Upcoming Event: A Bacteriophage Dissection!

Posted on by Jen

As part of my work in The New Alberta Contemporaries, the first exhibition at the Esker Foundation, I am doing a performance. Here are details.

The Institute of Morphoid Research presents: A Bacteriophage Dissection

Join Institute of Morphoid Research specialist, Jennifer Akkermans, in exploring the inner workings of the Bacteriophages! This public dissection, happening at 1:00, August 4th, will be an instrumental event in the IMR’s research, being the first dissection in the history of the Institute. The public is invited to observe, ask questions,and get a unique, up-close look at these curious creatures. Bring your inquisitive mind, and, as always, a sense of humour!

For more information, and to learn what a Bacteriophage is, please visit InstituteOfMorphoidResearch.com.

The dissection will be happening August 4th, at 1:00PM, at the Esker Foundation, in Inglewood (Calgary).

(Now, back to work on this!)

Crossing the River

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So, lately.

Lately, things have been pretty busy! We just had the AGM at work, and so I’ve been busier than normal. Now that that has calmed down a little, I feel like I can get back to work on my practice as well.

Right now, it seems I am in a research stage… researching, brainstorming, reading, trying out ideas and making samples/ templates. The playing phase. I always enjoy this phase, but it sometimes feels like I’m spinning my wheels a little… no, more like driving around the parking lot, just for the sake of driving. Not having a specific destination. I have no real goal at the moment, just a bunch of ideas floating around in my head. I would like to do most of these, but as of right now, I have no idea how to get from here to there. It’s like trying to cross a large river and you don’t have a boat. Do you build one? Do you look for a fallen log? Build a bridge? Do you invent a flying machine, or a rope system? Talk to the locals/ people who’ve been here before? (Trouble is, being an artist, no one you know has been exactly where you are, with the same exact issues, although there is always someone, it seems, who can help give some direction.) It seems to me, that my method so far is to walk up and down the shore, evaluating my options. Anyway, enough of the metaphor.

Because of work, and this particular phase I’m in, I’m finding it hard to keep up on my applications. I’m also unsure right now of how the work I’m wanting to do will actually pan out, and so that’s a bit of a problem when writing applications for shows, etc. It’s frustrating to me, because usually, I have a pretty clear path of what I want to do and how I plan to get there, but this one is a lot less clear.

I think all I really need here is time. Time to let it percolate, develop, time to research and learn, and figure out the details. Stay tuned.  (And take a look at all the fantastic “research” I’ve been posting!)

Studio day…. Heaven.

Posted on by Jen

Let me tell you about my favorite thing in the world.  The best way to spend a day.

Get up in the morning, not too late, not too early, around 8:30 is a good balance for me, make myself a nice pot full of tea (Earl Grey, of course!), go downstairs and put the CD player on repeat (yes, I still use my CD player, the computer sometimes gets in the way), and spend the day in the studio.  Now that I’m working regularly again, studio time is the most precious thing in the world.  It’s a complete luxury, and an absolute necessity, all at the same time.

This looks like a mess, and it very much is.  But, it’s so much better than a clean studio- a clean studio means I haven’t been working in it.  I’m sure you can tell, that while I do have a great space, it is important that everything has a place, because it can quickly and very easily turn into an unusable space.

So, I’ve been working!  Today, I did some experiments with the electronics I’ve been researching, and managed a little bit of success!  Below is a video of what I’ve managed to do- do you see the potential in it for the Morphoids?

The motor works in response to the light.  I also appreciate how it sounds almost like it’s purring.

I also worked on some more skeleton pieces, and have been developing my dissection, a performance, which will happen this summer, as part of the exhibition at the Esker Foundation.  And some plans for some interactive display panels. And some other ideas, which will take much more time than some of this- maybe I’ll share when it’s a little more concrete.

I’ve really gotta stop showing photos of my messy studio.

 

“Anatomy” drawings

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"Anatomy" Drawing- Morphoid leg

I’ve been trying to use my time more wisely lately, using the odd bits of downtown I get, and my time on the C-train. This is helping to rejuvenate my practice, which has been on the back-burner for a little bit, with this new job.  The job is fairly flexible, although it is sometimes hard for me to predict when I will be busy and when I may have some slower time.  Every week is different, depending on what is going on. For example, this last week was a little slower, but I know that the next couple could very well be a little crazy.

Anyway, I’ve been using my time, and using my sketchbook.  Now that I’m working, I have a little money to order some basic supplies, which was the other reason why my practice was put on hold a little. I’m working on a performance this summer, a dissection, for which I need tools, and Morphoid body parts.  So, I’ve been making a few things, thinking about a lot of things, and drawing.  Here’s a few of the sketches, Mophoid parts.  I am purposely leaving them a little cryptic.

"Anatomy" Drawing - Morphoid Liver

"Anatomy" Drawing - Morphoid Fat Layer

"Anatomy" Drawing - Morphoid Stomache (and Contents)

Possibilities of Meccano, etc.

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I’m not entirely sure why someone would build a machine like this, but it does show you some of the possibilities.  I’d really like to get a Meccano set to do some building of things.

I’d also like to learn more about electronics, as there are many possibilities for my work there as well.  It’s quite the learning curve, so it’s on my wishlist.  I will start with practicing putting together some simpler circuits from books, etc, to learn what I can, and hopefully that will help.

My mother was up the other day (Hi Mom!) and we looked at some of the stuff I’ve got in my stash, and talked about a few things…. I’ve got some more possibilities now, but how to get from point A to point 357 remains a mystery to me.

Time, effort and research.

Ben Folds Aftermath

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So the concert was absolutely amazing, totally worth the 15 year wait!  The place was just buzzing, I talked to a few people, and most people were like me, having waited for a long time for that particular concert.  Ben was perfect, almost too perfect, as I only noticed two mistakes he made during the whole performance. The symphony (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) was tight, and the conductor was great, and seemed like a very endearing character, riding a bike out onto the stage.

Believe it or not, my front row seat, while it would have been an amazing seat for any other concert, SUCKED.  Yes, in capitals.  (See photo above- Ben was on the other side of that piano.) I couldn’t see Ben through the baby grande piano front and centre on the stage, and it’s not like he could really move the piano or move around.  So, in the intermission (glad there was one!), I talked to about 8 different people (ok, slight exaggeration, it was more like 6), in an attempt to get my seat changed, and eventually, I did, to the same seat in row H, instead of row A.  A bit father back, but MUCH better.

Needless to say, my hands and voice hurt the next day. SO worth it.  (And by the way, Red Arrow is the way to go.  That should be their slogan.)

I really hope Ben enjoyed Alberta as much as the crowd enjoyed having him.  It would be really great to be able to see him again.  Between this concert, and Jann Arden earlier this year, I’ve hit two of my must see musicians in concert, the last being Barenaked Ladies.  I’ll have to keep watch.

(Apologies for the delay- for some reason, I was having trouble transferring the photos from my phone to the computer.)