David Askevold
Three Easy Pieces, Feb 1 – Mar 9, 2008

CANADA is proud to present David Askevold’s “Three Easy Pieces”. 1. “The Missing Link”, (The Paintings I Never Made) 2006 2. “Equation for a Modern Miracle” 2007 3. “Ampersand” 2007

The Missing Link These four ‘paintings’ are made through a pigmented ink jet process that attempt to replicate a memory pattern that could only exist as fictive; to reproduce something from memory from decades ago would require something not unlike a time machine. So there are modifications and ‘wish desires’, which in turn hopefully will exorcize the need to complete any thought patterns from that period.

Equation for a Modern Miracle is the first of an ongoing series of works that are centered around simplistic math equations and the gathering of disparate connections of image-text and the use of titles. Ampersand is a collaboration with Norma Ready, a long time partner with a background in radio broadcast with special interests in psychologically based subjects/issues. The title “Ampersand” is about the use of “and” and “&” from the original Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme collection published first in 1916. This collective concept was motivated by the mentality of George W. Bush and Tony Blair and their isolated behavior within the international community.

David Askevold is among a handful of artists responsible for the development of the practice and pedagogy of conceptual art. His career is a litany of seminal publications, exhibitions and teaching posts in the history of conceptualism. In all of this Askevold’s work has avoided the rhetorical issues or formal traps of conceptualism. He has refused to remain within any vernacular of the art movement and has moved through text, photography, video, story art, performance and most recently digital imaging. His refusal to accept technique as anything but a reduced vehicle for elaborate ideas has kept his work fresh and distinct from his contemporary’s work and contemporary art in general.

David Askevold passed away this month; he was 67 years old. Over the last seven years, David participated in three solo exhibitions, several group shows, performances and video shoots at CANADA. David provided this gallery with a footing in the larger landscape of late 20the Century art history. He was a friend and authority for all of the artists here. He will be deeply missed. We are all grateful for his expertise, his guidance and contribution.

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