Hunting for KW|AG’s Cache

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

By Alex Krueger, Public Programs Coordinator

This year marks the City of Kitchener’s 100th anniversary and what better way to celebrate and explore our wonderful community than by grabbing your friends and family and going on a treasure hunt?

A special treasure has been hidden outside of the Gallery and your challenge is to find it!  You can either begin your hunt by deciphering a list of clues (located inside the Gallery in the Expressions 37 Interactive Space) or you can try your hand at Geocaching. 

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices.  Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the cache (container) hidden at that location.  Twenty-six Geocachers have already found our treasure – people who have enjoyed walks downtown, visitors from Southern California, and others who discovered our little “outdoor gallery” for the first time.

If you’re already a seasoned Geocacher, you can get started right away by searching our cache:

Coordinates: N 43° 27.272 W 080° 29.101
GC Code: GC3E4FH
Hidden by Username: kw|ag_snag

If you’re new to Geocaching, you’ll need a few things to get started:

• A free membership to www.geocaching.com  http://www.geocaching.com/
• A GPS device or mobile phone with a GPS application
• A sense of adventure!

Begin by reading up on the ins and outs of Geocaching.  Click the Learn tab at the top of www.geocaching.com for information and tips to help you get started.  When you’re ready to begin, you can search for the Gallery’s cache above, as well as many other caches that are hidden throughout our community and around the world.

While on your hunt, take the time to look around and notice your surroundings.  Imagine what it might have looked like 100 years ago and how it might look 100 years from now.  Bring small items for trading if you wish and don’t forget to leave your mark in our log book.  If you’re really stuck, visit our friendly front desk staff for a spoiler clue!

Happy hunting!

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, Art, Community, Exhibitions, for adults, for kids, For teens, Geocaching, Out there, Things we like, Treasure Hunt, Uncategorized, Waterloo Region | Leave a comment

Dirty Pictures

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Hold on to your pants… In case you still haven’t heard, the Gallery’s very own Executive Director Shirley Madill is hosting a talk on Dirty Pictures tomorrow night (Wednesday, April 18) at 7 pm. Shirley will discuss specific works of art and events … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Say Cheese!

Posted on April 16, 2012 by

Do you know a teen interested in photography? The Gallery is holding a teen photography class this coming Saturday, April 21. The class is being taught by KW|AG’s very own Emily Gove. Emily is a practicing artist working in video, … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

KW|AG Catch Up

Posted on April 12, 2012 by
Kim Adams, Installation view of works in Roadside Attractions. Image courtesy of the artist and KW|AG.

This gallery contains 3 photos.

As always there has been a bustle of activity at the Gallery in recent months. It’s been hard to find time to get all the blogs in that we’d like. That said, here is a bit of a catch up on … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

The Role of a Curator

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

KW|AG Curator Crystal Mowry was recently a guest speaker at a meeting of the Kitchener Waterloo Society of Artists. Crystal spoke about the role of a curator…

“Historically, the role of the curator was defined largely by the care and scholarship of collections. This meant that curators were often guided by the mandate and ethos of the institutions for whom they worked. These days it can be difficult to arrive at a conclusive definition of what curators do. In the popular lexicon, “curator” is sometimes used to refer to a person who selects and groups things together according to aesthetic preferences, narrative, chronology or other organizing principles. Whereas the curatorial impulse was previously reserved for museum work, the volume of people that now refer to their playlists, tumblr pages and bookshelves as “curated” suggests otherwise.

For my presentation to the KWSA membership I began with an image that represented a popular internet meme. You are, no doubt, familiar with the “What People Think I Do” meme that popularized a momentary consideration of the gap between what we think we do and what we suspect others think we do. Everyone from Artists to Magicians to Cats have been assessed using the same visual formula (see images below).

Indecisive as I often am, I chose two versions of this meme to introduce myself: “Artist” and “Curator”.

Both are humorous in a bittersweet way. Both versions of this meme end with a punch-line image which replaces perceived luxury with a sign that creative work is rarely unsupported by a mix of sweat and paperwork. And yet, we stick with it because we value helping others to see their surroundings, habits, complacencies, fears and desires differently. Everyday I interact (either virtually or in the flesh) with some of the most thoughtful, curious, and committed people you can imagine. What others might see as “work” permeates every part of your life. A terrifying prospect for many, but deeply rewarding to some of us!

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, Artist Talk, Community, Exhibitions, Get hands on with art, Guest blogger, Out there, Things we like, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Chris Flanagan Talks Magic

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

Artist Chris Flanagan is presenting a talk at the Gallery tomorrow evening (Wednesday April 4 @ 7 pm) on his exhibition Sympathetic Magic - on view through April 29th. Ahead of the talk Chris took some time out of his busy schedule to chat about his work.

Chris hard at work during the installation of Sympathetic Magic

Q: Tell us about the exhibition, Sympathetic Magic.

A: Sympathetic Magic is an interactive multimedia installation based on the idea of building replicas of objects to affect magical transformations in the real world.

Q: What inspired this work?

A: I’ve been fascinated by Cargo Cults, a religious practice that cropped up on the islands near Papua New Guineau when the indigenous population had contact with American soldiers stationed in the area during World War Two. The islanders saw the soldiers, who apparently sat around doing nothing, rewarded with “cargo,” material goods flown in by planes on a regular basis.
Once the G.I’s left and the planes stopped coming, the islanders tried to emulate the behaviour of the absent Americans. They built incredible replicas of runways and airstrips complete with bamboo planes and control towers in order to lure the gods to bring more “cargo.”
I’ve applied this “logic” to affecting a positive change for Kitchener. There’s an obvious comparison that can be made between Berlin and Kitchener given that they once shared the same name, so my questionable thesis is that Berlin was transformed by a wave of Western musicians who created odes to the troubled city, most notably Lou Reed who recorded the album Berlin in 1973.  Within this Cargo Cult system, if I am able to Lure Lou Reed to Kitchener and get him to record an ode to the city it should result in very positive outcomes for Kitchener. All of the objects that I’ve built reference people and music from his life as an attempt to entice him to Kitchener . While at this stage, Lou has yet to arrive,  L.Reed of Kitchener recorded a reworked version of Berlin, so we will have to wait and see what happens!

Q: What about this exhibition was most exciting for you?

A: Seeing Barra Castle and it’s magical door come together was pretty thrilling as it seemed so ambitious and outlandish when it was just an idea in my sketchbook a few months ago.

Q: What do you want visitors to take away (if anything)?

A: I don’t expect that everyone will delve into all of the conceptual stuff, but I’ll be happy if people find it engaging and playful.

Q: Tell us about your artistic practice.

A: My installation practice is heavily influenced by music, urban mythologies and clandestine practices. I make work about things that really excite me and hopefully that’s something that comes across. It’s fairly making intensive and often incorporates film and low-tech electronics. My recent projects have had site specific components and play with the idea of false histories and fabricating historical artifacts.

Q: If you could spend the day with any artist who would it be and what would you do?

A: I might have to cheat here and stretch “artist” to include musicians as well, as I am often more excited and awed by music than I am visual art. With that qualifier it would have to be enigmatic Jamaican Dub pioneer (wait can they be dead too?) King Tubby. I’d like to hang out in his Kingston studio circa 1975 and observe him in action, then maybe head out to watch his Sound System play at night.

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, Artist Talk, colab, Community, Exhibitions, Get hands on with art, Openings, Out there, Party, Things we like, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Sunny Reception for Expressions 37

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

By Nicole Neufeld, KW|AG Director of Public Programs

The Gallery’s annual exhibition of student artwork from the Waterloo Region, Expressions 37, opened to the public on a beautiful and sunny Sunday (March 18). To celebrate, we hosted a reception for more than 400 students, their family, friends, teachers, principals, and KW|AG supporters.  The galleries were packed for speeches from School Board representatives, Linda Fabi and Susan Hunt, Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr, and Waterloo Councillor Angela Vieth, all commenting on the impressive artistic talent from the region.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


As a rookie to Expressions myself, I was swept away by the meaning this exhibition holds for many students and teachers.  Especially with this year’s theme, Collaboration, students gathered with their classmates to admire their hard work celebrated here at the regional art gallery.  Ms. Caroline Keogh, whose class project North American Owl Collection was chosen as the feature artwork, said a few but impassioned words to the audience about the opportunity to honour teachers’ task of fostering creativity in young people throughout the school year.

The Expressions artist in residency program, In|sight, is featured in its own gallery space, tucked near the entrance of the main gallery. A number of participating students from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute hung around the gallery long after the masses finished their cookies and left. They admired their work and chatted with their co-conspirator, local artist Steve Lavigne, about the process of imagining, making, and installing their work in their own gallery space.

It was a great day at KW|AG!

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, Community, Exhibitions, for kids, For teens, Get hands on with art, Openings, Party, Things we like, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Art of Frosting – with Yvonne Zensner

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

Yvonne Zensner, owner of The Cake Box, is teaching a cupcake decorating class at the Gallery this coming weekend. The class sold out in record time, but we still managed to catch up with Yvonne and get a quick tip from her. Your mouth will water while watching this sweet video.

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, classes & workshops, colab, Community, Get hands on with art, Out there, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

From Student to Curator

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

The Gallery’s corridor has transformed with the new exhibition From There to Here, curated by University of Waterloo student Michael Goudreault.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


Michael is the fourth participant in our series of Community Curator projects that activate the Gallery’s Permanent Collection.  He is studying Knowledge Integration at UW and had the following to say about the exhibition on view through August 19, 2012.

Q: Tell us about the exhibition you’ve created.

A: The exhibit looks at what it means to come to the K-W area from elsewhere.  This region attracts people from across Canada and around the world. The exhibit explores both the idea of coming to the area, in a more abstract sense, and what it means to be in K-W as someone new to the community.  Many of the artworks show familiar local landmarks, yet these are shown in a fresh perspective – from someone from outside the community. 

Q: Why the title, From There to Here

A: The title, From There to Here, comes from this same idea.  Everyone at the exhibit will be coming from somewhere else (whether that is a block away or 5000km away) and ending up here, at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. 

Q: What about your project was most exciting?

A: Exploring  the region through the art in  KW|AG’s collection. Coming from Edmonton it was interesting to see the subtle differences between the cities and different parts of the country.  Through this project and as someone relatively new to the community, I was given the chance to explore what it means to live in Waterloo Region through the works in the collection.

Q: If you could spend the day with any artist who would it be and what would you do?

A: That’s a tricky question, probably the artist I would be most interested in spending a day with would be Joe Fafard.  I have always been amazed by his work and his ability to interpret his world in sculpture.  I think spending a day at his studio to see how he works, where his inspiration comes from and his view on the world would be a fantastic experience. 

The KW|AG Community Curator projects centre around the Gallery’s Permanent Collection, which is made up of more than 4-thousand works.  For more information click here >

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, Community, Exhibitions, Out there, Things we like | Leave a comment

KW|AG’s Rockin’ Art Camps

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

The Gallery’s Art Escape March Break Camp is over for another year. The kids, art instructors and staff at KWAG all had a blast! Don’t believe us, check out the video below and then sign up for our Summer Art Camp. You’ll find the registration info at the end of the video.

Posted in 101, @KW|AG, classes & workshops, Community, for kids, Get hands on with art, Party, Things we like, Uncategorized | Leave a comment