 |
Commonly used as a metaphor evoking time, a river appears continuous, progressing in a linear fashion, and flowing in one direction. What happens when the river hides beneath a thick sheet of ice? The frozen surface impedes awareness of the passage of time. In this video, ice fog shrouds the frozen Mackenzie River, a landscape of profound stillness. An opening in the river reveals a hidden motion and restores the passage of time. The video captures the cyclical movement of a directional flow. Seen as a pulse, random waves merge into an attunement: a flexural gravity wave. The oscillation makes apparent how both, the creation of the temporary opening, and time itself are human constructs. After formal training in fashion, ceramics, and education, Nathalie Lavoie has taught in remote aboriginal communities in Northern Canada for fifteen years, as well as a one-year sojourn in Japan. In the unique northern environment, she has developed an artistic practice that harnesses the potential of enduring winters. Her recent work explores the use of water as a medium through ephemeral installations in natural or urban landscapes. A chosen site becomes the concentration of energy, a locus from which multiple interpretations emerge and vanish. The installations or performances persist only as traces by means of photographs and/or video. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Art) from Curtin University in Australia, and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver. |
| [] back [] | Nathalie Lavoie is based in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada. [] www.nathalielavoie.ca[] |