Podcast Interview with the Fast & Dirty Team

Podcast Interview with the Fast & Dirty Team

A few days ago I was lucky enough to meet up with the Fast & Dirty team, Jennifer Rae Forsyth and Kristen Hutchinson, and talk a bit about who they are, what they do, and their upcoming Garage Show.

Podcast Interview

Listen to the interview embedded below, or at soundcloud.

Who is Fast & Dirty

When I emailed Fast & Dirty requesting and interview they were kind enough to send back a written history of their collective:

fast & dirty is an Edmonton based rotating collective of artists and curators that creates exhibitions and art events of short duration focusing on unusual environments and projects that challenge curatorial methods. Founded in 2010 and run by Jennifer Rae Forsyth and Kristen Hutchinson, the collective was established by artists for artists. The collective began with the intention of promoting Edmonton artists at all stages of career development through events that offer an alternative to a traditional gallery format and has grown to foster and exhibit artworks from artists across Canada. fast & dirty is interested in promoting contemporary art at all levels through various platforms. We aim to explore connections between artists and to promote diverse artistic engagements with communities. 

Garage Show

Sometime in August 2012—I believe the date hasn’t been solidified yet—Fast & Dirty will be putting on their second Garage Show. (Check out a review of their 2011 show.) 

They will be “exhibiting paintings within a residential garage and presenting projections of video art and short films in the backyard of another house across the street” and the video/film portion of the event will be about 45-60 minutes long. 

Artist Run Centers

One of the interesting parts of our conversation was when we briefly discussed Artist Run Centers, and how perhaps there is room in Edmonton for additional centers. Latitude 53 was mentioned, as well as the SNAP Gallery, Harcourt House, and then eventually FAVA, but so was the fact that other similarily sized cities in Edmonton would have a few more ARCs.

I don’t think that #yegfilm has completely determined where we sit in terms of commercial films vs art (house?) films vs video art, so it’s hard to tell how we can fit in with the ARC model, if at all.

Personally I feel that I am more of a genre filmmaker and know that it will be difficult to find funding in terms of art grants to make those kinds of films. But I do feel that ARCs are wonderful organizations and that perhaps there is a way #yegfilm can follow a similar model while also creating all kinds of films, commercial, video art and otherwise, especially around supporting emerging filmmakers.

Thanks Fast & Dirty!

I was inspired by the interview, mostly because I am an “art layperson”, and am happy that Fast & Dirty has grabbed onto the “do it yourself” model of skipping all the paperwork and just getting stuff made, which is a big part of what #yegfilm is trying to do.

I’m looking forward to the garage show.

Thanks,
Curtis

Posted by: yegfilm on Sun, Jul 1, 2012