Recent Things and Where Will I Live Once Toronto Is a City Full of Glass Towers That Cost A Million Dollars

Hello there friends, I am here with an update and also a rant,

The Sappyfest Zine fair was pretty fun dudes! I sat across from Chris Foster (this guy is the best guy) and my friend Jesjit (another good guy) who runs Colour Code printing. Everyone was really friendly, I made some nice trades and sold some work and even missed Calvin Johnson because I was having such a great time. Here's me! Vince took this.



Oh yeah and here's another picture he took of me at the OCAD zine fair which I forgot to publish.



Thanks Vince!

My time out east was pretty special. Its a funny thing, I used to travel a lot and it's slowed down since I moved to Toronto (probably because I don't live with my mom in Ottawa anymore). I get a pretty strong urge when I go new places to start thinking about the possibility of living somewhere different. I used to say that I was completely satisfied in Toronto, and though I still think that's true, the city has been going through a lot of changes lately. There's been much talk about how hospitable (read: affordable) this place will continue to be for artists. (And it's standing on thin ice as is)

Lets talk about where I live for a second. Here:

If you are my friend or an artist in Toronto then I'm sure you are more than familiar with the Niagara St studios, aka The Coffin Factory. I'm fortunate enough to be living in a large live-work studio in a very central location (but, as it stands I have to live with four other people to make it affordable, which I'm not complaining about). My building is on the way to being converted into condominiums, they will be building two towers in the back to pay for the renovation of the inside of the building that I currently live in, which is a hundred and twenty year old factory. Here are the offical plans:



 During a public meeting about the proposal for redevelopment, my neighbour asked probably the most relevant question (as a tenant) you could possibly ask to Alan, the owner of the property: "Do you think any of us will be able to afford the new units?"

Alan's response was "Well, I don't see why not."

I think that was a pretty honest answer to the question, but it points out a larger problem, which is that the people who are responsible for new residential and commercial studios and artist spaces, have no concept of how little money the average young emerging artist or musician actually makes. Everyone I know is in debt, everyone I know has to work a full time job to be able to afford the standard 600-700 dollars a month rent (that is getting harder and harder to find in this city as it is). Friends and peers of mine who are even more successful have a corresponding deficit (aka the people I know who are recognized the most in the art world have the least money and most debt). I know I am making some generalizations, but you get the picture. The point is, we cannot afford the new units.

David Mirvish and Frank Gehry are in the process of planning 3 supertowers in the west downtown king street area (a ten minute walk from where I live). Over eighty stories high, these towers will comprise of commercial and residential units, including a gallery for Mirvish's personal collection of abstract art, and a new OCAD gallery. The project is ambitious, the buildings are beautiful and almost terrifying to look at (they are going to be SO TALL), and they are probably going to redefine the skyline of Toronto or something like that. Great, new art spaces, great, Gehry is a famous architect and he will pretty up the city with his nice steel towers, but the point is, we cannot afford these new units.

King and Bathurst, Photo By Brendan Ko

The condos and cranes, from various points around our building, All photos by Brendan Ko.

I look out my bedroom window every day and see cranes. If I go for a bike ride east or west of my building I will almost definitely run into not one, but several condos under construction that did not exist a few months ago. MOCCA is getting kicked out out of their queen west location in 2014 for, guess what? Condos, probably for people who want to live in the 'hip, arty neighborhood' of the west end.

I get how gentrification works, guys, but what if we lived in a world where art spaces remained affordable? Oh well, see you in Hamilton in a few years? Just wait 'till they extend the go train line.

I love Toronto, I really do. I have never once regretted my decision to move here, and I become defensive when either people who live here complain about it, or people who don't make fun of it. It's a fucking awesome city full of great music, food, art, and independent business. It's huge and exciting and although sometimes people can be stuck up, you can create whatever world you desire and surround yourself with like minded peers and a supportive community. It's safe and fun and I like it and I always have. But even' I've become skeptical this past summer. When I go on the roof of my building and see the fort of cheaply made glass condo towers I wonder if maybe it's time to jump ship, because I don't know if this city that I love is going to be the same place in the next five years. I'll be travelling a lot more hopefully and scoping out new possibilities. I would love to stay in Toronto, but when I am physically being enclosed every day by this false lifestyle utopia, I feel as though me and all of my friends are literally being squeezed out.

Or maybe I just need to move away from King West?

Ok so whatever speaking of HAMILTON I did an art project there with En Masse in September at the design annex.

Myself and several other artists made these on large, blob-like pieces of primed birch wood.

Also, I did a mural project with them behind El Gordos in Kensington Market. Here's a photo of me and my good pals Alex Mackenzie and Nic Robins.



And, if you are interested, here is an opinion piece/rant about the demise of artist squats in Berlin by my friend and roommate Vanessa Reiger. I understand that this happens in all major cities, especially ones with thriving art communities. I suppose it's almost a backhanded compliment, kind of an 'hey we like what you're doing, lets make some money off it'. Vice did a historical breakdown of Tacheles and it's pretty informative. My neighbour Wilson (who I have yet to meet personally) is taking portraits and profiles of people who live and work in my building too. Change and so-called 'progess' is inevitable, I get it, but at least there are people out there documenting the history of these spaces. After the public meeting I attended, I couldn't help but see myself in ten years, walking down Niagara, looking at my building and remembering what it used to be like (and I haven't even lived there that long). It made me feel pretty bummed, dudes, being in the present and already seeing it as a past that can never be recovered.

Ok that's it! It's my brithday in 3 weeks! Also, what should I be for halloween? Vince suggested this (not idaho).

xo

I'm coming out east!

Hi guys!

So it's been a while, but I'm back now to tell you that I'll be selling some zines at the Sappyfest Zine Fair this coming weekend! I'm headed out to New Brunswick with some pals tomorrow, then off to Halifax with Vince, then off to Cape Breton and then Newfoundland! Phew.

Here's a sneak peak at what I'll be selling.

A new zine called 'Don't Be Scared'



A beautiful risograph print made by the awesome JP King at Paper Pusher. He is also going to be selling copies of the print at the upcoming Zine Dream 5, as well as on the Paper Pusher website! This trip unfortunately means I won't be attending this year's Zine Dream, but it looks amazing and everyone else should go.

Other than that, I just finished a 3 month residency on Toronto Island and it was amazing. I'm working on a clay animation film with my friend Sarah D'Angelo (check out her other clay animation projects on her website) and I'm having an amazing summer. I'm kind of tanned which is ok, my hair is really really long, I lost my bank card for probably the hundreth time today. I'm doing thesis next year and I don't really want to, but it's about time to get it over with so here we go. I fell off my bike and I have a bruise on my leg that looks like abstract art.

Love you! See you in a few weeks, Toronto! xoxo

OCAD ZINE FAIR

Hi guys

Quick update to say that that I'll be manning a table at the OCAD zine fair tomorrow! I have a brand new zine, some old ones plus a few prints for sale! Come on by if you can.

Come by and say hi, i'll trade you a thing if you like! I'll be sitting with my boyfriend Vince Vining and pals Nicholas Robins and Robin Clason (who also have things to sell). See you tomorrow!

November 24

Hi guys and gals

Its November 24, which means that it's my younger sister Laura's birthday. Happy birthday Laura! You are 24 on the 24th! You are so old.

Ok now on to business. I finally started taking some documentary photos of drawings from the show this summer. Since school began I haven't been doing any of my own work, and it's very depressing. I'm submitting these two drawings to two different publications and XPACE is having a zine fair in December, so those two things have gotten me to start documenting my past work properly and thinking about the next step. Not that I wasn't thinking about the next step, but you know, for real this time.

This blog is a funny thing to re read. My own writing is the worst! Don't you ever feel that way? I'm too self concious about being self concious to take any of this down. My past is nothing to be ashamed of! I'll probably re read this in three months and be like 'oh geez Julia...'

I think it's very important to be sincere and work hard, also not to be afraid of getting older. That's all I have to say. Here some art for you to look at, and I will have more up over the next couple of weeks. I'm not posting any school work because it all sucks.

Ok bye!

SHOWS

Hi pals!

I'm in a couple of shows this weekend in other cities that I can't go to because of overwhelming school work.

The first is at Greg's loft in Montreal:

POOP MONTREAL PRESENTS:
✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘

✘ - Four bands, four artists, two lofts, and one dog.

Musical Performances by:

KIERAN BLAKE (Montreal)
http://kieranblake.bandcamp.com/

COUSINS (Halifax)
http://www.myspace.com/cousinscousins

LOOM (Toronto)
http://loommusic.ca/

THOMAS (Toronto)
http://www.myspace.com/isthisthomas

✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘

✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘

Art and Photography by:

DIETRICH ROSTECK
http://www.lapetitemortgallery.com/dietrich-rosteck/

GREG ZEHNA

MATT KING

JULIA DICKENS
http://juliadickens.blogspot.com/

✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘FIVE DOLLAR ENTRY FEE✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘✘

Wahhh I can't go. But you should if you are in Montreal!

Now, I was supposed to be in this other show (Myriad Shocks) in Detroit, but unfortunately my friend Alex Mackenzie was carrying my drawings and she got stopped at the border and they wouldn't let her in. Total bummer! But, here is the link to the event, its a music/art fest with my friends Felix Kalmenson, Sasha Foster and many more doing art installations. Our friend Ben Filler has been putting this event together with a few other folks and he's been working really hard! Thanks so much Ben, I miss you all the time and I wish so much that I could be there.

Up next: scans of some prints I made last semester, a few new drawings. I've been calming down and speeding up at the same time. I am excited to submit to Ghost Hole, writing an event submission to Xspace, having some really great profs this year, cutting out sugar and alcohol for a bit (possibly the sugar permanently), thinking a lot about quitting smoking after my birthday (which is in one month!). I want to learn to play the drums! I still can't even remember to leave my house with my wallet.

Taking things slow, one day at a time.

xo

were you thinking about me?

So this update is long overdue but its better late than never.

Here are some photos from the show! I'm hoping to get some better documentary photos of the individual pieces of work but in the meantime, my buddy Dan Epstein took these and he's a real swell dude for doing it. Dan, I owe you a couple of drinks.

Julia Dickens and Greg Zenha

My Aritst Statement:

"My work for 'Cataract' is divided into two separate bodies. The first is a mind-map of process-based text and images, created as a collection of intuitive knowledge and perception. The latter is a series of large drawings that exist as a result of the mind-map, intended to explore the ambiguity and contradictions in specific psychological states, the fractured self.

The work intends to evoke a dream space, as a representation, interpretation, and re-arrangement of memory. When we experience dreams, the narrative is often illogical, absurd, confusing and at times terrifying. The meaning behind that experience, however difficult to define, is usually very clear though, sometimes even more so than in our experiences in waking life.

In those narratives I have recorded what I find to be significant: the split nature of the human condition, the life/death wish, the allure of the void, quiet isolation and deafening confusion, a sense of humour about the senseless, the humility and hope in existance.

The intent is for the viewer to track their own experiences through the work, as I come to terms with my own purpose. I never want to truly be alone, and I never want to die. If you asked me why I chose to make art, my answer would be this:

'Because I am alone, and I am going to die.'"

There you have it. The feedback, as I may have mentioned before, was outstanding. I was kind of blown away, especially considering the day I headed over to the White House to hang it I was having some serious doubts, along the lines of 'who the fuck do you think you are?' and so forth. I felt like I was taking some sort of risk with the text work/mind map because a lot of it is pretty personal. Ultimately the whole body of work is a kind of self portrait, but in what I hoped to be an indirect way. The reason why my pieces worked well alongside Greg's, because that is what he was attempting as well, but in his own specific way. In the aftermath, it seems somewhat surreal, but ultimately I am glad that the post show depression that can sometimes come after months of hard work, a short lived opening night high, having to shelve the work and be faced with the daunting question of 'now what?', has been pretty minimal.

In other news, I would like to maybe point out that I am getting really tired of art snobbery and insecurity. I see it coming from every direction and perspective. Its important to be critical and know what you like but I what I am observing is an attitude that is mostly unhealthy: a self- concious obsession with derivativeness (as in criticizing the works of others for being 'too derivative'), excessive focus on medium over content, and this ridiculous competition over authenticity and newness. 'Well that's been done before' and 'I dunno, I'm kind of over that' HELLO PEOPLE it has all been done before, this is besides the point!

Everyone, just make work that is meaningful, lets please try to stop this insecure bullshit. Its a negative way of thinking that is harmful to yourself, your peers and your community. Not to sound like a self help book, and again this does not mean that I do not support critical thinking, but I feel sometimes that our focus needs to be redirected into the positive aspects of both our community and our individual practices. If art is something that you love, please treat it as such. The world at large constantly denies the function and importance of artistic practice and the last thing that we need is for people within this community doing the same.

Thats it! I hope everyone had a great summer, I know I did. Keep up the good work, I'll try to do the same.

CATARACT

So Greg and I had our opening last friday.

It went really really well and I think we are going to try and do the same show in Montreal, possibly with our friend Dietrich Rostek (link is on my sidebar) although we haven't actually asked him yet.

CATARACT from jeremy shantz on Vimeo.

Here is the full length film that Greg made with Jeremy Shantz, which was premiered at the opening. My roommate Brendan said something about this film which I really liked and that I also think sort of goes along with and compliments Greg's artistic style in general.

He told me that the artist Sophie Calle once said that humour is the hardest thing to put into your work. You run the risk, with humour, of just being a 'funny' artist, in which case of course neither you or anyone else can take you seriously. Its a difficult thing to have a sense of humour while also being sincere about a possibly difficult and serious subject. And Brendan believed that the film managed to do both.

I'm going to have to strongly agree. This film makes me laugh and literally also makes me want to weep. Its about a specific personal experience but somehow I think can manage to hit a nerve in most of us, or at least I hope so. I have been in communication with Greg since he first concieved of the idea for this film until its completion, so maybe my bias is far too strong. I am interested in hearing what other people think, but so far, Brendan's opinion included, is that people were impressed with the technical skill with which the film was executed, but more importantly with its emotional content and impact.

I can't watch it anymore, because I will probably just cry again, but watch it, let me know what you think, if possible.

Dan Epstein took photos of the event, and as soon as I get them from that lovely man, I will post them up here and on facebook for people to see. I am also going to take a short video of the exhibit before I take it down from the White House, so that's another treat to look forward to.

Thanks to everyone who came out, who gave me the best feedback I have ever gotten on my work, ever, who supported both of us, and to the White House as well. You guys are just the fucking best.

I have lots of great plans for projects in the future... after a year of some serious self doubt and questioning, I finally feel like I am on a path, there is a purpose and that I can and will accomplish the things I dream about. Its a pretty amazing feeling, I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading, xoxo.