The new exhibit at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum’s (EAGM) Gallery No. 1 uses film to stimulate the imagination of the viewers and encourage them to think of possible conclusions.
Amalie Atkins, who resides in Saskatoon, discussed her film-based exhibit, We Live on the Edge of Disaster and Imagine we are in a Musical, during a reception at the EAGM on Friday night.
It features several different short videos that are part of larger narratives.
Among them is The Summoning, in which six young women wearing orange dresses and roller skates call up a two-headed sister to come to their aid.
“The film doesn’t exactly reveal exactly what they’re going to do. I work in chapters of films in series. So I’m working on a film that does communicate where they go and what happens,” she said.
There’s also The Grain Harvester, another four-minute piece that is another chapter in the same series of films as The Summoning. Atkins noted the series that includes The Summoning and The Grain Harvester is 52 minutes in length.
There is also a video installation that is a white tent made of industrial felt. It has crushed glass on the floor, and inside a video named Three-Minute Miracle is playing.
“It’s a film about a girl with a giant cake, and she is going to a place where all teeth ache,” said Atkins. “So there’s a … lot of different characters with a wolf and dancing bears.”
The girl is trying to determine where her cake belongs.
Atkins grew up on a farm in southern Manitoba and spent most of her childhood exploring on the land with her sister and three brothers. Each member looked for a creative outlet, and Atkins found art and dance. Her sister opted for music, and has done the music for all of Atkins’ videos.
“Despite not having any official artists in my family, everyone around me was doing something lively, and this has influenced my approach to art making,” said Atkins.
Atkins hopes the people who view her exhibit feel like their imagination has been activated.
“Hopefully they want to know to know what happens, but maybe they come up with their own conclusion, or maybe multiple possible conclusions,” said Atkins.
EAGM curator/director Amber Andersen said Atkins creates cinematic fables using films, textiles, installations, performance and photography to imprint a fictional world into everyday life.
Andersen believes Atkins exhibit is very complimentary with Nathalie Quagliotto's Code of Conduct, which is in Gallery No. 2. Both engage in certain elements of the surreal and the uncanny.
Atkins exhibit will remain on display until Nov. 9.
This week’s edition of Southeast Lifestyles will have more on Quagliotto’s exhibit.
