.
Directions: Yonge Subway to Lawrence, 124 Sunnybrook Bus, short ride to Glendon Campus.
Gallery Website: www.glendon.yorku.ca/gallery
Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Friday: noon – 3:00 pm - Saturday: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Information: 416-487-6721
Acknowledgments
The artist wishes to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec as well as Sagamie, the National Research and Exhibition Centre for Contemporary Digital Art for their support on this project. We are grateful to the Toronto Arts Council, the Toronto Office of the Bureau du Québec, and our media partners: L’Express and the Métropolitain, CBC radio and television, and ClicToronto. The Glendon Gallery is part of the department of Student Services at Glendon College, York University. The department is directed by Associate Principal Louise Lewin.
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Contact: Martine Rheault, Coordinator of Artistic & Cultural Affairs, 416-487-6859 |
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| Vivian Gottheim’s Glendon Exhibition a Record of Human Shapes |
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What if the world as we know it had come to an end at the turn of the millennium? What if no evidence of human existence remained? What if a future life form came to Earth searching for the history of previous intelligent life on this planet?
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As the year 2000 approached, these questions preoccupied many individuals and resulted in a host of millennium projects. Visual artist Vivian Gottheim was one of those who considered this possibility and, in response, undertook a project in 1999 with the intention of cataloguing the shapes that symbolize human existence. Her idea was to create a visual ‘dictionary’ of the forms representing her civilization, a sort of Noah’s Ark of human shapes. Thus the Soft Shapes Series was born, a collection of forms encompassing works by this artist from 2002 to 2008.
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Vivian Gottheim at the Glendon Gallery
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Gottheim amassed close to a thousand forms, with a special interest in soft shapes, because these are the closest to human forms, both in their contour and also in their essence. The twenty-two pieces exhibited at Glendon belong to a collection of twenty-four in this series (two have already been sold). With a deep understanding of the synergy of these works, the gallery’s curator, Marc Audette grouped some of the smaller pieces together in logical clusters, while the larger pieces stand alone - as all of them draw in the spectator to experience a personal interaction, an emotional reaction to each.
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L-r: Glendon Principal Kenneth McRoberts, Glendon Coordinator of Artistic and Cultural Affairs Martine Rheault and the artist at the opening night
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“I was originally thinking of presenting these shapes in colour”, says Gottheim, “but the colours detracted from the symbolic images I was searching for; they were almost pornographic.” Instead she chose graphite drawings on textured paper as well as scanned and enlarged drawings on photographic paper. Gottheim created outlines of various shapes: they could be a tooth, a finger, any part of the body, or abstract images. She then used increasingly thicker pencils, starting with a B thickness, all the way to 6B, to fill in the shapes by brushing the pencil’s lead on the paper’s texture. The resulting black-and-white works are abstract, with depth and three-dimensionality, inviting each viewer to participate in deciphering the forms and their meaning. “I wanted to synthesize the senses through signs, shapes and symbols that are subjective and open to interpretation”, says the artist. Her chiaro-oscuro effects succeed in giving form to the essence of these shapes, rather than offering a photographic representation.
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G-d : Louise Lewin, Principale adjointe (Services aux étudiants) ; Vivan Gottheim
et Martine Rheault
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The exhibition’s opening night at the Glendon Gallery welcomed many students and faculty members who displayed lively interest in the works and the artist. The large digital image of a symbolic heart at the entrance attracted several visitors, who confirmed that they would enjoy having it in their homes. What did the heart represent for them? “Vivre avec le coeur – that is, living with heart, with emotions, which is such a basic human need”, says Cécile Berodier, 3rd-year Glendon student majoring in linguistics, international studies and education. “I want to get really close to examine the [pictures’] textures and details. And I see other visitors doing the same.”
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Born in São Paulo, Brazil of German origin, Gottheim has a BA in visual arts from Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado in her native city, a Master’s of Fine Arts from Syracuse University, New York, and a PhD in Art (D.A.) from New York University. Although she has had a traditional artistic education, she now espouses the use of new technology as well. Since 2000, she has been living and working in Montreal, but brings this multicultural background and a deeply philosophical bent to all her work (for more about Vivian Gottheim, please read the announcement of this exhibition). The Soft Shapes Series is going on the road after the Glendon exhibition to other locations, including a possible showing at the University of Sherbrooke’s gallery in the near future. “I work on several projects at the same time, sometimes six or seven in tandem”, says Gottheim. She is also a teacher at Montreal’s Marianopolis College and has lectured and taught at various other institutions as well. “Students learn so much from working artists, understanding their techniques and receiving their insights. It is our legacy for the next generation.”
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Glendon student Cécile Berodier in front of the Heart
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The next exhibition at the Glendon Gallery is Un monde à raccommoder – A World in Need of Mending opens on February 10th displaying the work of Quebec artist Josette Villeneuve. For details and gallery hours, please visit the Gallery’s website.
Article submitted by Glendon communications officer Marika Kemeny
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