Stories from the Creative Edge
Undergrad
Congratulations, Class of 2019!
June 14 is convocation day and the Faculty of Fine Arts is very excited to welcome 224 new graduates to our alumni family! Here is a quick glimpse into our diverse group of graduates: 24 Department of Art History & Visual Studies 44 Department of Theatre...
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Visual Arts student Laura Gildner wins Victoria Medal
No question, Department of Visual Arts undergraduate student Laura Gildner has been having a great year: not only was she shortlisted for the 2018 Lind Photography Prize—for the second year in a row—but she also had a solo exhibit of recent work at Vancouver’s Polygon...
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The Art & Science of Listening
Whether it’s Queen recording their iconic title track in Bohemian Rhapsody or Will Ferrell’s hilarious “More Cowbell” sketch on Saturday Night Live, what happens in the recording studio has long been mythologized in popular culture. It's also at the core of Kirk...
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Don’t miss the annual BFA Visual Arts exhibit
April is definitely the month for exhibits in UVic's Visual Arts department, thanks to a pair of annual exhibitions by graduating artists in both the BFA and MFA programs. While the MFA exhibit is now closed, the annual BFA exhibition is set to engage your senses with...
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Trumpet great joins Wind Symphony season finale
The UVic Wind Symphony is joined by special guests for their season finale concert on March 29. Featuring solos by trumpet legend Jens Lindemann and School of Music trumpet professor Merrie Klazek, the evening finale—a concerto for wind symphony and jazz quartet—will...
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Student designer reconstructs a storied legacy for latest Phoenix production
Every play needs a set, whether the audience realizes it or not. From a bare wood floor to a drab apartment that slides open to reveal a musical fantasy land, the set is the canvas upon which the actors come to life. But, rather than creating a set from scratch, what...
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Explore the world of Ideafest 2019
It’s neither a surprise nor an exaggeration when UVic describes Ideafest as being about “ideas that can change everything.” This eighth-annual, week-long festival of research, art and innovation runs March 4-9, both on- and off-campus, and offers more than 40 public events designed to inform and engage with thought-provoking and culturally engaging events. And Fine Arts is participating in eight different events this year.
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A shifting focus: from photography to film
Like many outstanding students, the term “overachiever” is a good fit for graduating international Visual Arts major Guochen Wang.
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It’s that time of year for This Side of West
No question, UVic's Department of Writing has produced scores on notable alumni — see the current success of writers like the 2018 Man Booker finalist & Giller Prize shortlisted Esi Edugyan for one — but this week, current students will be in the spotlight when...
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Student reflections: A Series of Nudges
He told me about a violin teacher his daughter had had when she was growing up. The teacher hardly ever spoke, or directed; she simply supported his daughter’s arm, repositioned her bow hold . . . I asked if that was teaching; he asked what teaching is supposed to be....
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Visual Arts students & alumni colouring the city
The creative practice of Department of Visual Arts students and alumni are in the spotlight in a series of street-level artistic initiatives around Victoria right now — a number of which are sponsored by the City of Victoria itself. Hop on your bike or plan a walking tour to catch some of this inspiringly creative work in action.
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Summer is the time to register for electives
Ever taken a course where you study — and play — video games? Or watch Pixar movies? What about the acting experience, public speaking, humour writing, art forgery, or the cultural impact of film music or the history of fashion & body modification? It’s tough to beat Fine Arts when it comes to cool electives.
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A love of objects and a passion for art history
What compels someone to study art history? It could be a passion for the life and work of a certain artist, like Frida Kahlo, or a fascination with a specific period of visual history, like the Renaissance. But for Josie Greenhill, graduating this month with a BA...
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Student reflection: Dungeons & Dragons in the classroom
When my family first moved to Canada, we visited my grandparents’ house and loaded all of my dad’s childhood things into a moving van. A large amount of these boxes were filled with old first edition Dungeons and Dragons modules and rulebooks, a collection which has continued to grow since my siblings and I began playing with our dad.
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Visual Arts students work with famed performance artist
When it comes to international performance artists, it’s tough to top Cassils. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, several grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, a Creative Capital Grant, a United States Artists Fellowship, a California Community Foundation Visual Artist Fellowship and the Rema Hort Mann Foundation Visual Arts Fellowship—to name a few—Cassils’ work uses their body in a sculptural fashion, integrating feminism, body art, and gay male aesthetics into remarkable public performances that leave a lasting impression.
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When Art Meets Science
Ever wanted to have an intimate, interactive moment with a baby orca? A new student-created sculpture allows viewers to have just that, while also learning something about the threats currently facing our local killer whale population.
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Get interactive with writing, music & art at Ideafest 2018
Whether you’re a regular part of the UVic community or simply a visitor to campus, Ideafest 2018 offers an ideal chance to explore the vast and diverse range of research and creative activity happening all around the Ring Road.
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Fine Arts Wellness Day
Feeling tired? Got the sniffles? Worried about new classes? Start the semester off with a healthy sense of well-being at our Fine Arts Wellness Day! Running 11am – 2pm on Wednesday, January 17, in the lobby of the Fine Arts building, students can shuffle off their January blahs with a variety of special events.
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New AHVS seminar spearheads new classroom concept
From large lectures and working with TAs to a lack of one-on-one time with professors, there’s no question first-year classes can seem overwhelming to students. But the Department of Art History & Visual Studies is looking to broaden first-year opportunities with...
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Two Visual Arts grads win national art prize
Two 2017 Visual Arts BFA graduates are gaining some national attention this month, thanks to their selection as prize winners in the annual BMO 1st Art invitational competition.
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Madwoman serves up “visual delights and thought-provoking observations”
The reviews are in for Phoenix Theatre's mainstage production of The Madwoman of Chaillot, and audiences are enjoying its "visual delights and thought-provoking observations," as local arts writer Janis La Couvée writes in this review, which also highlighted the work...
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Life skills assist Visual Arts grad on journey from worker to working artist
While university may be the logical choice for many high school students, not everyone finds their path right after graduation: many opt to spend some time working or traveling before deciding on a specific field of study. Brandon Poole made just such a choice,...
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It’s pipelines & protests in metaphorical “Madwoman”
Art is often quite prescient. Be it science fiction or political satire, a tasty analogy or handy metaphor can be a welcome tool for many artists in an effort to comment on current happenings. But what happens when, 70 years later, a far-fetched idea becomes closer to reality than the original event?
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New Student Welcome — and welcome back!
If you're new to Fine Arts, we'd just like to offer you a big welcome — as well as a hearty "welcome back" to all our returning students! We/re happy to have you join our vibrant student community here in Fine Arts. But we appreciate that first year can be a difficult...
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Your guide to Fine Arts Fringers
No question, the annual Fringe Fest is one of Victoria's best-loved festivals of any kind. Now in its 31st year, the Victoria Fringe Festival offers 330 performances of 58 shows by 350 artists in nearly a dozen venues around town — as well as a number of free...
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Experiences of migrant youth explored in new play
How can theatre activate the experiences of migrant youth, while at the same time providing a window into the experiences they face while assimilating into a new culture, new society and new city? Questions like this are at the heart of a new Applied Theatre...
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Visual Arts student keeps sex safe . . . and cute
Third year Visual Arts student Cassidy Luteijn is making the news as one of the finalists for a Canada 150 condom wrapper design contest. Her uniquely “Canadian” imagery includes a hippy beaver and a moose draped in underwear. As she explains in this interview in the...
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Graduating Visual Arts project a bold step forward
It sounds like a riddle: what has six legs, was built for camping and can walk on its own? The answer, however, is no joke — it’s actually the incredibly complex final project of Visual Arts BFA graduate Xiao Xue. Aptly titled “Something to Ponder On: A Walking...
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UNO Fest thick with Fine Arts talent
From the underground to the mainstream, Intrepid Theatre’s annual UNO Fest is a hotbed of contemporary solo theatre and performance. Originally launched by Theatre alumna Janet Munsil in the basement of Victoria’s Bedford Hotel in 1997, UNO Fest is celebrating 20...
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Visual Arts BFA show is both an exhibit and course
The end of the academic year also means the start of the annual Visual Arts BFA show—which, for the current crop of graduating students, means Another Year. The BFA grad show is always one of the highlights of the year here in Fine Arts, and the current exhibition is...
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Event in Victoria’s queer history inspires new play & course
A new play written by Department of Theatre professor Jennifer Wise and performed by Theatre students celebrates a little-known event in Victoria’s gay history. Wise's A Queer Trial tells the real-life story of John Butt, an openly gay Victoria man who, in 1860, was...
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Phoenix play proves that politics never really changes
Politics is a difficult game: there’s pressure to appease voters and deal with multitudes of issues and complaints, all while being sandwiched between different levels of government regulations. But while this all may sound terribly current, the latest Phoenix...
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