The Power Plant

The work of Sabine Bitter / Helmut Weber comprises the first of two artist interventions in the Dissenting Histories: 25 Years of The Power Plant exhibition, offering insight into the critical role of architecture in public space and in turn interrogates the very notion of public itself. Exploring the importance of architecture in shaping our social and urban imaginations, their gallery and public installations demonstrate the values that underlie the production of architecture and the interests that they represent.

Highlighting questions of agency and urban space, a grid of five photo-collages installed within the Markus Miessen-designed archive space articulates the situation of New Belgrade, former Yugoslavia’s capital city, and the postulations of Marxist urbanist Henri Lefebvre. The images also function as interchangeable covers for the eponymous artist book that will also be on display. This work, within this space, offers a critique of the relationship of architecture, the archive and urban change with social processes and economic forces.

Super Students
Public Installation 27 April – 18 June

A component of the artists’ The University Paradox project, this public installation on the south facade of The Power Plant is presented in partnership with the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. This large-scale billboard image references public space, student agency and organization. The work takes on these debates using the modernist architecture of Simon Fraser University.

Since 1993, Vancouver- and Vienna-based artists Sabine Bitter and Helmut Weber have collaborated on projects addressing urban geographies, architectural representation and related visual politics. Their work has been shown internationally.

With more than 1,200 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at venues throughout Toronto, CONTACT presents a wide range of curated exhibitions, public installations and educational events every May. This year’s edition, CONTACT 2012: Public, explores the evolving ways in which photographs portray social structures, draw attention to political issues and influence collective consciousness.

Dissenting Histories Artist Project

Dave Dyment

Spring 2012 Program Guide