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Ice Follies 2014: Ohkwamingininiwug
“Ohkwamingininiwug” in Ojbwe means the “Ice People” and is the name for our winter programming this season as it embraces the collaborative nature of the north and the ideology behind Ice Follies 2014. This project represents the effort of several organizations coming together for one large scale site specific exhibition. Current participating organizations include: White Water Gallery, Aanmitaagzi, and Near North Mobile Media Lab all playing equal roles in making contributions, coordinating and implementing Ohkwamingininiwug. We are the North. We work towards common goals. We are Ice People through collaboration and partnership.
Through Ice Follies, North Bay’s arts community will engage together to advance the knowledge of contemporary visual arts and address the need for an increase in the public’s understanding and appreciation of contemporary art. This collaboration will involve all contributors working together in coordinating Ice Follies. We will:
- invite artists from across Canada and Ontario to create new works for the show.
- promote the exhibition as an important Canadian northern contemporary arts event.
- ensure that artists arrive in North Bay by late January; help the artists to build their works by providing materials, ice shacks or whatever they need.
- host all events planned for Ice Follies 2014
- document the pieces and events.
- host artists discussions.
- ensure that audiences safely experience these works.
Since Ice Follies inception there has been a steady development in functionality evolving towards a collaborative festival model. Over this time curatorial methodologies have changed from a single curator implementing the festival alone to a committee of curators collaborating on larger plans. This led to the existing practice of organizational division of tasks allowing for arts groups to identify their own plans under a theme. This ensures that the festival is conducted responsibly and that each partnering organization takes on their own project ensuring that it is curated/coordinated effectively. It also ensures a wide range of curatorial practices will be represented independent of a single voice.