Photo: Lukas Mouton.
In Nosy Mag‘s latest exhibition, “Dreams & Demands,” whimsy meets introspection. Marianne Brown, writer and co-curator, sits down with photographer Yuli Sato to discuss how this playful yet profound showcase balances lightheartedness with deep reflections. From artists’ personal visions to societal commentary, explore how humor and hope intertwine in this vibrant new show. Don’t miss out—the vernissage takes place Thursday, August 1st from 5pm-8pm at Gallery 115 (100 Laurier Ave E, Rm 115 – within the Department of Visual Arts at University of Ottawa).
Yuli Sato: What inspired “Dreams & Demands”?
Marianne Brown: After our last exhibition, “Spoiled Lemons,” we noticed a huge influx of submissions. That show focused on making the best of difficult situations. We realized there’s a lot of angst around so wanted to balance it with humour.
We liked the idea of “dreams and demands” because it’s both airy and a bit esoteric. We also wanted to think about what artists are demanding. Because we trust artists, and we think that they have strong visions for the world. Another influence was Emily Neufeld’s work. Her work called “Dear Canada Council” is a piece of paper, with a childlike request for a super silly project … She’s obviously not following the proper process to get a grant. It’s this light-hearted demand of, “I want this.” I really liked that.
YS: Do dreams and demands work together, or do they conflict?
MB: They work together when we come up with the best policies or decisions. The show celebrates hope and trust in our dreams, and the artists took that concept in different directions. Some of them work with respecting your inner child, and for others, demanding a fairer world. It really goes from the internal to the external, but we wanted to keep it open for that reason.
YS: I’m looking forward to seeing the work on the walls – or otherwise?
MB: Some works are on the wall, some aren’t! Emily Neufeld is making a bespoke installation of clouds hanging from the ceiling. The way I envision it is that we’re entering this cloudy, nebulous space.
YS: Do some of the works deal with heavy global issues, or is the exhibition an escape?
MB: It’s a mix. Some works bring up difficult things, but frame them in a surreal or playful way; for example, the work “Spamina” by Carmina Miana, a ceramic box of spam about colonialism and appropriation. Others, like Rebecca Clouâtre’s work, are about dreams that she has for her children. I think that’s really beautiful. Isabelle Kosteniuk has a fantastic painting in the show that speaks to what I was just saying: disillusion and questioning cultural ideals. Another work, “The Big Heart Haunts” by Audrey Barr, also speaks to the inner child. It’s a dinosaur with spikes on its back and it comes with a poem about the intensity of feeling. We also have a series of prints by Dion Prints called “The 8th Wonder of the World is Love,” inspired by bell hooks’ writing. The artists featured in the magazine take a bit of a more serious approach, whereas the exhibition tries to stay playful.
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YS: Humor seems significant in Nosy Mag’s exhibitions. Why?
MB: Nosy Mag was founded by a group that values humor. “Artspeak” can be really hard… I studied contemporary art theory, and yet, sometimes I’ll go to private galleries and have no idea what I’m reading. And I think, I have a master’s degree in this, how is the layperson going to connect meaningfully to it? Integrating humor can make art more accessible to people. And also, as you surely know, there’s a huge exodus of talented artists who go to other cities, because they think that Ottawa is boring. And so I think having a fun, exciting publication and gathering people makes the city feel a bit more connected. It works with us and our branding.
YS: One of the things I’ve wanted is more public art. I know many talented mural artists in Ottawa. That leads into more questions: what do you think Ottawa is doing well, and where can it improve?
MB: Before I answer that, I have to say, I think that Nosy Mag fills a gap for both artists and writers. It’s very hard to get published because there are only a few major art magazines in Canada. But yeah, I think the art community in Ottawa is quite welcoming. That being said, we only have a handful of commercial galleries. They’re excellent, but there’s only so much that they can do. Of course, we have the National Gallery and the Ottawa Art Gallery—big institutions. I think SAW Gallery does an incredible job, too.
Photo: Ming Wu.
YS: I think DIY spaces are crucial. For example, Cinqhole was a great spot. I think those spaces help fuel the fire and give people their first opportunities. Again, there are great organizations here doing fantastic work. But the DIY spaces are something I miss from my time in Montreal.
MB: Funding is something we’ve been struggling with, although we’ve been lucky because we’ve been generously offered space at Wallacks, Wall Space Gallery, and now, at the University of Ottawa. One of the things that we’re thinking about doing is inviting guest curators or groups of artists to put on shows and then collaborate with them.
YS: That would open up the network and bring new ideas to the table. On that note, are there some things that you think are notable about Ottawa’s art scene or events here?
MB: Art House Cafe is always busy and Urban Art Collective is doing really interesting stuff. SAW’s exhibitions are so complex and the quality is at an international level which is really impressive. Pique is always packed, as well as the Arlington Art Market. There’s a hunger for community, which is really heartwarming.
YS: Do you have any advice for those who want to start their own magazine or something similar?
MB: Surround yourself with people who have different skills than you. Reach out to other organizations: Us (Nosy Mag), Flo Lit Magazine, Do It For The Grain, Ottawa Design Club. That’s something that we’ve been doing lately, trying to solidify our foundation and focus on capacity building. Talk to people and send those DMs!
YS: You can avoid certain mistakes if you just ask other people. Super useful.
MB: By the way, if people are interested, come work for us! We need more writers!
Photo: Curtis Perry.
YS: Take note, readers! What has been the biggest challenge for the magazine?
MB: Funding, because we’re not a registered nonprofit and are ineligible for a lot of grants. But we’ve been really lucky—we got one City of Ottawa grant that helped with the Jinx! exhibition last summer, because we were able to pay CARFAC fees to exhibiting artists. Also, working around gallery schedules and planning ahead.
YS: What’s next for Nosy Mag?
MB: We want to keep publishing one paper magazine (we’re really proud of those) and at least one exhibition a year, keep publishing frequently online, increase our capacity and the number of artists we’re exhibiting, and continue to do exciting stuff. We want to stay-the-course, but make it better!
Dreams & Demands runs from August 1 to 22 at Gallery 115, 100 Laurier Ave. E. and the Vernissage takes place TONIGHT between 5-8pm. The exhibition’s publication is available for purchase at the OAG shop, Possible Worlds, and Arlington 5.
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