Ottawa, February 19, 2008 The exhibition 41° to 66°: Architecture in Canada Region, Culture, Tectonics, co-curated by architectural professors John McMinn and Marco Polo and organized by Cambridge Galleries, will represent Canada at the 2008 Venice Biennale in Architecture.
The 2008 Biennale, entitled Out There: Architecture Beyond Building, is the world's most prestigious architectural exhibition. The Biennale takes place in Venice, Italy from September 14 to November 23.
41° to 66° presents a selection of contemporary buildings organised within six distinct cultural and geographic regions of Canada: the Arctic, West Coast, Mountain, Prairie, Continental and Atlantic. The exhibition features a variety of leading contemporary Canadian architects whose work draws on iconic Canadian building types like the igloo, tepee and sod house as a means to address regional and cultural identity, landscape, climate and sustainability issues. Contributing architects include Busby Perkins + Will, Patkau Architects, Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg (KPMB) Architects and Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects.
At the 2008 Biennale, this exhibit will help visitors appreciate Canadian responses to architectural identity and sustainability through literature, visual, video, audio, and web-based material that will be accessible using hand-held devises. There will also be floor-to-ceiling images projected within the pavilion, which is organized into five bays and a courtyard space. It is a celebration of Canada in its many varied dimensions through its diverse regions, material traditions and cultural influences.
Curators John McMinn and Marco Polo bring many years of curatorial experience in art, architecture and design. Steve Mykolyn of TAXI Canada, will be working with the team on exhibition communications, design and promotion, bringing a wealth of creative experience in interactive communication. The Canada Council for the Arts is a primary funder for Canada's architectural representation in Venice. Cambridge Galleries also provides financial support and will engage in fundraising activities to realize this project.
"41° to 66° embodies a new wave of thinking and living in our societymoving forward with sustainable solutions," said Canada Council Director Robert Sirman. "The Biennale is the perfect venue to showcase this panoramic view of contemporary Canadian architecture to the international community."
41° to 66° was officially launched at the Design at Riverside Gallery in Cambridge, Ontario in November, 2005. The exhibition has an extensive tour schedule: the Works Festival (Edmonton) and IIDEX (Toronto) in 2006, Mackenzie Art Gallery (Regina) and Dalhousie University in 2007, Museum London and Surrey Art Gallery in 2008 and the Yukon Arts Centre in 2009.
Cambridge Galleries
Cambridge Galleries have recently celebrated 30 years of public art gallery service in the City of Cambridge and the surrounding region of Waterloo. Comprised of three exhibition locations, Cambridge Galleries collectively present a dynamic program of exhibitions and public programming and maintain a permanent collection that reflects the best in contemporary Canadian textile based art.
In an exciting collaboration with the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, Cambridge Galleries' two existing locations were joined in 2004 by Design at Riverside, their most recent exhibition space. Located within the School of Architecture in Cambridge, this venue is dedicated to the development of awareness and appreciation for outstanding architecture and design through exhibitions, publications and related activities and is one of few public galleries with such a mandate in this country. For more information visit the Cambridge Galleries web site.
John McMinn
John McMinn graduated from McGill University in 1983 and the Architectural Association (aa), London in 1990. He spent the early part of his career working in London and Paris with Peter Rice and Ove Arup International. He has taught at several schools of architecture, including the aa in London, the University of Toronto and since 1999, the University of Waterloo where he is Associate Professor. In 1992 John was awarded the Canada Council Prix de Rome in Architecture. In addition to teaching he maintains an active building design practice and contributes to numerous architectural journals. John has been involved in a variety of publications and curatorial projects, such as co-curator of Exploring Materials: The Work of Peter Rice, the riba Gold Medal exhibition and catalogue (1992), editorial and design consultant for An Engineer Imagines by Peter Rice (1994) and co-author of the book and exhibition Yolles: A Canadian Engineering Legacy (2002).
Marco Polo
Marco Polo graduated from the University of British Columbia School of Architecture in 1985, and subsequently worked in professional practice in Toronto before becoming editor of Canadian Architect in 1997, a position he held until 2003. Marco joined Ryerson University's Department of Architectural Science in 2002, where he is now Associate Professor. He served as editor of The Prix de Rome in Architecture: A Retrospective, and co-edited, with Professors Colin Ripley and Arthur Wrigglesworth of Ryerson University, In the Place of Sound: Architecture/Music/Acoustics. His research, which concerns the history, theory and criticism of Canadian modern architecture, was recognized with the Ryerson University Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science Research Excellence Award for 2006.
Steve Mykolyn
Steve Mykolyn is Executive Creative Director and Vice President of TAXI Canada, an agency recognized globally for its ability to seamlessly combine advertising, digital media and design under one roof. He has produced campaigns for brands such as Telus, Canadian Tire, Molson, Pfizer, bmw Canada and WestJet, receiving hundreds of awards, including a Gold at Cannes, One Show Pencils, and the Art Directors Club of New York. In 1997 he wrote and directed an award-winning documentary film, El Dia La Noche Y Los Muertos on Mexico's Day of the Dead festival, which was selected to close Hispanic Heritage Month at the Smithsonian Institute. Steve's books include Amusing World, a collaboration with photographer Russell Monk and author Douglas Coupland and Metal Leather Flesh, an exploration of motorcycle culture. His latest work, the 15 Below jacket, a collaboration with fashion designer Lida Baday, is a breathable, waterproof jacket for the homeless which is set to launch in Spring 2008.
General information
In addition to its work in determining and assisting the official Canadian representation at the Venice Biennale in Architecture, the Canada Council for the Arts supports architecture and architectural design through grants and special awards such as the Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture and Prix de Rome in Architecture for Emerging Practitioners. The Canada Council also works in collaboration with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in the administration of the Governor General's Medals in Architecture.
The Canada Council provides grants with a view to enhance public awareness and enjoyment of architecture. For more information on these programs contact Danielle Wiley, Architecture Officer at the Canada Council for the Arts, 613-566-4414 or 1-800-263-5588, extension 5109, or by e-mail.
For more information:Heather McAfeeActing Public Relations Officer1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4523 Email this contactDonna BalkanSenior Communications Manager1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4134 Email this contact
Cambridge GalleriesMary Misner519-621-0460mmisner@cambridgegalleries.ca
