Parade of ChampionsMichèle Pearson Clarke

Three portraits side by side, of 3 black people seated

Parade of Champions
Michèle Pearson Clarke

Exhibition

September 16 - October 21, 2017

Studio XX, Montréal

Opening: Saturday, September 16th, 2017, 12pm – 5pm
Conversation between Michèle Pearson Clarke and Alanna Thain at 3:30pm

Studio XX’s opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday from 10:00am to 5:00pm, free entrance
4001 Berri, Suite 201 | Montreal (Qc) H2L 4H2

We will also celebrate the launch of esse‘s 91st issue addressing the theme of LGBT+ !

Vidéographe and Studio XX are proud to present : Michèle Pearson Clarke – Parade of Champions the installation of the Trinidadian-Canadian and Toronto based artist in Montreal.

Parade of Champions explores the grief experiences of three black queer people, following the deaths of their mothers. Although grief is borne from loss of any kind, for an adult child, a mother’s death is incomparable. As universal and inevitable as it might be, this suffering is complicated by the restriction on mourning in our culture. Grief upsets us. It makes us uncomfortable. The bereaved are expected to mourn in private or at the very most, publicly for a short period only. For black queers, already unseen and othered, grieving a mother’s death requires a further pushing back against notions of disposability and invisibility.

Drawing on my own experience after my mother’s death in 2011, Parade of Champions centres this black queer counter-narrative in creating a poetic encounter with loss. Employing still video portraits and audio interviews, this immersive three-channel installation invites viewers to bear witness to this black queer grief.

Biography
Michèle Pearson Clarke is a Trinidadian-Canadian artist who works in photography, film, video and installation. Using archival, performative and process-oriented strategies, her work explores the personal and political possibilities afforded by considering experiences of emotions related to longing and loss, particularly in black/queer communities. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally including at the Ryerson Image Centre, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery and Images Festival in Toronto; and International Film Festival Rotterdam, International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Based in Toronto, she holds an MSW from the University of Toronto and an MFA in Documentary Media Studies from Ryerson University, and is currently artist-in-residence at Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography. Michelepearsonclarke.com

Alanna Thain is Director of Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies. She is also Associate Professor of Cultural Studies and World Cinemas in the Department of English. She directs the Moving Image Research Laboratory (MIRL), devoted to the study of bodies in motion across forms of media

Vidéographe sincerely thanks Studio XX for its support as partner of this event.

@Charlotte Clermont, Plants Are Like People, 2018_soutien_technique_cover_mars2022

Technical Support Program

Call for submissions

Deadline : March 1st, 2022

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Deadline : March 1st, 2021

* New: 4 calls for submissions per year

Program description

The Technical Support Program is intended to support artists interested in experimentation and in pushing the boundaries of the moving image in all its forms.
This support can be used in the production phase of the project or in the post-production phase.

A total of 4 calls for submissions per year will be made, for which the following are the deadlines;

March 1st (for projects that will start between April and June)
June 1st (for projects that will start between July and September)
September 1st (for projects that will start between October and December)
December 1st (for projects that will start between January and March)

Please note that 2 projects per call for submissions will be selected.

Artists selected under this program have free access to:

Our editing suites, sound booth and digitizing equipment for a maximum of two weeks. These two weeks can be contiguous or spread over 3 months.
Free access to available equipment belonging to Vidéographe.
Two meetings with Vidéographe’s team to discuss the project and its circulation potential: one meeting at the start of the project in order to specify the needs and a second meeting at the end of the project.
The possibility of organizing a private screening at Vidéographe.

It is not necessary to be a member of Vidéographe to apply; however, should your proposal be accepted, we will ask that you become a member. Once you have signed the agreement, you will have three months to take advantage of the benefits that this program has to offer. Regular membership fees are $50 + tx per year and student membership fees are $25 + tx per year.

We are looking to support independent experimental or documentary works that stand apart for their currency and endeavour to renew the artistic language. We will accept proposals for single-channel video, installation, Web-based work, and all other forms of moving image. We consider all genres—video art, experimental work, fiction, documentary or essay form, animation, dance video, and videoclip. Please note that all works must be independent and non-commercial. Projects of a conventional nature, such as classic short narrative film or television documentary will not be considered.

Once your project is finished, you may submit it for active distribution by Vidéographe. Please note however that acceptance into the Technical Support Program does not guarantee that your work will be distributed.

Required

Candidates must possess full editorial and creative control of the project.
Projects must be independent and non-commercial.
Projects that have received support through this program may not be re-submitted.
Student projects are not admissible.
We encourage traditionally under-represented artists to submit a project. Vidéographe is driven by the conviction that multiple points of views are necessary to enrich society and the discipline we work in.

Selection process

Works will be chosen by a selection committee made up of Vidéographe staff and members.

Projects that are retained will be subject to a contractual agreement between the artist and Vidéographe. Schedules, revised budgets, and requirements regarding equipment, rooms, and technical support will be planned and clearly laid out, as will the terms and conditions relative to each party.

Application file:

Contact information and website if applicable
Project description (500 words)
Schedule; (Overall project timeline and detailed timeline for support for creation).
Technical needs; (Please consult our website for more details on our editing suites and equipment).
Resume.
Supporting documentation (current or past projects);
Maximum 10 minutes of video footage. Please send a link to your video(s). Do not forget to include the password if applicable; and/or maximum 15 images (max: 1024 px wide, 72 dpi); sketches, plans, and mock-ups may also be submitted in PDF format.

Submission of your file

Applications will be accepted by email only. An acknowledgment of receipt will be sent. Please write TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAM in the subject heading of your email and send your file to info@videographe.org. Please send your file as a SINGLE PDF document (including links to videos). Files found in the text section of the email will not be taken into account.

Please allow three weeks for a response. Vidéographe chooses eight projects per year.

Illustration: Lee Lai

Eleven cultural organizations in Montreal affirm or reaffirm their endorsement of PACBI and restate their commitment to the liberation of Palestine.

PRESS RELEASE

In a strong statement of solidarity, eleven cultural organizations in Montreal have officially endorsed the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), highlighting their commitment to the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This collective action underscores the essential role of culture in resisting colonial oppression and supporting the liberation of Palestine. While a ceasefire agreement has been partially reached, this support affirms that the struggle for justice, resistance, and liberation is more important than ever.

The BDS movement, launched in 2004 by Palestinian civil society, calls for sustained and nonviolent pressure to end the Israeli colonial project and the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands. The demands of the movement are as follows :

End the occupation and colonization of all Palestinian lands and dismantle the apartheid wall
Recognize the full rights of Palestinians to equality, both within the 1948 borders and in the occupied territories
Uphold the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, as enshrined in international law and United Nations Resolution 194.

By supporting PACBI, these organizations reject complicity in the normalization of the Israeli colonial regime. On the contrary, they commit to supporting Palestinian self-determination by promoting artistic practices and cultural collaborations that resist colonial oppression and amplify the voices of liberation.

In October 2023, over 4,000 Canadian artists and cultural workers signed a solidarity letter stating: ”As artists, cultural workers, and academics, we firmly support the Palestinian struggle for freedom and against all forms of racism and colonial violence.” This collective statement underscores the belief that art is inherently political and that artists have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with oppressed communities, including Palestinians. (Hernandez, Cassie. “4,000 Canadian Artists and Cultural Workers Sign Palestine Solidarity Letter.” Hyperallergic, 20 Oct. 2023.)

Montreal, known for its vibrant cultural landscape, has a long history of engagement in global struggles for justice. This collective decision reflects a growing awareness among cultural workers of the importance of international solidarity in the fight against colonialism and apartheid.

This support comes at a critical time, as Palestinians face escalating land theft, systemic violence, and forced displacement under the ongoing Israeli occupation. The decision of these organizations to join PACBI is a long-awaited declaration that culture must align with the values of justice and liberation.

The organizations supporting this initiative are joining a growing global movement of artists, academics, and cultural workers committed to supporting the Palestinian people in their struggle for liberation and self-determination. These organizations hope that more groups will adopt PACBI across Quebec and Canada.

To date, the following organizations have united their efforts to support or reaffirm their commitments to PACBI: Ada X, articule, Atelier La Coulée, Céline Bureau, Centre Clark, Centre des arts actuels SKOL, Dazibao, Metonymy Press, Oboro, PME-ART, and Vidéographe.

About PACBI

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) was launched in 2004 as part of the BDS movement. It calls on cultural institutions and individuals to refuse complicity in violations of international law and human rights committed by the colonial regime, emphasizing the transformative power of global solidarity. PACBI is committed to freedom of expression as outlined in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and, in principle, rejects boycotts of individuals based on their opinions or identity (such as citizenship, race, gender, or religion).