Faculty, Staff, and Alumni!
Janus by Birthe Piontek, a Professor of Photography at ECU, explores the use of traditional still life objects, such as fruits, vegetables, and flowers, to create compelling photographs, often finding similarities in form between the objects and the artist’s own body. In some photographs the objects become an extension of the body, bringing them together as one. All the images were taken in a small corner of Piontek’s studio, utilizing the limitations of space to focus on solely the objects. Janus, the large photobook, was published in 2021.
La Lucha Sin Fin: On Charismatics and Its Persuasive Technologies by
La Lucha Sin Fin: On Charismatics and Its Persuasive Technologies by Amber Frid-Jimenez, a Professor at ECU, explores how the roles of charisma have been altered by the growing presence of technology, referencing “case studies of the Anonymous movement to studies on phonology to revolutionary movements in Latin America” (taken from artist’s website). Through engaging narrative and artworks, this artist book pulls you in to examine what happens when the physical presence of charisma is gone through the use of the internet. La Lucha Sin Fin: On Charismatics and Its Persuasive Technologies was published in 2013.
Library Dérive by Beth Howe, a Professor at ECU, is a collection of four small books. Howe uses the practice of dérive, which was developed by the Situationist International as a method to explore new cities, and instead, uses this method to explore library catalogues instead. Each book is an exploration of a different catalogue, where Howe starts by looking up any topic they’re interested in, and from there briefly explores each new topic that piques their interest. The research in these topics doesn’t need to be deep, or even correct, but is meant to continue the flow of the research. Howe’s own library dérives takes them from researching future cities to Ugo Foscolo, island Dystopias to Nova Zempla, and many more. Library Dérive was published from 2003-2005.
School Spirit by Douglas Coupland, ECU alumni, and Pierre Huyghe explores the story of a dead high school student, reminiscing on the memories of being a teenager. The book uses found text and imagery from real 80s yearbooks to form a nostalgic photobook. School Spirit takes on a goofy and awkward narrative, reflecting on high school as the peak of one’s life. “People in high school don’t know who they are, let alone know what they want to be. They’re larvae.” School Spirit was published in 2002.
NWC #2 Brenda Crabtree, “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” by
NWC is a series of five books highlighting five different indigenous artists, one of which is Brenda Crabtree, the director of the Aboriginal Gathering Place at ECU. In this small yellow book titled NWC #2 Brenda Crabtree, “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted”, Crabtree writes about how they excel in some things, such as weaving, and are equally mediocre in other things, such as public speaking. Crabtree goes on to write about some of their work, describing their art practice as “traditional contemporary”. Traditional being the use of traditional techniques and materials, and contemporary, through the conversations surrounding aboriginal issues and misconceptions. NWC #2 Brenda Crabtree, “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” is a quick and compelling read about Crabtree’s life, career, and art practice, that was published in 2018.
Twelve Interdisciplinary Postcards by Interdisciplinary Division, ECCAD, is twelve postcard-sized prints in an envelope made by various artists at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Arni Haroldsson, a Professor of Photography at ECU, and Laiwan, ECU Alumni, were two of those artists. The postcards vary in style, some as cartoon illustrations and others as soft etchings, but all the prints are in black-and-white. Written on the front of the envelope is, “The context in which the ‘Interdisciplinary’ is applied here is one in which all disciplines are involved, and not specific department or area of research.” Twelve Interdisciplinary Postcards is a fun collection of prints to flip through and gives an idea of what styles and topics artists were working within on campus in 1982.
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