Kate Craig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Craig
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Born | September 15, 1947 |
| Died | July 23, 2002 (aged 54) |
| Education | Dalhousie University, (1963–1966) |
| Known for | Performance artist, video artist, mail artist |
Kate Craig (September 15, 1947 – July 23, 2002) was a Canadian video and performance artist. She was a very important person in the art world. She helped start a special art center called the Western Front. There, she supported many other artists who worked with video and performance. Kate Craig also created her own amazing art. She is well-known for her performances, like "Lady Brute," and for her video art.
Contents
Biography
Catherine Shand Craig was born on September 15, 1947, in Victoria, British Columbia. She was the third child in her family. When she was young, her family moved to Montreal and then to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Kate went to Dalhousie University in 1961.
Kate met artist Eric Metcalfe in Victoria. They got married in 1969. They moved to Vancouver. There, with some artist friends like Michael Morris, Vincent Trasov, and Glenn Lewis, they bought a building. This building became the Western Front in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver.
Kate and Eric separated in 1973, but they still worked together on art projects. That year, Kate met another artist, Hank Bull. They worked on many projects with other artists. From 1977 to 1993, Kate managed the Western Front's video program. She helped many artists show their video work.
In 1980 and 1981, Kate and Hank traveled around the world. They visited Indonesia, India, Africa, and Europe. They performed a show called Around The World in Over 365 Days. Kate married Hank Bull in 1990.
Kate stopped working as the Media Arts Curator at the Western Front in 1993. In the late 1990s, she got ready for a big art show of her own work. It was called Skin and was shown at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Kate believed that "life is an art project." She passed away in Storm Bay, British Columbia, in 2002.
Performance Art
Performance art is a type of art where the artist uses their body and actions to create a live experience. It can be like a play or a special event.
Lady Brute
Kate Craig created a special character called "Lady Brute." This was part of a project with Eric Metcalfe, who had a character called "Dr. Brute." Together, they made up a fictional world called "Brutopia." They used lots of leopard print material in their art. Their characters explored funny things about society.
In 1972, Lady Brute was featured in FILE magazine. She also marched in the Victoria Day parade in Victoria, B.C.. Her performances were often informal. They happened in real places, not always on a stage. She might go to an art opening or a dinner party dressed in her leopard outfit. That was the performance!
In 1974, she performed "Flying Leopard" in Vancouver. She also did it on Hornby Island. In 1975, she made her first video, "Skins: Lady Brute presents her Leopardskin Wardrobe." Lady Brute continued to appear in shows through the 1970s.
- 1974 – Dr. and Lady Brute performed with the Brute Saxes in Los Angeles.
- 1975 – Lady Brute made a guest appearance in Toronto.
- 1976 – Dr. and Lady Brute presented a show at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Performance Groups
Kate Craig was part of several art groups. These groups worked together to create performances.
Lux Radio Players
In 1974, Kate helped start the Lux Radio Players. This group wrote and performed radio plays. These were like stories told with voices and sounds. They performed for live audiences. Their plays were also broadcast on radio stations across North America until 1977.
- 1974 – A Clear Cut Case at Western Front.
- 1975 – A Bite Tonight and Planet of the Whales.
- 1976 – Habitart for the Habitat Festival.
- 1977 – Weather or Naught at the Western Front.
Peanettes
The Peanettes were a women's performance group. They performed during Mr. Peanut's campaign for mayor of Vancouver in 1974.
Vignettes
The Vignettes performed at the Amy Vanderbilt Valentine Debutante's Ball in 1975.
Coconettes
The Coconettes performed with Lady Brute at the Ace Space Show in 1975.
Canadian Shadow Players
Kate was also a founder of The Canadian Shadow Players in 1976. This group created "shadow plays." These are performances where shadows are used to tell a story. They performed in Canada and other countries until 1986.
- 1976 – The Exploits and Opinions of Dr. Faustroll toured after its debut in Vancouver.
- 1978 – Vis-à-vis toured to several cities.
- 1982 – Aka Nada toured to cities like Berlin and Santa Barbara.
- 1985 – Corpus Collossum was funded by the Holland Festival.
Other Performances
Kate Craig also took part in many other performances and art projects:
- 1973 – German T.V. Dinner, a performance for German TV.
- 1974 – Flying Leopard in Vancouver and on Hornby Island.
- 1976 – 1980 – Guest spots on the HP dinner show on CFRO-FM radio.
- 1977 – Played drums for a punk band called The Young Adults.
- 1979 – Performed At the End of the World with Hank Bull.
- 1981 – Performed La Chaise des Memes, a shadow play with Hank Bull.
- 1982 – Appeared in Ko Nakajima’s video Mandala 82.
- 1985 – Appeared in Margaret Dragu’s video Breath.
Photographic Works
- 1977 – Flying Leopard, a photo-serigraph. This piece is in the collection of the Burnaby Art Gallery.
Solo Exhibitions
- January 31 – May 3, 1998, Skin, Vancouver Art Gallery.
- September 21 – October 20, 2002, Kate Craig, Charles H Scott Gallery.
Group Exhibitions
- February 14, 1989 – May 21, 1989: Rebel Girls: A Survey of Canadian Feminist Videotapes 1974-1988, National Gallery of Canada.
- October 28 – November 1, 1998: Pinholes in Paradise: A Fundraiser for Presentation House Gallery.
- January 24, 2000: Recollect, art from the permanent collection at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
The Western Front
In 1973, Kate Craig and seven other artists bought a building. It used to be a lodge hall. They turned it into the Western Front Society. This is an artist-run centre. This means it's a place run by artists, for artists. It became a hub for exploring many different kinds of art.
Kate Craig started and managed a special video program there in 1977. She not only made her own art, but she also helped many other Canadian and international artists create video works. Some famous artists she supported include Stan Douglas and Mona Hatoum. She retired from her role there in 1993.
The Western Front is still active today. It supports art shows, concerts, workshops, and performances. It also keeps a large collection of media art.
Video Works
Kate Craig created many video art pieces:
- 1975 – "Skins: Lady Brute Presents her Leopardskin Wardrobe" (60 min.)
- 1976 – "Still Life: A Moving Portrait" (30 min.)
- 1978 – "Backup" with Margaret Dragu (36 min.)
- 1979 – "Delicate Issue" (12 min.)
- 1979 – "Clay Cove, Newfoundland" (20 min.)
- 1980 – "Straight Jacket"
- 1983 – "Canada Shadow" with Hank Bull
- 1986 – "Ma"
- 1989 – "Mary Lou"
See also
