Curated by Jessica Demers
Wide Shot/Close Up pairs twelve Basin residents from diverse socio-cultural groups to film both visually arresting and refreshingly honest conversations about identity and connection. The conversations will be edited and arranged on multiple screens and monitors as an interactive video installation in the gallery space. Viewing stations with props will reflect the settings within the videos themselves, such as a bus stop bench or a picnic blanket. This will invite viewers to interact with one another in the gallery space and possibly start a conversation of their own.
The participants will represent a cross section of residents from the Columbia Basin such as seniors, youth, First Nations and other cultural groups. All six conversations will start with each person sharing three words he/she attaches to his/her identity. They will speak honestly about their immediate assumptions based on those words, and build the conversations around their differences and commonalities.
The Mir Centre for Peace will play an advisory role in the facilitation of these conversations and will support the peace building capacity of the overall development and delivery of the project. They will also promote the events associated with the exhibition and integrate the video installation into their existing programming.
Amy Bohigan is a filmmaker who has been working with the theme of personal and community transformation for over 20 years. Most of her work is made for screening in theatres, and this is the second video installation project she has completed for a gallery setting. The new direction in her work will provide a more interactive experience for viewers and open up possibilities for engaging events and programming in conjunction with the exhibition. She is also this years’ Cultural Ambassador for Nelson.