March 17, 2009 Fringe Arts

Nothing to forget

VAV Gallery’s Forecast Forget features three Concordia students to keep your eyes on

by Leila Amiri

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Forecast Forget features work (above) by Rhonda Chamberlain, Emily Cloutier and Laura d'Alessandro

They say two is company and three’s a crowd, but when it comes to the works of one Concordia threesome, crowded isn’t so bad.

“It was actually professor Eliza Griffiths, who strongly suggested we submit together,” explained Rhonda Chamberlain and Laura d’Alessandro in an email. The two will present their work, with colleague and friend Emily Cloutier, in an exhibit at the VAV Gallery called Forecast Forget.

“Our works are all very individual […] There are a couple important threads that create a unison between our paintings, though. First, we’ve all been stirring up settled memories, trying to make sense of them, and in the process, discovering new significance,” they explained.

“Second, we experiment with our portrayal of space through the use of unrealistic colour combinations, and it helps that none of us are very attached to realism.”

The trio “spend a lot of time together outside of the studio, as well as in it and have grown to be completely honest with one another,” they revealed, stating that “[they] learn a lot from each other just by hanging out and conversing on a regular basis.”

While they don’t see each other as consciously influencing and being influenced by each other, they’re sure “seeing all our works hung up together in our show will let us know for sure,” said Chamberlain and d’Alessandro.

Each having exhibited on their own before, Chamberlain and d’Alessandro agree that, “the amount of opportunities made available to students to exhibit their works by the Fine Arts department is motivating. […] It offers experience and it’s incredibly encouraging when the VAV Gallery or Arts Matters is around to reward hard-working students.”

Marked with poignant colours, memorable subjects and a play on visual space, this trio is not to be missed.

Forecast Forget runs until March 27, at the VAV Gallery, 1395 Rene Levesque Blvd. Vernissage tonight at 6:30 p.m.