By Pepper Parr
August 23, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
With a name like “No Vacancy” what was one to expect at an event that ran for just a couple of hours at the Waterfront hotel when it was first put on in 2013.
A murder mystery perhaps?
What the city got to see was some ground breaking art – described as “installations” which Jim Riley describes as a “three dimensional art form that is often specifically designed to use the walls, floor and space of a room as a sculptural artwork itself. The artist uses objects, video, sound or other material to create the artwork. The audience enters in to the space and becomes part of the actual artwork as opposed to passively looking at one sculpture, one painting one video or other singular artwork.”
Doesn’t sound all that exciting when explained – you had to be in one of the rooms back in 2013 to appreciate what was being done.
No Vacancy put on a second event in 2014; it was one of those boffo – close to over the top events that was presented at the Village Square and given the name Cirque
The third year was put on at Old Lakeshore Road where the audience wasn’t as robust. Up until the 2014 event the group that put on the event did so without anything in the way of financial support from the city.
In 2015 and in 2016 a grant of less than $5000 each year was made available.
Each No Vacancy event is given its own unique name. The group has chosen MoonGlade for the 2016 that will take place in Brock Park, at the rear of the Art Gallery on Lakeshore Road and some space inside the gallery.
There will be 17 different individuals installing their work.
There will be a pop up arts gallery, live entertainment and a collection of food trucks.
Xiaojing Yan is a Chinese-Canadian artist born in Nanjing, China, who currently lives and works in Toronto, Canada
Among the installation artists will be Xiaojing Yan who is returning to the No Vacancy list.
A collection of ceramic spoons arranged to form a bridge – installation art at its very best.
Xiaojing Yan is a Chinese-Canadian artist born in Nanjing, China, who currently lives and works in Toronto, Canada. Xiaojing Yan received a B.F.A in decorative art from Nanjing Art Institute, China, in 2000, and an M.F.A in sculpture from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA, in 2007. The central themes running through her work concern immigration, identity, cultural difference, and transmigration. Often using traditional Chinese materials and practices within the contemporary aesthetic.
Yan’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in Canada, China and United States.
Her work was included in the featured project at Art Toronto 2014 and the featured exhibition “Beyond Geography” at Art Toronto 2012. Recent solo shows include “Hybrid Vigour” at The Latcham Gallery, Stouffville, Canada(2015);”Cloud Cell” at the Red Head Gallery, Toronto(2015, 2012), “Innocence & Experience” at Lonsdale Gallery, Toronto(2014), “Red and White Melody” at TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2014). In September 2017, Varley Art Gallery in Markham, Ontario will present her solo exhibition. And in November 2017, Suzhou Museum will present her first solo museum exhibition in China.
Xiaojing Yan was one of the artists that contributed to perhaps the most attractive collection of bike racks in North America
Yan has been in many public and private collections including the most recent permanent collection “Cloudscape” at Seneca College at Newnham Campus, Toronto, Canada (2013).
Yan is the recipient of the 2014 Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the 2013 Mandarin Profile Awards. Additional information on this installation artist can be found on her web site: yanxiaojing.com
