Online Photography Schools In Canada
Canadian artist Fiona Dunnett: Images of self and death in Oaxaca are muted by comic style and collage
Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.
Comic strips, a young Canadian’s self portraits, and photographs of violent deaths in a Mexican daily newspaper, make strange bedfellows. But they constitute a major part of the driving force for the creative energies of artist Fiona Dunnett, a resident of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Ottawa-born Dunnett has been living in Oaxaca since 2005. As in the case of so many artists who now reside in this city in southern Mexico, her arrival has been rather circuitous. And like so many others, her artistic talent has been influenced at virtually every stop along the way. At age five she left Canada for Bangladesh with her Canadian diplomat mother and the rest of her family. After three years it was back to Ottawa, and then a further three years in Zimbabwe.
“When I left Zimbabwe I felt close to South Africa. I took a course in stone sculpture while there, so yes, I suppose living in Zimbabwe has had somewhat of an influence on what I do today,” she surmises. But it was her upper level academic training, first at the Canterbury School of Arts, followed by British Columbia’s University of Victoria from which she graduated with an Hons. B.A. in Fine Arts, which exposed her to the personages who have impacted her creativity the most.
“I’ve had a strong interest in the work of Gustav Klimt [1862 – 1918],” Dunnett reveals. The Austrian symbolist painter was one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Art Nouveau movement, yet a controversial figure in his time, criticized for his works being too sensual and erotic. She continues: “But it’s Lichtenstein whose art I’ve actually made more of a conscious effort to respect and carry forward, imprinting it with a bit of my own personality and life experiences.”
Roy Fox Lichtenstein [1923 – 1997] was a prominent American pop artist, whose work was heavily influenced by both popular advertising and the comic book style. The latter clearly shines through in Dunnett’s more recent works, and in an earlier piece which graces a wall in her home in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco neighborhood which she shares with her boyfriend and three others: “That one’s based on a dream I had, certainly with overt comic book imagery; in the particular dream there was a calenda (parade), with bodies being dragged through the streets. I once did a series based on my dreams. I dyed the red sky forming part of the background of this canvas with cochineal [the minute insect with naturally produces carminic acid, and was an important export industry for Oaxaca during colonial times].”
Dunnett is much too modest. Since moving to Oaxaca there’s no doubt that she’s put her own mark on the comic style, with her un-daunting desire to learn, and innovate. The geographical, cultural and political environment in which she lives provides her with diverse opportunities for artistic inspiration. She attended a workshop to learn about the use of natural dyes such as flowers, plants and of course cochineal, at the educational and research facility known as Centro de Difusión de la Grana Cochinilla Tlapanochestli. “For quite some time I’d been thinking about using natural dyes in my work, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I realized that here in Oaxaca [actually a few kilometers out of the city, in Santa María Coyotepec] I had the opportunity to learn about their use from an expert, Manuel Loera Fernández, the chemist at Tlapanochestli. There’s just so much artistic stimulation in Oaxaca that it’s hard to resist taking advantage of everything available.”
Dunnett has also participated in more traditional hands-on seminars, at the well-known Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (IAGO) and at a couple of other institutes in the city. Towards the other end of the spectrum, she credits two local graffiti stencil art groups with providing her with additional inspiration, which becomes apparent after an examination of her work.
“I began moving out of realism and into stylized, surreal works towards the end of my Canadian academic training. It was about the same time that I began working with mixed media, my strong preference at this stage of my development.” Coming to Oaxaca was perhaps the catalyst she required in order to begin more experimental work, within the context of an extremely encouraging environment.
Aside from a leaning towards the use of natural colors for backgrounds on her canvasses, one of the major identifying features of Dunnett’s work is her use of collage — cut-outs from newspapers, magazines and comic books. Another is using photographs of her own head and face to provide the stimulus for her portrayal of expressions and poses she seeks to capture for each subject. Almost every head in every work is based on a self-photographic portrait:
“I started doing self-portraits when I began doing photography several years ago. Then when I moved into painting, I had this corpus of self-photos, so I was able to draw from them for my art. Although I wanted to shoot other people, I never felt at ease doing so. And though my boyfriend and I have been together for close to four years, I still don’t feel comfortable photographing even him. So it’s all me, perhaps because of being shy when it comes to shooting others. But that red one over there, textured with corn husks from tamales, it’s an experiment, using a face that’s not my own — I think it’s best if I stick to my own face.”
Each face evokes different emotions, and images of self. “The faces make eye contact; viewers’ eyes move around each work and then return to the eyes and face,” she explains. It’s undeniable that Dunnett’s own pleasing facial features, and her comport, once transferred to canvas, play a significant role in directing the viewer. She has masterfully photographed her head and upper body at every angle and with a plethora of facial expressions for use in her work.
But there’s another reason we return to the images of Dunnett’s facial expressions: The torso and limbs of each primary subject portrayed is far too troubling — each is a digitalized version of a photograph of a person who has died a violent death, usually in a traffic collision or as a consequence of domestic conflict, captured by Dunnett from both print and online versions of a Oaxacan daily, Noticias Voz e Imagen de Oaxaca. But in the artist herself, there is a sense of calm.
“I started using those photographs because they just began to jump out at me. You never see anything like it in Canada. In Oaxaca, it’s on the street corners and in the newsstands. Death here seems to be an everyday thing, and attitudes towards death are so different than from where you and I come from, not so hidden away.”
Dunnett stresses that her intention is not to invoke feelings of horror, nor reveal the gruesome. The facial expressions she initially captures with a lens, then transposes onto canvas with brush, lead us away. In the case of her work with a collaged iguana, it’s curiosity in her face, rather than demonic imagery of death, which draws one in.
The juxtaposition of death against the aesthetics of comic imagery is striking, almost as much as the multiplicity of presentations of Dunnett’s own self. It’s that combination which maintains the viewer’s awe of and transfixation upon her work. Perhaps Fiona Dunnett never should break out of her reticence about photographing the faces of others.
About the Author
Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin now resides in Oaxaca, where he writes, leads small group tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sites, is a consultant to film production companies, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ) .
|
|
Celebrity 21 Cosmetology Mannequin Head 100% Human Hair, Brown – Debra $34.99 21″ brown hair. True size human head with actual human hair growth pattern. Permits hair design with forward styling. 100% human hair, vinyl head, and facial make-up. Suitable for state board exams… |
|
|
Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body, Canadian Edition $65.00 This atlas features outstanding full-color photographs of actual cadaver dissections, with accompanying schematic drawings and diagnostic images. The photographs depict anatomic structures more realistically than illustrations in traditional atlases and show students exactly what they will see in the dissection lab. Chapters are organized by region in order of a typical dissection. Each chapter pr… |
|
|
HP 17BII+ Financial Calculator, Silver $79.85 Designed with real-estate, business, and finance professionals in mind, the HP 17bII+ financial calculator provides RPN or algebraic data-entry modes and over 250 easy-to-use functions. Its two-line, 22-character display is easy to read, offering convenient menus and prompts, plus clock and calendar. Free Online Training Make the most of your HP calculator with free online training. First, visit … |
|
|
Avery Note Cards, 4.25 x 5.5 Inches, Matte, White, Box of 60 (08315) $11.58 Avery Note Cards offer you the ability to reach out to people in your own special way. Avery Note Cards offer you the ability to reach out to people in your own special way. Maybe it’s to say “thank you” to that special client or friend, or perhaps to congratulate a fellow worker on a well-deserved promotion. Simply access easy-to-use, free templates from avery.com and design a customized note car… |
|
|
Polaroid One-Step 600 Instant Camera $34.99 The Polaroid OneStep Close Up camera offers a contemporary design and snaps Polaroid’s signature instant images. It features focus-free simplicity and an automatic flash with a 2-to-10-foot range. It also offers a selectable close-up lens for shots between 2 and 4 feet. The Polaroid OneStep Close Up camera uses Polaroid 600 film to produce 3.13-by-3.13-inch exposures…. |
|
|
Classic Embossed Alphabet Blocks ABC $31.95 These standard ABC blocks are a generous 1_Ó (44mm) cubed and patterned after blocks from the turn-of-the-century, this set of 28 blocks is finely crafted and colorfully painted with non-toxic inks. Each block features a unique animal picture, a number or math symbol, and four letters (two embossed) for a total of four complete alphabets. Ages 2 and up…. |
|
|
Radio Flyer Classic Red Wagon $89.89 This classic full-sized Radio Flyer Wagon has become a symbol of American childhood. It’s the little red wagon that’s been in continuous production for over 70 years. Features full-sized all-steel seamless body with no scratch edges, extra-long handle that folds under and steel wheels with semi-pneumatic rubber tires. Body measures 36″ x 17.5″ x 4.5″…. |
|
|
DELUXE SCHOOL MEMORIES KEEPSAKE PHOTO ALBUM SCRAPBOOK Pre & K-12 – **FACTORY SEALED** $21.94 SCHOOL MEMORIES KEEPSAKE BOOK BRAND NEW!! FACTORY SEALED!! NEVER OPENED!! What a wonderful way to never forget your child’s school years. With this spiral bound, hardback Keepsake Book, special momentos and fun activities will forever be preserved. This Keepsake contains pages from preschool through 12th Grade and each is geared towards that age and activity period. With this Keepsake Bo… |
|
|
The Cultural Work of Photography in Canada (Hardcover) $98.85 The Cultural Work of Photography in Canada is an in-depth study on the use of photographic imagery in Canada from the late nineteenth century to the present. This volume of fourteen essays provides a thought-provoking discussion of the role photography has played in representing Canadian identities. In essays that draw on a diversity of photographic forms, from the snapshot and advertising image to works of photographic art, contributors present a variety of critical approaches to photography studies, examining themes ranging from photography`s part in the formation of the geographic imaginary to Aboriginal self-identity and notions of citizenship. The volume explores the work of photographs as tools of self and collective expression while rejecting any claim to a definitive, singular telling of photography`s history. Reflecting the rich interdisciplinarity of contemporary photography studies, The Cultural Work of Photography in Canada is essential reading for anyone interested in Canadian visual culture. Contributors include Sarah Bassnett (University of Western Ontario), Lynne Bell (University of Saskatchewan), Jill Delaney (Library and Archives Canada), Robert Evans (Carleton University), Sherry Farrell Racette (University of Manitoba), Blake Fitzpatrick (Ryerson University), Vincent Lavoie (Université du Québec à Montréal), John O’Brian (University of British Columbia), James Opp (Carleton University), Joan M. Schwartz (Queen’s University), Sarah Stacy (Library and Archives Canada), Jeffrey Thomas (Ottawa), and Carol Williams (Trent University/University of Lethbridge). |
|
|
BiLingual Schools in Canada (1917) $45.31 Author: Sissons, Charles Bruce Binding Type: Hardcover Number of Pages: 244 Publication Date: 2010/09/10 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.69 inches |
|
|
John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography (Paperback) $67.84 Architectural practice in post-World War II Canada brought substantial change to the face of the Canadian built environment, led by the contribution of John C. Parkin. As senior partner at the Toronto-based architectural firm John B. Parkin Associates (no relation) from 1947 to the 1970s, Parkin oversaw the creation of a large number of modernist projects, including hospitals, airports, schools, shopping malls, and factories, and received national recognition for his contributions. This richly illustrated book includes an interview with John C. Parkin and essays that examine the incorporation of art in built architecture, the influence of architectural photography in defining Modern architecture to a Canadian public, the importance of architectural archives, and the corporate structure of a large, highly successful Canadian architectural firm. |
|
|
Private Secondary Schools 2009-2010 by Peterson’s Edition , 30 $13.99 Lists and describes schools in the United States and Canada |
