Artists Jessica Thalmann and Ryan Van Der Hout lead a workshop with participants interested in taking their photographs and transforming them through a process of degradation and manipulation. This workshop is suitable for photographers, collage and interdisciplinary artists wishing to explore the boundaries between these mediums. Both artists present a lecture on work exploring photo-based interventions such as Letha Wilson, Matthew Brandt, Marco Breuer, Susy Oliviera and others. Then, they guide participants through the creation of a small body of work using archival imagery either from family photo albums, public archives, internet etc…Techniques covered in a hands-on manner include: paper folding techniques, emulsion scratching and rubbing, and other destructive techniques. The class culminates in a final critique where participants learn to critically examine their peers alongside their own work.
Jessica Thalmann is an artist, curator and writer currently based in Toronto and New York City. She has received a Master of Fine Arts in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Visual Arts from York University. She has worked at the Doris McCarthy Gallery, Toronto International Film Festival, C Magazine, the Art Gallery of York University and Yossi Milo Gallery.
She has shown at various venues in Toronto, Vancouver and New York City including the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Flash Forward 2010, Whippersnapper Gallery, Nuit Blanche, the Artist Project, VIVO Media Arts Center, the International Centre of Photography, Photoville, the Camera Club of New York and Printed Matter’s New York Art Book Fair.
Ryan Van Der Hout is a photo-based artist working in Toronto. His work exploresphotographic materials and experimental processes. Ryan works with both traditional and alternative photographic processes such as photograms, light drawings and physical manipulation of photographic materials. His recent work employs digital technologies such as laser cutting and CNC to create work that questions the nature of the photographic image.
Ryan's work has been exhibited across Canada, the U.K., and in New York, including the AGO’s Collector’s Series, the Alternative Photography Festival Scotland, Contact Photography Festival, and Nuit Blanche. He has work held in both private and public collections. He's a graduate of Ryerson's photography program.
