Another year, another round of changes to our departments. Here’s a quick guide to what’s going on behind the scenes in Fine Arts.
Paphavee (Poe) Linkul, former UVic student and now Bangkok University professor, with Allan Stichbury at the signing of the exchange last year
The Department of Theatre has a guest lighting designer this year—Paphavee (Poe) Limkul from Bangkok, Thailand. Limkul is the first person to participate in their new exchange program with Bangkok University, which was announced last fall. Theatre also welcomes sessional instructor Denis Johnston, who will be covering the study leave of professor Jennifer Wise. Also on study leave this year is Brian Richmond—no doubt busy with his Blue Bridge Theatre project of converting the old Roxy cinema at Quadra and Hillside to a new theatrical live performance and multi-media cinema space.
Patrick Boyle & the Vikes Nation are set to blow the roof off McKinnon Gym
Over in the School of Music, professors Gerald King, Mary Kennedy, Patrick Boyle and Jonathan Goldman are all currently on leave, with busy visiting professor Suzanne Snizek taking over part of the course load in addition to her flute classes. Music is also jazzed about their new partnership with UVic’s Vikes Athletics, which kicks off with a performance by the jazz ensemble and sessional instructor Anita Bonkowski at a Vikes basketball game on November 23. Music is also partnering with the Vikes in the Vikes Nation Fight Song Contest (details announced shortly). All finalists in the Fight Song contest will be peformed live with Patrick Boyle and the UVic Jazz Ensemble, tenor Benjamin Butterfield and piano professor Arthur Rowe on February 14, 2014.
Tom Hawthorn is the new Southam Guest Lecturer (photo: Deddeda Stemler)
With Department of Writing chair Bill Gaston currently on sabbatical (and nominated for the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize, alongside the recently retired Lorna Crozier), Joan MacLeod has stepped up to fill in this fall, welcoming new sessionals like journalist and children’s author Jude Isabella, poet and playwright Marita Dachsel and Malahat Review editor John Barton. Meanwhile, local veteran journalist Tom Hawthorn has been named the new Southam Guest Lecturer for 2014; his course on the exciting world of sports journalism kicks off in January 2014, just in time for the Sochi Winter Olympics. Professor Tim Lilburn has been invited to appear at Hong Kong International Poetry Nights 2013 in late November—one of the world’s most prominent poetry festivals. He’ll be reading alongside the likes of Syria’s Adonis and Poland’s Tomasz Rozycki and, while in Asia, will also read and lecture at Shantou University in nearby Guangdong Province. Award-winning sessional instructor Frances Backhouse is taking part in two BC literary events this fall: she will present a travel writing workshop at the Sidney Literary Festival (9 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 5 in the Sidney Library’s Nell Horth Room, $30) and will join six other writers for an evening of readings (7:30 pm Oct. 5, Charlie White Theatre, $25). Backhouse will also be at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference (Oct. 25-27), where she will present two workshops and participate in the Blue Pencil Cafe. And, of course, there’s the gala Literary Celebration of Lorna Crozier happening on November 28, a fundraiser for the new Lorna Crozier Scholarship.
Daniel Laskarin’s “Relapse”, from his Belgrade exhibit
Department of Visual Arts chair Daniel Laskarin just finished participating in the International Triennial of Extended Media 2013 in Belgrade, Serbia. Visual Arts professor Robert Youds has a new exhibit, late-day light, currently on view in Saskatoon’s 330g gallery until October 19, and fellow professor Sandra Meigs has a solo exhibit of new work, The Basement Panoramas, running November 1 to December 14 at Open Space. Jackson 2Bears has been named the Audain Professor of Contemporary Art of the Pacific Northwest for the 2013/14 academic year—the first UVic alum to hold the position. 2Bears will be speaking as a Visiting Artist at 8pm Wednesday, September 25, in Visual Arts room A162 about his work as a Kanien’kehaka (Mohawk) multimedia artist, and will no doubt mention the fact that he is one of nine contemporary artists currently participating in the group exhibit, Ghost Dance: Activism. Resistance. Art. at Toronto’s Ryerson Image Centre. Chris Lindsay, one of last year’s MFAs, has taken up the staff position of Workshop Technician, filling in for the recently retired Kevin McGinn. Finally, don’t miss Paradox, the exciting Visual Arts faculty group exhibition, running October 31 to January 12 at the Legacy Art Gallery.
No word back from the Department of History in Art, but we’re sure there’s all sorts of interesting things happening with them too.