Stemming from a dissatisfaction with her participation in advanced capitalism, Marlene Jess explores self-initiated physical labour through shovelling piles. Jess draws connections between the futility of shovelling piles as an action and the viewer’s positionality within capitalist society. As Jess shovels in pursuit of embodied knowledge, we might consider the potential of having power under this homogenous system and what it means to hold agency.
Marlene Jess is a 5th generation French-Canadian settler who considers her working class upbringing critical to her artistic inquiry. She recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at Emily Carr University in Vancouver BC and has completed projects and presented work in Canada and the United States.
We are partially physically accessible. We have a level entrance leading to our shop, information desk, galleries, washroom and traditional print studio. Unfortunately, we do not have automatic doors or an elevator. We are working toward becoming a physically accessible space in the future.