Brief Encounters & Sustained Engagement is part of the AVATAR Series exploring methods of creating, validating and disseminating one’s identity through the use of technology and the Internet. The series is inspired by the mantra “I post therefore I am”, whereby Internet users legitimize their existence by documenting their lives and uploading this media to personal webpages and blogs. The work in this series facilitates an inquiry into our desire to share and publicize our lives.
The AVATAR Series began at Studio 303 (Montreal) during a workshop lead by 2boys.tv (video/performance duo, Montreal) in May 2008. Since then the series benefited from significant time at PAF~Performing Arts Forum (St.Erme-Outre-et-Ramecourt, France), SIM-The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists (Reykjavik, Iceland) and at The Barn with Tedd Robinson of 10 Gates Dancing Inc. (Ontario) The development of this series is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council, The Winnipeg Arts Council and Video Pool Media Arts Centre. To date excerpts of this body of work have been exhibited / performed at InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre (Toronto), Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art (Winnipeg), Studio 303 (Montreal), PAF ~ Performing Arts Forum (France) and Kling&Bang Galleri (Iceland).