Solo exhibition presented at the MAI from February 4 to March 13, 2010

Opening Reception / Guided Tour / Catalogue Launch: Thursday, February 4 at 5 pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, from 12 noon to 6 pm

Montreal, January 26, 2010 – The MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) is proud to present Brendan Fernandes’ solo exhibition Haraka Haraka from February 4 to March 13. The international artist presents three recent video works that critically explore the experience of hybrid identity, diasporic memory, and migration.

Kenyan-born of Indian descent, and living in North America since the 1990s, artist Brendan Fernandes explores his hybrid identity—one of inner struggle between his memories of Kenya as a ‘native’ of that country, and his current perspective as a westerner. Signifying “hurry, hurry” in Swahili, the title Haraka Haraka lends a tone of urgency to these works which, combining installation, video, and performance, evoke various facets of personal identity, be they linguistic (Foe), political (Nyumba Ata Choma), and cultural (Aya Mama).

About Brendan Fernandes
Born in Kenya of Indian heritage, Brendan Fernandes is currently based between Toronto and New York. He completed the Independent Study Program of the Whitney Museum of American Art (2007), and earned his MFA (2005) from The University of Western Ontario and his BFA (2002) from York University. He has participated in numerous grants including Canada Councils for the Arts’ International Residency in Trinidad and Tobago (2006) and at the Gyeonggi Creation Center at the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Korea (2010). He has exhibited internationally, including at The Third Guangzhou Triennial, Guangzhou, China (2008) and The Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY (2007). He is a current recipient of a New Commissions Project through Art in General, NY (2010). His work is represented by Diaz Contemporary, Toronto.
www.diazcontemporary.ca www.brendanfernandes.ca

SÉRIE PUBLIC + (free activities in conjuction with the exhibition)
Please join us for an informal GUIDED TOUR by the artist that kicks off the opening on February 4 at 5 pm. We will also LAUNCH the catalogues for two important exhibitions recently showcased at the MAI. The first publication looks at Hochelaga Revisited, an exhibition organized by curator Ryan Rice, and featuring works by the First Nation artists Jason Baerg, Lori Blondeau, Nadia Myre, Martin Loft, Cathy Mattes, and Ariel Lightningchild Smith. The second publication delves into Survival Japanese Cooking, an ambitious solo exhibition by the talented Montreal-based artist Shié Kasai.

- ARTIST TALK with the artist on Monday, February 1 at Concordia University at 12 noon in Room EV 8-425 (8th floor), situated at 1515 St-Catherine Street West. In collaboration with Studio Arts Visiting Program at Concordia University and ARTX.

- OPEN DOORS – the MAI’s gallery doors will be open exceptionally between 8 pm to 2 am as part of the Nuit blanche à Montreal of the MONTREAL HIGHT LIGHTS Festival. Visitors are welcome to discover this exciting exhibition; hot beverages will be offered! www.montrealhighlights.com

For more information, please contact Véronique Mompelat at comm [dot] [at] m-a-i [dot] qc [dot] ca or 514 982-1812, ext. 227. www.m-a-i.qc.ca