Welcome to our festival blog for 2012. Updated daily, the blog contains critical writing and reflections on the 9th 7a*11d International Festival of Performance Art by our commissioned writers, Sylvie FERRÉ, Randy GLEDHILL and Christine KORTE, and photographs of each days events from our faithful photographer, Henry CHAN.
In addition, 7a*11d collective member Annie Onyi CHEUNG will be tweeting live updates from this year’s festival. Follow her on twitter @onyionyi, and remember to hashtag your tweets with #7a11d to share your thoughts and photos with others!
Henry CHAN has been documenting performance art in Toronto since 2006. He has photographed four consecutive 7a*11d festivals, the activities of FADO Performance Art Centre, as well as events, exhibitions and performances at various contemporary art venues in the city including The Images Festival and The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. When he is not using a camera, Henry is crunching numbers and pushing paperwork as an accountant.
Sylvie FERRÉ is an independent curator, lecturer and writer on contemporary and performance art. She is the Director of the Polysonneries Festival based in Lyon, France. Her research strives to develop links between visual art, performance, and other creative forms leading to original collaborations. She is a contributing editor for several publications including Inter, Mapra, Alternatives Théatrales, and Avignon’s Festival. She has written texts for books on artists including Jan Fabre, Kirsten Justesen, Lamberto Pignotti, and Roi Vaara.
Randy GLEDHILL has an international history of artistic recognition spanning over three decades, including his ground breaking and influential collaborative partnership as one half of Randy & Berenicci (with Berenicci Hershorn). His chameleon oeuvre of activities includes performances, installations, public art commission, videos, sculptures, critical writing, curation and cultural activism. He is currently Executive Director and Curator of Vancouver’s LIVE Performance Art Biennale; and is researching new global performance art manifestations, movements, and networks.
Christine KORTE is a PhD candidate in the York and Ryerson Joint Program in Communication and Culture. She recently returned to Toronto after a DAAD research fellowship in Berlin and a guest lectureship position at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. She also has performed with the Vinge/Mueller ensemble in various productions staged in Berlin, Oslo and Bergen. Prior to starting her PhD, Christine worked at the transmediale festival for new media art and other festivals and residency centres in Berlin and Los Angeles.