Top Five Hamilton Hits of 2008

This past year, and the fact of its ending very, very soon, affords me a perspective I didn’t have at this time last year - 2008 is the first calendar year in which I have had the privilege of watching Hamilton’s ever-growing art scene from January to December (didn’t even get half that in 2007) and while I may not have seen everything there was to be seen (there’s always 2009), I feel I can confidently highlight five exhibitions and events previously reported on this blog that, in my mind, truly highlighted the strengths of Hamilton as a site for contemporary art in the past year.

So, in no particular order…

TH&B @ 270 Sherman, April 12 - May 4

This group show was indispensable if only for the sheer number of local artists brought in to play upon notions of work and transit along the old geographical railway ties linking Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo, and the breadth of works yielded by that concept was beyond impressive. Coupled with an array of sound, performance and interactive works on the opening and closing nights, this made for one hell of an infectious mission statement on the potential for art to flourish in Hamilton.

Fiona Kinsella: Chapel (rose) @ transit gallery, September 30 - November 2

Seeing as I just wrapped a review of this one for C Magazine, I could prattle at great length about the rare and wonderful things going on in her cakes as well as the strange liveliness of her new oil paintings. But I think it suffices to say that Chapel (rose) was probably one of the most self-assured and coherent exhibits in Hamilton this year, every bit as crisp and restrained as it was deliciously decadent.

Urban Moorings @ Cootes Paradise, June 21 - August 8

My understanding via my involvement with Hamilton Artists Inc. is that this public art program of floating installations is going to be recurring in future summers, and that can only be a good thing. Besides the chief accomplishment of profiling the work of local artists in one of Hamilton’s most open settings, the floats themselves were both visually striking and remarkably well-matched to their natural setting.

Michael Snow and Matthew Boughner @ Christ’s Church Cathedral, May 9

I could easily expand this mention to include all three performances in the New Harbours Music Series, but of the three this was easily the most successful marriage of music and sound, and every bit as brilliant to witness visually as it was aurally. And I have no issue whatsoever with giddily clapping my hands over the appearance of Michael Snow at the James North Art Crawl like the insipid fangirl I really am.

Richard Fung: Landscapes @ McMaster Museum of Art, November 20-January 17, 2009

Watching the familiar landscape of Hamilton slowly emerge from Turner’s rendering of Arundel was one of the more brilliant experiences I had in any gallery this year. Richard Fung’s videos are eerie, mildly funny and completely entrancing, and the good news is that you’ve still got until January 19th to see this one again. Or if you haven’t seen it yet, make it one of those silly New Year’s Resolutions to do so.

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