we imitate sleep to dream of dissent
Editor: Emily DiCarlo
Artists: Jacqui Arntfield, Ellen Bleiwas, Simon Fuh, Chris Mendoza, Dana Prieto, Matt Nish-Lapidus, Mehrnaz Rohbakhsh, and St Marie φ Walker
Date: 2023
Publisher: FADO Performance Art Centre
Stock List: Art Metropole
Published in: Toronto, Canada
Design: Elise Castrodale / Studio Castrodale
Essay Editor: Laura Demers
Printers: Italic
Photo documentation: Paul Weeks
Description:
we imitate sleep to dream of dissent is a printed project that brings together ten artists to explore slowness as praxis through an expanded performance art lens.
Guided by five Fluxus-inspired prompts, dreamer-participants Jacqui Arntfield, Ellen Bleiwas, Simon Fuh, chris mendoza, Dana Prieto, Matt Nish-Lapidus, Mehrnaz Rohbakhsh, St Marie φ Walker, along with the project’s creator, Emily DiCarlo, engaged at their own pace with short readings, various media and creative exercises to investigate rest as a radical gesture in a grinding, non-stop 24/7 world.
we imitate sleep to dream of dissent was produced through the generous support of FADO Performance Art Centre. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.
The printed project won the Applied Arts Design 2024 award for Book Design and was shortlisted for a Communication Arts 2024 Design award. It is included in the online REST Archive as part of “Nocturnalities Bargaining Beyond Rest” by Andrea Knezović & Agata Bar.
First project meeting. Photo by Emily DiCarlo
Two of Ellen Bleiwas’ projects created for this publication include Walk, April 29 2022, 18:35-22:07 (After William Anastasi) and 8h/day, 40h/week :
Right Armpit
Right Front Pocket
Right Ankle
Left Armpit
Left Elbow
Left Toes
Walk, April 29 2022, 18:35-22:07 (After William Anastasi)
Ellen Bleiwas
Paper, graphite
6 prints, 5.5” x 8.5” each
2022
Graphite marking on paper from the artist’s front-right pocket, left elbow, right ankle, left toes, and left and right armpits.
Produced with the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council
0h
8h (Monday)
16h (Tuesday)
24h (Wednesday)
32h (Thursday)
40h (Friday)
8h/day, 40h/week
Ellen Bleiwas
Digital Scans (Dust on Scanner)
6 prints, 12”x12” each
2022
Scanner collecting dust 8 hours each day, from Monday to Friday, for 1 week.
Produced with the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council