Art at the CAO: Relocation

Michael Graeme Ross and Rémi Thériault May 17-June 7, 2013 Opening reception: May 17, 2013, 5 pm to 8 pm RelocationVerb: To move to a new place and establish one's home or business there. The city of Ottawa experiences a 7% yearly population growth. The vast majority of this growth can be attributed to relocations to the city. Why do they come? For various reasons, life's path has brought the people in these images to a place the Algonquin people called "adawe".This body of work is a series of six large-scale constructed photographs, depicting fictional narratives set in the Ottawa urban landscape and derived from the subjects influences and reasons for relocating to said city. The cities formalistic and functional architecture contrasted with its lush and feral green-spaces is a primary visual theme found throughout the work. The subjects are fully immersed with this landscape and use it to tell of their connection to it. We have re-interpreted the factually realities of why these people now inhabit this particular city using carefully selected locations, situational ambiguity and natural light to create a series of narrative portraits. This involved the use of Ottawans, props and large-format film cameras to produce the high-detail images. Council for the Arts in Ottawa 2 Daly Ave. Ottawa, ON 613-569-1387 council@arts-ottawa.on.cawww.arts-ottawa.on.ca@CAOOttawa