In the labyrinth of rooms that make up Enriched Bread Artists studio, past the vibrant hanging fabrics and a large macramé rabbit, Rachel Kalpana-James is hard at work.
In the midst of EBA’s bustling 22nd annual open studio, she has several projects on the go. Her small studio space is an homage to her unique brand of performance art and her love of reading.
The local artist’s solo exhibition, “Read Me.” debuted at PDA Projects on Elgin Street Nov. 13 after being selected in the gallery’s first-ever open call for submissions.
“This made for a hard selection process especially with a local call because there is so much talent,” says Brendan A. de Montigny, PDA projects director. He adds that Kalpana-James’s work “fit well into the PDA ethos.” PDA Projects opened in 2014 and caters to “a new generation of Canadian artists,” according to the gallery’s mandate.
De Montigny says it is also part of PDA’s mandate to be a gallery that “brings the community together.” “Read Me” is another first for PDA Projects; it is the first performance art piece to be shown in the space.
Kalpana-James, who graduated from Carleton University in 1984 with a BA in commerce, says her decision to enter the contest was part of a commitment to a year focused fully on art. It took Kalpana-James a long time to come to art, becoming interested in the subject after studying advertising at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto.
“As an artist you always do other things, and I decided that this year I am going to really apply myself,” she says.
When asked to describe “Read Me,” the first word Kalpana-James says is “neurotic.”
She began thinking about the collections of books that pile up in homes and chose to divide her own book collection into those read and unread. During her time at PDA Projects, she will display her books and read the unread ones in the gallery.
She refers to the exhibition as an “extreme reading performance” about perception.
“It’s an homage to deep reading. It sounds really boring, but it’s an activity that’s changing,” says Kalpana-James. “It’s about perception. I know I’m going to be judged based on what I’m reading, and based on what books I have on my shelf.”
PDA Projects presents a unique opportunity for artists because it is a storefront gallery and pedestrians along Elgin Street are able to see the artwork clearly at all times. An interactive part of the exhibition is an additional chair placed in the gallery so visitors can sit and read alongside Kalpana-James.
Viewers can also read along virtually, as the page she is currently reading will be transmitted onto a monitor. She warns she is there to read, not to talk, and she is treating the exhibition as a regular nine-to-five job. Kalpana-James’s work often focuses on how people react to visual stimuli. Born in England to Indian parents, she says her immigrant history shapes and inspires her art. “Being a visible minority you stand out, you’re on the outside observing,” she says. This effect is mirrored in “Read Me.”
There’s only one important decision left: the first book on the reading list. “I’m not sure what book I’m starting with yet – I don’t know how to decide,” says Kalpana-James. “I may have the gallery decide the first book, I might have a visitor to the gallery choose, or I might pick one at random.”
After she finishes performing at PDA Projects, Kalpana-James hopes to continue the performance at other galleries and has already applied to several.