85.11.16
TERRANCE HOULE

NOVEMBER 20 - DECEMBER19, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday November 20th, 6-8 p.m.
Artists In Attendance

SKEW Gallery
1615 10th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
403.244.4445
skewgallery.com

Skew Gallery is pleased to announce its first solo exhibition of new works by represented artist Terrance Houle. 85.11.16 was created during a summer residency in 2008 called The Dewdney Avenue Project hosted by Common Weal, Houle’s performative / photographic works explores the relationship of scale and setting to develop interconnected conversations.

Inspired by the turbulent history of a city originally named Pile of Bones, associated with the decimation of Buffalo, Regina’s history is fodder  for exploring notions of social, economic, and  historical relationships within  a geographical place. Focusing on the location Dewdney Avenue, this major east-west artery which runs the length of Saskatchewan’s capital city, is home to the RCMP training depot, the Warehouse district and occupies a substantial part of North Central Regina, recently deemed “Canada’s Worst Neighbourhood” by Maclean’s Magazine. Historically and most noteworthy, it is the place where Louis Riel was tried with prejudice and hung for reasons of high treason on November 16, 1885.

In the Dewdney Avenue Series Houle creates and stages scenes on the actual street using HO scale figurines. Houle photographs a cast of characters which depict the diverse history of the street, associations of objects, and creates relationships to the current surroundings. Satisfied with his photograph, Houle leaves behind his created real life dioramas for others to encounter. Terrance Houle is the third artist to be selected for the Dewdney Avenue Project, which invites four national artists to explore the specific area through audio, video, multimedia and photo-based projects.

Terrance Houle is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary media artist and a member of the Blood Tribe. In 2003 he graduated with a BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design. He has developed an extensive portfolio that ranges from painting, video/film, New Media, and performance. Houle recently participated in a collaborative video and live music performance with local musician Matt Masters entitled “Don Coyote”which debuted at the Glenbow Museum, followed followed by it’s inclusion in the 2008 Nuit Blanche, a contemporary art festival in Toronto.

Terrance Houle’s works have been shown all across Canada and internationally in New York City, Washington D.C., France, Germany, Australia and England. Terrance Houle has been collected by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Glenbow Museum as well as private collections.   Terrance Houle currently lives and works in Calgary, Alberta.

Please contact Emily Barnett for more information at: 403-244-4445.

image: Pray for Me,Terrance Houle, photograph, 2008

Ni hao everyone,

well first off excuse myself for the title but its true….second correct my grammar if its that important

So I haven’t updated in a few weeks as I have been workin my ass off as usual on artworks. this time though, I have been doing some totally different and interesting events.

First off:

I was in MAtt masters DON COYOTE, which was a totally fun project and will be at Nuit Blanche in Toronto at the Beginning of March. DC was a take on the western buddy story from pop culture and classic western movies, books, music and other stuff, it is set in Calgary, Alberta where we live. The story is also influenced by Don Quixote, not based. I play Sancho /Chief/Terrance who is basicly a Blackfoot guy from Southern Alberta. I end up being Matt Masters/MattB/ Don Coyote’s Sidekick who happens to be Indian. well let me say that this was definitely a highlight this year, to be on Stage with Matt and his band playing 13 shows, rockin out to Honky Tonk music was soo much FUN.

Second off:

after finishing DC I had a BBQ at my house for the after Party, we cooked Buffalo/Steak and Burgers plus a whole lot of Beers anyways the cats at NAICA asked me call in for an update and well you can listen to it here its kind of long but at the end :

http://www.thenaica.org/edition_nine/air/intro.htm

Third:

So after a couple days off I had to fly to Regina, Saskatchewan, which was ok.

So COMMON WEAL in Regina asked me to come and do residency to create work based on Dewdney Avanu, which runs along the length of Regina and has a HUGE history. its the place Louie Riel Was hung, RCMP and gangland is, as well the industrial area, trains, Firs nations, and its close to Mosaic Field home of the Rough Riders and Buffalo Days. So basically i created photo works with HO models of scenarios which depict the diverse history of street.so now the exhibit will be shown at SKEW gallery in Nov. as well they will be featured on Bus stops in Regina Running along Dewdney.

So after my Regina Residency I came back to Calgary for a day and prepared for my Trip to Beijing, China.

what can i say about my trip to Beijing beside crazy, Awesome and one totally artistic experience. I was invited by the Glenbow museum to participate with VP Kirstin Evenden for the CHIN Symposium , Digital Heritage : Securing the Intangible through the Virtual, hosted in Beijing China. so the symposium ran for two days but i went out for 6 days. ok, so i got asked to go to China and I totally didn’t know what to think or even expect. I went to get my shots in Regina and the woman there informed of all these things to make sure of and such rabies and Hand mouth disease…etc. I was a little scared to tell you the truth, ive never been out of the Canada or the USA and well the world being what it is with the whole Tibet thing, and bad things you here about China i can say I was a little apprehensive. Then i realized how shitty Canada and the USA have treated my people and I thought what the fuck can’t be all that bad, most Canadians don’t give a shit about First Nations ( and to you who do. you rock!!!) or their own shit in their back yards. So I felt a bit more at ease. well I landed and found my hotel easily and as soon as i got there people from the Symposium left a note to go for dinner. so i changed and left to meet them. we walked down the street from the hotel ended up at these Venders that serve food on a stick and what not:

So we went to this dope restaurant and ordered a bunch of food, beer and some kick as Spirits ( forgot the name) but it was good. after staying there for a while we decided to go to the Hou Hai District which was made of three lakes and bars/restaurants. so much fun and we definitely went back.

The next two days was symposium days at the BC Canadian Pavilion which w as close to Tian’an men Square , along the way i got to see teh square and Big Daddy Moa’s house I called it, summer palace,the forbidden city..etc. These were interesting landmarks but didn’t so much interest me. I was more into the modern China and all the buildings and rest of the City.

The symposium was really good and very informative. I am not going to explain to much on it as you can probably read more online at CHIN. I was felt so fortunate to represent Canada, Blackfoot people, Saulteaux/Ojibway People, First Nations, and Calgary Alberta at this symposium. along with Glenbow’s Presentation Iwas asked to present my Urban Indian Series and Many Snake woman Installation i had in Honouring Tradition/Tracing Histories. :

The presentation went really well and both the Chinese and Canadian Delegates really liked the work and it fit well with the symposium.

So after the symposium I decided to stay for a few days extra to check out the scene and let em tell yea, the art in Beijing is totally fucking phenomenal . The 798 district was so awesome and full of great art. I really felt at home there in the art district as alot of the work was political or social based even if it was a portrait big or small. as well a lot of the works had something to do with Identity and struggle, the issues i often deal with in my art or personal life. There is definitely some great contemporary or modern art whatever you want call it coming out of there. I like many people I know had a totally wrong perception of what art is in Beijing. it was funny because Kirstin and a couple others asked me to go to the Terracotta Army statues but i was to tired to want to travel there so i decided to stay and go shopping with friends ( the markets are crazy thats all i can say) After that we went to the art district, which had this show on Contemporary Terracotta Warriors:

ok almost done, I also had a wonderful chance to hang out with Calgary artist Christine Chueng who was there for a residency. It was funny because we never get a chance to hang in Calgary and then had a chance to meet in Beijing….funny world.

well i can go and on about my trip but this is getting a bit to long. tons of fun stuff happened. sitting on a rooftop patio next to Hutongs while Daniel was telling us a love story and Christines friend was fielding real estate business in Calgary or Paul getting malled by Chinese woman at the market, The Styrofoam Totem Poles along with lame First Nations Exhibit (classic encased artifacts with limited labels) finding a dub/reggae bar..etc.

maybe another time..

so for updates I am currently working with CIFF also getting ready for Don Coyote for Nuit Blanche and CASTING CALL for imagineNATIVE in Toronto then onto the Museum of American Indian in Washington DC for another fun gig. I will also be having an Exhibit of New works at SKEW Gallery in November . ok I am thinking I might do some video updates from now on as I am getting email about my Writing and Grammar . so until my friends

I bid you a due

Hey everyone

here is a new update on my travels and art events:

I sjut wanted to Thank Everyone in the production of Matt Master’s DON COYOTE for giving all that they can. I thought the show was totally amazing and fun. we will be taking it to Toronto for Nuit Blanche.

you can check out all the details at the facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21932693274

Sorry i didn’t get much time to post the details of DON COYOTE sooner.

http://www.canada.com/cityguides/calgary/story.html?id=2af0846a-12b9-455f-a94f-23e16b2ed9ba

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=7eec465d-4772-4a45-9c3f-b95f574ca9cb

http://santaclausfund.ca/entertainment/article/457578

Beatroute article:

http://www.beatroute.ca/view_article.php?sectionID=19&articleID=1534

Poster

DON COYOTE by Matt Master with Terrance Houle

I am now getting ready to head to regina to do a two week residency with COMMON WEAL :

http://www.commonweal-arts.com/?s=whatsup

I am the Third artist in this amazing series The Dewdney Avenue Project.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=19227853391&ref=ts

this is an exciting Project that I thin will turn out to be a highlight this summer.

I am also hopefully off to Beijing in the first week of August for a Symposium on Digital histories. I am pretty stoked by this as I have never been of the continent and let alone over sea’s. Anyways thats it for now and I am posting a great Poster of DON COYOTE by artist Wilford Berrington

thanks Terrance

Hey everyone. news update

First off i need to thank Lucid 44 and drummer Dan Wilson from the Band FLON (http://www.myspace.com/lucid44gutterawl) (http://www.myspace.com/flonflonflonflon)

for the wicked shows in Saskatoon. Also thanks to Lori Blondea, Tribe inc. and PAVED arts for allowing u to perform my new performance “I Will See You Again”.

Upcoming shows.

I am currently working with Matt Masters on his Honky Tonk Musical called “Don Coyote” which will premier in Late June at the Glenbow Museum for Calgary’s SLED ISLAND Music Festival.

(http://www.myspace.com/mattmastersmusic)

( www.sledisland.com)

I will be performing againw ith Lucid and DAN for the opening night of “Face the Nation” at the Art Gallery of Alberta, also sponsored by the MAY works Festival:

(http://www.artgalleryalberta.com/content/view/176/61/)

I will be featuring the Urban Indian Series and also a new series titled “Pitchin Tipi’s” new photo works.

Other upcoming events will be continues shows of Don Coyote at the Glenbow in july.

I will also be in Regina in Late July working with Young Artists for the a Common Weal Project:

http://www.commonweal-arts.com/

I was also lucky to sit for emerging artist Wilford Barrington:

http://wilfordbarrington.blogspot.com/2008/05/terrance-houle.html

Anyways for more information either check the links or email me at terrancehoule@hotmail.com

thanks

Terrance

Hello Everyone,

I am officially taking April off of my Art Practice. I have been under a lot of stress and burning both ends with my art practice and personal life. On Thursday/Friday of March 27/28th I suffered a total burn out both physically and emotionally. I found out my body had suffered a total shut down and burn out and I physically couldn’t function. I missed my Performance in Toronto at the ANDPVA Fest at OCAD, which signaled to myself its time for a much needed break. Sorry to everyone in Toronto who came out to the performance night and who were disappointed to not see my performance, please forgive my absence. I will be back with new works and such

see yea soon

Terrance

I the meantime here is some Black Lips to tie you over until I come back with as much energy as these Indians int he video:

For Immediate Release:

Portage 2008 Toronto, March 07th, 2008
Locations:

3:00pm – Portage will start (please note that there is no times listed but ETA of location is variable after start period)

Ontario College of Art & Design/ AGO, - Dundas St. W. and McCaul - OCAD Butterfield Park

Much Music - Queen St. W. & John St. W ( Please Bring Camera and scream at us like Paparazzi)

Monument – University Ave & Queen St. W.

City Hall/ Skating Rink- Queen St. W. & Elizabeth St.

Old City then The Hudson Bay- Queen St. W. & James St. W. to Yonge St..

Cigar Store – Yonge St.

Stock Exchange - Adelaide St. W & Bay St.

Financial District/Design Exchange – King St. W. & Bay St.

Hockey Hall of Fame- Yonge St. & Front St. W.

Union Station – Bay Street (Entrance towards Air Canada Centre)

Air Canada Centre- Bay Street (we will have a photo opportunity on south side of ACC Building at Portage wall relief)

5:15 pm

The Boat House pre Harbour front –Rest Stop Drinks and Sit down.

6:00 pm

Harbour Front Centre - World stage

HEY! WHO WON? Performance 6:30pm

Hello all sorry for the lack of communications I have been super uber busy and havent had much time to update as i am on the road sometimes and have no laptop or access to the net like i do in my studio. alas I have acquired a macbook, so now there is no excuse.

so lots has been going on, glenbow show, performance in Toroto , Calgary and then Toronto again.

currently

the glenbow museum is presenting, Honouring Traditions and Tracing Histories: presenting the unpresentable running from Feb -july openign to the public Sat, Feb 16th/2008. Both shows feature First Nations works from the Glenbow Collectio, works from traditional garments ( moccassins, Dress, etc.) alongside contemporary works through Aboriginal Art history. The second show curated by Quyen Hoeng features, Adrian Stimson (Blackfoot), Terrance Houle (blackfoot/Saulteaux), Tanya Harrnet (Cree) and Faye Heavyshield (Blackfoot) working with the collection to make a connection to their ideas and art works. The show features soem amazing works. I myself have a video Installation titled Many Snake Woman: the Daughters After Me which is a work in response to a portait of her at age 17 by German winold Riess.

The work is four portraits of my grandmother, mother, sister and daughter all posing in the same position in relation to the portrait by Riess. The work is a homage, legacy to my grandmother and her daughters directly related to myself. I am so pleased with this work and have constantly restrained myself from getting to emotional. anyways here is a quick still:

Other current works coming up is :

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 17, 2008 – UPDATED JANUARY 25
FREE FALL08 PARTNERS WITH WORLD STAGE 2008

Free Fall 08, a biennial festival of contemporary performance, is taking a big step. Through a growing kinship between The Theatre Centre and Harbourfront Centre, Free Fall is now part of World Stage 2008 with seven productions showcasing performers from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Free Fall has an impressive reputation for bringing exciting and diverse work from across Canada to Toronto audiences, at the same time Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage is renowned for bringing stellar international programming into the local and national presentation ecology. At last year’s PuSh festival (Vancouver), Artistic Directors Franco Boni (Theatre Centre / Free Fall) and Tina Rasmussen (Harbourfront Centre / World Stage) made a commitment to work together - resulting in this dynamic partnership.

Venues will include The Theatre Centre as well as Harbourfront Centre locales such as the Enwave Theatre, the Brigantine Room and more. Keeping its connection to Queen West, the festival’s venues will again include The Lennox Contemporary gallery as well as The Gladstone Hotel for the Artists’ Breakfast sponsored by Via Rail.

“What is your relevance?” is the question being posed at the inaugural
Culture Congress, a forum organized by Crows Theatre, The Theatre Centre
and Harbourfront Centre from March 7-10. The forum brings together artists and practitioners from the local and international performance and cultural communities in an exchange of practical skills and ideas, and is designed to stimulate dialogue around ideas of social, political, cultural and artistic relevance.
The Theatre Centre’s FREE FALL 08 a World Stage 2008 partnership
performance without a net
March 6 - 16, 2008
Tickets $20 / Festival Pass - $60
BOX OFFICE: 416-973-4000
www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage

A Theatre Replacement/ Rumble Productions Co-Production (Vancouver)
Two of the West Coast’s most exciting performance creation companies explore the dilemmas inherent in the appreciation and appropriation of other people’s memories.
Clark and I Somewhere in Connecticut uses fact, fiction, video, interviews, a rabbit suit
and anything else required to make sense of a found collection of photo albums and personal belongings and the many lives interrupted along the way. March 6-9, The Theatre Centre

Chris Leavins (Los Angeles, Toronto) One of the internet’s most popular artists, Leavins’ videos have been viewed millions of times in countries all over the world. This project combines live theatre with emerging digital technologies. The first installment of this program, in Los Angeles, sold out in 85 minutes. See this innovative digital series archived online at www.theatrecentre.org Beginning March 7

Terrance Houle (Calgary) International performance artist and a member of the Blood Tribe, Houle has endeared himself to the public, fellow artists and galleries across the globe as he creatively twists serious issues inside/out with his irresistible humour. With ‘Hey! Who Won? 2008 (Camper) Terrance creates a unique spin on Cowboys and Indians, challenging the public (The Cowboy) to a variety of board games. Participate in this battle of stereotype vs. stereotype as the camper is parked at various locations downtown in this free performance about leisure, the Wild West, and life in a camper. One day only - Portage (dependent on weather). March 7-9, check website for locations

…./2
FREE FALL08 PARTNERS WITH WORLD STAGE 2008 – PAGE2

Marcelle Hudon (Montreal) Seasoned Quebecois artist Marcelle Hudon brings together a powerhouse team to sculpt a show of delicate beauty with shadow / puppetry / film / theatre. Poursuite puts its audience into the masterful hands of a political puppeteer who uses theatrical magic to reveal how things are never what they appear. March 11 – 13, Enwave Theatre - Harbourfront Centre

Urbanvessel (Toronto) Maverick composer-librettist duo Juliet Palmer and Anna Chatterton create Stitch, a new a cappella opera featuring sublime and wild singers Christine Duncan, Patricia O’Callaghan and Neema Bickersteth. Hemmed in by the language of sewing and the inexorable
rhythm of the machine, three women fight to find space for imagination and individuality. From
the sweet 3-part stylings of “Cowl-neck Blues” to the fierce interlocked minimalism of “Chain
stitch, Lock stitch, Whip stitch”, Stitch gives voice to the unseen women who clothe us all. March 12 -16, Lennox Contemporary

Istvan Kantor (Toronto) Banned by galleries all over the world, this winner of the Governor General Award also known as *Monty Cantsin*, the founder of Neoism, has been active in the fields of media-arts for over three decades. He is consciously working with new technical possibilities of sound and visual presentation, using his blood, mechanical and digital machinery, video and computer animation to deal with the structure of total communication. Transmission Machine is inspired by the artist’s own lifelong obsession and acute longing for revolution. With deadly aim, Istvan exploits the rhythm of in-situ action-based media performance to expose today’s oppressive global broadcast system. March 13 -15, The Theatre Centre

ABA Ent (Toronto) Hip hop at the grassroots. Unsung Bboy Battle (Free Fall Edition) brings the best new and emerging hip hop dancers to go face to face in a dance off for top honours. ABA Ent has begun to connect Bboying communities across Canada in the hopes to increase understanding of all dance-art forms, especially to those who would not normally be exposed to these genres. How can a master of Ballet and a master of Bboying come together and create something spectacular? March 15, Brigantine Room - Harbourfront Centre

Festival Curators: Franco Boni and Cathy Gordon

For a complete public schedule visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage
For media kits and pictures visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstagemedia
For company information visit: www.theatrecentre.org

www.theatrecentre.org

- 30 –

Media Contacts:
Cathy Gordon: 416-534-9261 cathy@theatrecentre.org
Pamela Hooper: 416-534-9261 pamela@theatrecentre.org
Linda Liontis: 416-973-4381 or lliontis@harbourfrontcentre.com
Shane Gerard: 416-973-4518 or sgerard@harbourfrontcentre.com
So thats it for now

thanks for everyone who pitched for the Facebook Neko tire fund as well…

Terrance & Neko

Hello all

I am jsut in studio this week plowing through some new works for February and some performances in early March.

I hope everyone is good and not to cold. its freezing in Calgary right now.

I will be psoting upocoming events for 2008 later this week.

oxoxox

Terrance Houle

ps thank to everyone who sent in support for the Facebook Neko tire fund. everything helps. and we got new tires

Hello everyone.

so this weekend I had the wonderful delight of getting my tires Slashed and had someone threatened me with a legal action over my last blog post. …weird. People shoudl realise by now that nothing really scares me and threats like slashing my tires is a week and cowardly way of attacking myself and my daughter.

so if anyone has any information on this incident please contact me via this site.