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Statement
What may I … , the Irish “colonial” journey. “Bench” photographed in a castle garden in Kilkenny, Ireland and “Cholera: Grosse-Île” on an island in the St. Lawrence, Canada flanked the multifaceted image entitled “Irish Need Not Apply.” This complex central image uncovered evidence of my ancestors’ attempts to pass in Canada as non-Irish. Being white, this could be easily accomplished through deceit – changing an accent and/or lying on a census. Finding lucrative jobs then became possible as did admission into places such as the Empire Club. But this came at a cost. Buried trauma has lingered through the generations and alcoholism, abuse and suicide are still rampant.
Special thanks to Nat Piper, Inkfly, for her amazing graphic design skills which contributed to the development of this work and to the Ontario Arts Council for funding.
Also see Pam Patterson + Christine Durant’s Walk softly on the land …
Profile
Pam Patterson has exhibited and performed solo across Canada and internationally and with Leena Raudvee as ARTIFACTS. Her works include:
- Distended Topographies, EdgeZones, Miami, USA
- Red Square, Torino International Festival, Turin, Italy
- Body as Site/Sight, A Space for 7A11D International Performance Art Festival, Toronto
- Works from the Body in Extremis series were performed for:
- Psi: Being Uncomfortable, Brown University, Rhode Island
- Towards Tomorrow, Aberystwyth, Wales
- Performance as Pedagogy, Victoria, BC.
Patterson completed a self-directed residency in Ireland, developing new visual and performative work in 2017. She exhibited her work for the Kilkenny Arts Festivalat Shankill Castle (2018) and at Land Liminality Loss in Toronto (2019).
Links
Email: pampatterson@wiaprojects.com
COVID-19 Anxiety (Creation Research – Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts & Ontario Arts Council) http://www.covid19anxiety.ca/pam_patterson.html
ARTIFACTS (Pam Patterson & Leena Raudvee): http://www.artifactsperformanceart.ca/
Centre for Canadian Contemporary Art – Pam Patterson: http://ccca.concordia.ca/artists/artist_info.html?languagePref=en&link_id=10987&artist=Pam+Patterson