Collective Thinking, Archives & Histories

This artist, researcher and curatorial panel will explore questions around positionality within histories, places and archives to open up spaces for new voices to emerge, as well as dialogues within communities on identity, memory and embodiment.

John Latour will present his collaborative artist’s book project, Rétrofictions / Re Fictions / Fictions that explores how the erasure of history can lead to a creative space for new stories. Santiago Tavera will present his recent curatorial resident project at the Visual Collections Repository at Concordia University on the integration of latino diaspora and queer practices into academic and historical contemporary archives. k.g. Guttman will present on her site-situated performance in domestic space, Dette sans raison is the river at her door, 2024. The performance for one person at a time takes up hospitality as a plane for experimentation and as a concept to feel into the exposures and intensities between host and guest.

Rodrigo D’Alcântara will present a cross-section of his recent artistic production, showing works that he has realized collectively in Latin America in order to debate the role of the artist-director in contemporary art. Cristo Riffo’s presentation will focus on technologies of the past for the future, a dive into latin american cybernetics in project cybersyn, and how these events informed the artist's last piece Sistema Cinco: Non-Human determinations.

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube.

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca

John Latour

John Latour (Teaching & Research Librarian – Fine Arts at Concordia University) specializes in research on contemporary Canadian art, artists’ books, research creation and open access. Also a practicing visual artist, he explores how the past is mediated through objects, images and texts through a range of media. His openly accessible artists’ publications include Rétrofictions / Re Fictions / Fictions (2012-2019) and Who Was Who Was Who in Canadian Contemporary Art / Qui était qui était qui dans l’art contemporain canadien (2023).

Santiago Tavera

Santiago Tavera is a Colombian-Canadian artist, researcher and curator based in Montréal. Tavera is currently an Artist-in-residence in the Intermedia program, part of the Department of Studio Arts at Concordia University. Tavera’s practice revolves around constructing immersive and interactive projects that explore migrant and queer narratives of dislocation. In Tavera’s work, mixed media compositions of videos, 3D graphic animations, text, sound, archival material and architectural elements create blurred experiences of physical and virtual spatial embodiments of the “other”. 

Dr. k.g. Guttman

Dr. k.g. Guttman (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, performer and teacher, a solo mother, and a graduate of Leiden University's PhDArts program, the Netherlands, receiving financial support from SSHRC for her work on situated performance and practice. k.g. is currently teaching as Artist-in-residence in the Intermedia program, in Studio Arts at Concordia University. From the social location as a white person of Jewish and Irish descent in the ongoing settler colonial context of Canada, she reflects on ways to be involved in reparative actions with collectives, and integrates trauma informed somatic practices in pedagogy and practice.

Rodrigo D’Alcântara

Rodrigo D’Alcântara is a Brazilian multi-artist, researcher and curator based in Montreal/Tiohtiá:ke. His practical and theoretical research articulates symbolisms, dreams and counter-hegemonic mythologies in contemporary times, through personal and collective dissident narratives. His works have circulated in diverse artistic venues in Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Brussels, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, United States, Uruguay, among others. In academia, he proposes dissident approaches to art education in Abya Yala. He is currently a PhD candidate in the art history department at Concordia University, where he also teaches Brazilian Art as a sessional lecturer.

Cristo Riffo

Cristo Riffo is a Chilean artist who explores the concepts of memory, light, politics and biology through the creation of kinetic installations and Live A/V performances,  hacking and modifying technological devices through the usage of electronics, robotics and biology. He completed a Bachelor in Arts from the University of Playa Ancha (Chile), and a Master in Technology and Aesthetics of Electronic Arts from the University Tres de Febrero (Argentina). Cristo has participated in several group exhibitions in Chile and the rest of the world such as Bahia(BR), Buenos Aires (AR),  Montreal(CAN) , Bogotá (COL)  and Berlin (GER). He has received support from the Chilean National Fund (FONDART) in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Moreover, in 2023 he presented his work at the theme exhibition of Ars Electronica -Who owns the truth?-  with his piece Sistema Cinco:Non-human Determinations. Currently he’s part of the MFA Intermedia in Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.