In 2014, FADO is celebrating a milestone—our 20th Anniversary. To commemorate we are looking back to our very beginnings, and are proud to present Duorama #114, #115, #116, #117, #119, #120 and #121, a series of performances created by FADO’s former Performance Art Curator and founding Director Paul Couillard, together with FADO founding member Ed Johnson. Partners in life and art, Paul and Ed have worked together on the performance art series Duorama since 2000.
Playful, beguiling and often minimalist, these pieces explore notions of relationship, and draw on collaborative and competitive tensions that underlie all partnerships. Responding to site and examining cultural attitudes toward male intimacy are key elements of Duorama. Recurring themes revolve around shifting interpretations of what is political and what is personal. Many of the works can be read in terms of the current social and political climate surrounding gay culture, offering askance references to issues such as gay marriage, HIV status, and portrayals of gay culture. To date, 113 Duorama performances have been presented at galleries, festivals and various events in Canada, France, Poland, Croatia, Ukraine, Belarus, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the USA, Singapore, Ireland and the UK.
Starting with Duorama #114 presented in the context of the Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (where it is rumoured Paul and Ed met for the very first time), FADO hosts seven new Duorama performances between February and September.
Duorama #114
Presented at the 35th Rhubarb Festival
February 12, 2014 @ 6:00pm–9:00pm
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street
Duorama #115
Presented in the context of the LINK & PIN performance art series, LONG-TERM, which focuses on duos and long-term collaborations. Curated by Sandrine Schaefer and Adriana Disman.
April 12, 2014 @ 2:00pm–6:00pm
hub14, 14 Markham Street
Duorama #116
Presented by Offthemap Gallery | With the Counterpoint Community Orchestra
June 7, 2014 @ 7:30pm
St. Luke’s United Church, 353 Sherbourne Street
Duorama #117
Presented in the context of the exhibition Generations of Queer, curated by Lisa Deanne Smith
June 25, 2014 @ 8:00pm
Onsite @ OCAD University, 230 Richmond Street West
Duorama #118
June 29, 2014
An intervention into Toronto’s 2014 Pride Parade!
Duorama #119 & #120 (plus post-performance artist talk)
August 24 & 30, 2014 @ 1:00pm
Presented by Sunday Drive Art Projects in Warkworth, Ontario
Sunday Drive Art Projects has brought together a roster of some of Toronto’s most active artist-run centres and collectives to present satellites in the beautiful village of Warkworth from August 23–September 6, temporarily transforming it into a hub of contemporary art.
Duorama #121 & Golden Book Launch
September 27, 2014 @ 3:00pm–6:00pm
Centre Island Pier, Toronto Islands
For this last image in the series, the artists present a three-hour turning meditation on the Centre Island pier, a kinetic and visual action designed to connect land, water and sky. FADO is also pleased to be launching the second in our Golden Book series with a four-book ‘zine chronicling the entire Duorama series to date, from #1–120. The books are divided by years, and shows one image for each performance in the series. You can get your limited edition Duorama Golden Book at our watery publication launch on the 2:30pm ferry to Centre Island, or on the 6:45pm ferry home.
© Paul Couillard & Ed Johnson, Duorama #115, 2014. Photo Henry Chan.
