Co.Lab Gallery presents
AARON VELDSTRA
With Maria Asumnaa, Christian Chapman, Betty carpick and Pike Lake Forge
WHAT’S MINE IS OURS
OPENING FRIDAY, JULY 5TH, 7-10pm
CLOSES JULY 17TH, 2024
"What is MINE is OURS" is an exhibition about varied perspectives on land, its ownership and use, within the context of the Canadian resource based economy. What is Mine is Ours questions the proper use of land.
The works included in this show turn a lens on the historical and contemporary view of "Crown Land" as it relates to land use and whom owns title to the land. The first two serigraphs present two opposing thoughts about land.
Christian Chapman's work tells us to "love the land" while an image of the queen is thinking about how Canada was once the property of the British crown.
The two paintings MINE and OURS Veldstra and Asunmaa are illuminating the act of staking mining claims; a method by which a person may acquire the mineral rights to a piece of Land.
Shelby Gagnon's painting on stretched hide titled "Ring of Fire" questions the potential resources hidden in Northern Ontario vs. a historical resource that helped build Canada as a nation.
The ‘Map Assemblage’ by Asunmaa and Veldstra underlines the temptation in the potential value of land from a geological point of view. Coupled with Betty Carpick’s Copper carbonate ink, the artists work here in harmony to create a visual of our use of land & resources.
Pike Lake Forge worked in partnership with Veldstra and Asunmaa to forge copper, brass and aluminum into ingots. All raw materials were ‘mined’ by Veldstra from various locations in Canada.
Finally, the table top installation is a collection of both discarded, raw and refined resources. Chunks of coal, balls of taconite, ripped up dollar bills from 1982, chips from old electronics. It is hoped that the viewer might take pause with these objects and contemplate their origin, as well as their potential future.
Maria and Aaron have been collaborating on various art projects since 2020. Aaron holds a Master's of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta in drawing and Intermedia, and Maria has two years of formal training from Lakehead University. They have worked together on several sculpture projects, as well as private silkscreen projects. Included in this show are works by Christian Chapman, and Shelby Gagnon. A screenprint and a hide work respectively. Pike lake forge assisted in the the smelting of semi-precious metal, Betty Carpick has assisted as well as a mentor during the development of this show. A large thanks is due to these people as well as the Ontario Arts Council for funding the project.
