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September 26 - October 29, 2006
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One of the most prominent young filmmakers in Canada, Noam Gonick has presented work at the Venice,
Toronto, Berlin, and Sundance Film Festivals and at MOMA in New York. Gonick's films have been collected by
the National Gallery of Canada, the National Library and the Australian Cinematheque. His work has been
released theatrically in territories around the world, as well as broadcast and distributed on DVD.
Gonick's first film 1919 (1997) was a radical re-visioning of the Winnipeg General Strike set in a Chinese
barbershop/bathhouse. His first feature, Hey, Happy! (2001) is an astro-camp cult film set in the Winnipeg rave
scene on the eve of an apocalyptic flood. Stryker (2004) is an Indian Posse gang war movie filmed by
cinematographer Ed Lachman focusing on Winnipeg's North End. Gonick collaborated with artist Rebecca
Belmore on her installation for the Canada Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. His collaboration with artist Luis Jacob,
Wildflowers of Manitoba, will premiere at the Montreal Biennale in 2007. He was recently nominated to the Royal
Canadian Academy of Arts.
These 5hx7h 35mm stills were shot in preparation of the feature films, Stryker (2004) and Hey, Happy! (2001).
I use location scouting photography to get into the mood of the neighborhood I am going to be making a movie in,
going back to the same place at different times of day, or in different seasons to meet the people who live there
and to get a sense of what it will feel like on film. --- Noam Gonick
Presented similarly to film strips, this exhibition Scouting by Noam Gonick projects his pre-filming stage and
his initial contemplation onto the long screen-like white walls. Even though script and dialogues arenft present
in these photographs, the linear collection somewhat reveals the forthcoming stories and speaks to the viewer.
I hope the viewers come back to the gallery after watching Stryker and Hey, Happy! You will have different perspective
on the films. --- Takashi Iwasaki
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