Our Summer 2023 issue features a dynamic group of writers and culture workers who offer insight into the unique circumstances of the art world, many of which are in dire need of critique and deep reconsideration. Emily McKibbon shares her experiences navigating a life in the arts, observing the lack of stable employment and financial security for creative professionals throughout their careers as well as a general mismanagement of resources within institutions. Shannon Lucky has dedicated her time and expertise to cataloging Saskatoon’s PAVED Arts archive – a diverse array of print and digital ephemera, artist projects, books, and documentation. As Lucky observes, artist-run centres were never designed to steward hundreds of boxes of invaluable research material; they lack the space, infrastructure, and resources to make these materials accessible to the public or maintain their care. She wonders how we can foster a collective responsibility for these important sources of institutional knowledge? In a conversation between the co-curators of “Conceptions of White,” both Lillian O’Brien Davis and John G. Hampton reflect on the research, discussions, and curatorial process that brought the exhibition to fruition. They offer readers insight into the ongoing goals for the program and how they navigated the complexities of care associated with explorations of identity.
Our summer issue also presents a deep exploration of the work of Larry Glawson by Hannah Godfrey, a profile showcasing Barbara Hobot’s practice by Tarin Dehod, and an interview with Dawna Rose and Betsey Rosenwald about their immersive and collaborative exhibition “Journal of the Plague Year(s)” by Laura St. Pierre. And lastly, the issue includes reviews of Alanna Fields’ exhibition at Winnipeg’s Plug-In ICA by Shaneela Boodoo and Brenda Draney’s exhibition at Toronto’s The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery by Matthew Ryan Smith.
Before I conclude my final editorial note as Managing Editor, I would like to express my profound appreciation to BlackFlash’s editorial committee. The editorial committee shares their creative vision, knowledge, and networks to ensure the magazine’s program is engaging to our readers and responsive to our community. I’m incredibly excited to see how the new Managing Editor and the editorial team will work together to shape the magazine’s future and advocate for publishing’s place in the art ecology.
This article is published in issue 40.1 of BlackFlash magazine. Get this issue
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