Program
DAY 1 – (SEPTEMBER 28)
Arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport.
Visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario: opening of the exhibition Toronto: Tributes + Tributaries, 1971–1989 curated by Wanda Nanibush.
DAY 2 (SEPTEMBER 29)
Rest at home
DAY 3 (SEPTEMBER 30)
OCAD University: tour of the school and public presentation
DAY 4 (OCTOBER 1)
NUIT BLANCHE TORONTO
DAY 5 (October 2d)
Rest and Celine Dion concert
DAY 6 (October 3)
Visit to Beausoleil First Nation (on Christian Island, Ontario), of the reconstitution of a Huron village and of Saint-Marie among the Hurons, in Midland. * THIS DAY RAISED ISSUES OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, A CONCEPT IN A CULTURAL CONTEXT THAT THE ARTIST WAS UNAWARE OF. A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ISSUE WILL BE FURTHER ORGANIZED.
DAY 7 (October 4)
Visit at the Art Gallery of Ontario: Wanda Nanibush’s exhibition Toronto: Tributes + Tributaries, 1971–1989 and AGO Canadian permanent collection
DAY 8 (October 5)
Visit of Six Nations Reserve in Brantford, Ontario, including the Woodland Cultural Center, former Residential school.
DAY 9 (October 6)
Visit of Ontario Greenhouses in Leamington, Ontario
DAY 10 (October 7)
Last day in Canada skiing
DAY 11 (October 8)
Havana
Curatorial statement: Indian Summer Dairy: Canadian visa(s) sublimation project
"You have not satisfied me that you would leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident. In reaching this position I considered several factors including:
- length of proposed stay in Canada
- purpose of visit
- current employment situation
- personal asset and financial status"
(Extract from Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s form given to Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara_ September 2016)
Indian Summer Diary is an attempt to “sublimate” the double denial of a temporary visa for artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara to participate in residencies in Canada – On the Road and On the Road, Part 1 - curated, organized and funded by Elegoa Cultural Productions - in partnership with prestigious Canadian and American cultural organizations and independent cultural workers: OCAD University, Onsite Gallery, Plug In Contemporary Art Center, Wanda Nanibush (Curator, Canada), Dept. of Art, University at Buffalo (Buffalo, USA), Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Centre (Buffalo, USA), School of Media Arts, Columbia College (Chicago, USA), Nicholas Quiring (architect, USA) . See details <https://elegoa.com/en/content/road>
I want to thank Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Claudio Pelaez Sordo and Yanelys Nunes for the amazing work produced over the last 10 days, in response to a creative challenge that we set up only a few days before its start: enacting day by day, from a rented space in El Cerro (Havana), the 10-day programme presented in the second application to Canadian Immigration Services.
For their support in the immigration process, I want to specifically thank Dr. Sara Diamond, President and Vice – Chancellor, OCAD University, Lisa Deanne Smith, curator of Onsite Gallery (OCAD U) and all other On the Road’ s partners and funders. I'd also like to thank the staff of the Embassy of Canada to Cuba, who did their best to help us in this process, as direct communication with the Immigration Section was impossible.
I want to dedicate Indian Summer Diary to Canada Immigration Services, in the hope that Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, along with any other artists applying with a creative vision and supported by committed Canadian partners and institutions, be allowed to visit Canada, exchange with Canadians, and research and develop their art work. I wish that creativity may be recognized as an integral element of intercultural dialogue, and taken into consideration in the evaluation of visa applications to visit Canada.
Catherine Sicot, curator Indian Summer Diary
PS: “I love Canada, Canada, Love me!” Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara