PLATFORM centre for photographic + digital arts is pleased to announce Cover to Cover, a solo exhibition featuring the work of Vancouver based artist Ho Tam (BC). The show runs from 04 November – 17 December 2016 and features a written response from Tricia Wasney (MB). The opening reception is scheduled for Friday 04 November at 7 PM and an artist talk by Ho Tam on Saturday 05 November at 2 PM. Both events are free and is open to the public.
EXHIBITION | 04 November – 17 December 2016
OPENING RECEPTION | Friday 04 November | 7 PM
ARTIST TALK | Saturday 05 November | 2 PM
Ho Tam is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice includes a series of self-published artist books such as HOTAM and POSER that explore the intersection of the personal and political. Using the magazine format, the artist approaches each issue of HOTAM as an independent project. Many of the themes explored are parallel to his current and ongoing research. Similar to HOTAM in format, POSER is a series of books of snapshot photography. Each issue focuses on a specific location and a grouping. With humour and directness, the resulting images explore the individuals, the grouping, and how each person poses for the camera.
Cover to Cover will exhibit photographic and video works that inform Tam’s series of artist books. The exhibition will see his book works taken apart or dissected to display selected pages and images on the gallery walls. Installed organically the work exists as a free flowing collage — moving from one book to the next. The work blends together to create a larger installation that explores Tam’s books and creation processes.
BIOGRAPHY
Ho Tam was born in Hong Kong, educated in Canada and the U.S. and was employed in advertising companies and community psychiatric facilities before turning to art. Tam works in a multitude of disciplines including photography, video, drawing, painting and print media. His first video, The Yellow Pages, was commissioned by the public art group PUBLIC ACCESS for an installation/projection at the Union Station of Toronto in 1994/95. Since then Tam has produced over 15 experimental videos. He was included in the traveling exhibition Magnetic North: Canadian Experimental Video by Walker Art Center, Minnesota. His feature documentary film “Books of James” was awarded Outstanding Artistic Achievement (Outfest, LA) and Best Feature Documentary (Tel Aviv LGBT Film Festival). Since 2010, Tam has been focusing on his publishing projects. Among them, HOTAM and POSER are two ongoing projects. Tam is an alumnus of Whitney Museum Independent Studies Program, Bard College (MFA) and recipients of various fellowships and artist’s grants.
