(please scroll down for cv)
artist statement [français]

I look at what I make as the electro-mechanical equivalents of short stories. Naturally, every good story needs some tension to keep it going. In my machinic ‘texts,’ I try to create tension by intermixing different systems. Organic ones blend with technological ones, the old with the new, and the handmade with the machine-made. And rather than words, sentences and paragraphs, I use bolts, batteries, metal, and custom electronics.

May 2011

Peter Flemming is an artist who makes machines. His work has been featured across North America and Europe. He currently resides in Montreal, where he teaches electronics for artists at Concordia University. He has held workshops in electronics and programming at artist-run centres around the world.

press
selected reviews and press
Etc. Magazine Summer 2009 (jpeg scan)
Espace Sculpture Spring 2009 (jpeg scan)
Canadian Art Magazine Winter 2008 (jpeg scan)
Le Devoir June 1 2008 (jpeg scan)
Canadian Art Magazine Fall 2006 (jpeg scan)
Macleans Magazine (national news weekly) Jan 12, 2004 (jpeg scan)
Yukon News July 19, 2004 (jpeg scan)
NY Times July 7, 2002 (jpeg scan)
selected catalogs, writing about peter flemming
Lazymode review (unabridged text) by Neal Thomas 2008 (pdf)
Manual catalog Koffler Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2006 (jpeg scan)
Manual essay by Norman T. White 2006 (pdf)
Ends and Means essay by Timothy Dallett 2001 (pdf)
Electrohype Biennale catalog Malmo Konsthallen, Malmo, Sweden 2005 (jpeg scan)
Machine Life catalog Agnes Etherington Centre, Kingston, Ontario 2004 (jpeg scan)
writing by peter flemming
Electronics By Ear text for forthcoming monograph published by DAGAFO, Fall 2011
Vibrations and Waves paper for presentation at ISEA 2011, Istanbul, September 2011
Field Studies essay for Jessica Field exhibition at Oboro, Montreal, published March 2010 (pdf)
MMMSE Alpha 0.1.1 opensource hardware release for Vague Terrain 12: Device Art, January 2009 (pdf)
Coarsetuning It essay for Stephen Kelly exhibition at SKOL, Montreal, September 2008
curriculum vitae (spring 2011)
NB: the pdf downloadable at left is more likely to be up-to-date
all locations Canada, unless mentioned


UPCOMING
2013
untitled touring solo exhibition with DAGAFO, locations TBA (tentative)
2012
Instrumentation (solo exhibition) SKOL, for Biennale internationale d'art numérique, Montreacute;al QC
Emergencies (group exhibition for European Capital of Culture) Guimaraes, Portugal
publication of monograph with DAGAFO, Montreacute;al

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008
Reject, Harbourfront Centre, Curator: Patrick Macaulay, Toronto, ON
Lambinatronique/Lazymode, Oboro, Montréal QC
2007
Rejet/Reject, Articule. Montréal QC
2006
Natural & Manufactured Series, Klondike Institute Of Art & Culture/ODD Gallery, Dawson YK
Manual, Koffler Centre for The Arts, Curator: Carolyn Bell Farrell, Toronto ON (catalogue)
2002
Portrait of a River, The Burnished Chariot, Curator: Janis Mink, New London, CT. USA
2001
Manual, Eyelevel Artist-Run Centre, Halifax NS (essay)
Water and Electricity, MFA Thesis Ex., Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax NS
2000
Why Do Machines Think They Are Humans?, Khyber Closet Gallery, Halifax NS

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011
Stop. Look. Listen., Harbourfront Centre, Curator: Patrick Macaulay, Toronto, ON
2010
Process is Paradigm, Laboral, Curators: Susanne Jaschko and Lucas Evers, Gijon, Spain
Port Credit Project II, Blackwood Gallery (offsite). Curator: Christof Migone, Toronto ON
2009
Resounding, Dalhousie Art Gallery. Curators: Peter Dykhuis, Sym Corrigan. Halifax NS
2008
TMM: Hybrid, Trondheim Centre for Contemporary Art + TEKS. Curator: Espen Gangvik, Trondheim, Norway
Schematic, Spacemedia. Curators: Heather Corcoran, Michelle Kasprzak,Gillian McIver. London UK
2007
It's A Wonderful Life, Owens Art Gallery, Curator: Gemey Kelly, Sackville NB. (catalogue)
2006
Danger Will Robinson, Latitude 53, Curator: Donna Wawzonek, Edmonton, AB. (essay)
2004
3rd Electrohype Biennial, Malmo Konsthall.,Curators: Lars Midboe and Anna Kindvall, Malmo, Sweden (catalogue)
Machine Life, Group Exhibition, Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, Curator: Jan Allen, Kingston ON (catalogue)
2003
Obsolete Object Gallery, Art Gallery of Calgary. Curators: Mark Clintberg and Luanne Martineau, Calgary AB
Used Vehicles, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Curator: David Diviney, Lethbridge AB (catalogue)
2002
Canada Darling, The Burnished Chariot, Curator: Emily Luce, New London CT, USA (catalogue)
The Devil's Workshop, Mount St. Vincent University Gallery, Curators: Sarah Hollenberg and Spencer Ramsay, Halifax NS (catalogue)
2001
Misc. Mesh, Collective Exhibition. Halifax NS
Interest Group, MFA Group Exhibition, Anna Leonowens Gallery. Halifax NS
2000
Group of Seven Eleven, Anna Leonowens Gallery. Halifax NS
The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over The Hills, MFA Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery. Halifax, NS
1999
Artsweek @ 401, 401 Richmond. Toronto ON
Dinner@5, 7a*11d Performance Art Festival. Toronto ON
1997
Live at 455 Performance Series, de Leon/White Gallery. Toronto ON
Artsweek @ 401,401 Richmond. Toronto ON
:JAWA:bot:machines that perform, 7a*11d Performance Art Festival. Toronto ON
Images Festival of Independent Film and Video. Toronto, ON
It's After The End Of The World, Symptom Hall. Toronto, ON
SYNC, Beaver Hall, Toronto ON

RESIDENCIES
2010
Cultivamos Cultura, São Luis, Portugal
2006
Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Artist in Residence. Dawson City YK
Church Basement, Artist in Residence. Saskatoon SK
2005
TEKS, Artist in Residence/Workshop. Trondheim Norway
BEK, Artist in Residence/Workshop. Bergen Norway
2004
Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Artist in Residence. Dawson City YK
2003
BEK + HKS, NIFCA New Media Artist in Residence. Bergen, Norway
Struts Artist-Run Centre, Artist in Residence. Sackville, NB
2001
Struts Artist-Run Centre, Artist in Residence. Sackville, NB

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
ongoing
member (since 2011), Perte de signal. Montréal QC
board member (since 2009), Board Of Directors. Oboro. Montréal QC
co-organizer (since 2006), Dorkbot:Montréal. various locations in Montréal
artist talks (since 2000) in Halifax, Sackville, Saskatoon, Calgary, Banff, Dawson, Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, Windsor, Toronto, Montréal, London, Malmo, Lisbon, Evora
2011
Vibrations and Waves (presentation of paper) International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA), Istanbul, Turkey
board member (since 2008), Board of Directors. Eastern Bloc. Montréal QC
writer, Vibrations and Waves for ISEA 2011, Istanbul, Turkey
2010
writer, essay for Jessica Field's exhibition Field Studies. Oboro, Montréal QC
2009
presenter, Grounding Open Source Hardware summit, Banff Centre, Banff, AB
writer, MMMSE: Alpha 0.1.1 Vague Terrain 12: Device Art, vagueterrain.net
2008
speaker, Trondheim Matchmaking. Trondheim, Norway writer, Coarsetuning It essay for Stephen Kelly's Wave Up. SKOL, Montréal QC
2004
speaker, Machine Life symposium, Queens University, Kingston ON
2003
treasurer (since 2008), Board of Directors. Eastern Bloc. Montréal QC
speaker, Ultima Festival, NOTAM, Oslo, Norway
speaker: Low Mech, Trondheim Matchmaking. Trondheim, Norway
2009
curator. (w. Rita McKeough) Artificial Sweetener, OK-Quoi festival, Sackville NB
2007-2008
creator, organizer. Geek-Concordia lecture series. Concordia University. Montréal QC
2001
member, Board of Directors. eyelevel Artist-Run Centre. Halifax NS
1998-1999
member, Board of Directors. InterAccess Artist-Run Centre. Toronto, ON
1997
co-curator. (with Jubal Brown) JAWA:bot:machines that perform. Toronto, ON
1996-97
founding member, programmer. 7a*11d Performance Art Collective. Toronto, ON

MERITS
2011
Canada Council For The Arts, New Media Research Grant 2010 Conseil des Arts et des Lettres Québec, Media Arts B Grant in Artistic Research and Creation
2009
Canada Council For The Arts, New Media Research Grant
Concordia University Part-time Faculty Association, Professional Development Grant
2007
Concordia University Part-time Faculty Association, Professional Development Grant
2006
Conseil des Arts et des Lettres Québec, Media Arts B Grant in Artistic Research and Creation
2005
Alberta College of Art and Design Faculty Research Award
2004
Canada Council For Arts, Travel Grants To New Media Artists
Alberta Foundation For The Arts, Creation Grant
Alberta College of Art and Design Faculty Research Award
2003
Canada Council For Arts, Travel Grants To New Media Artists
Alberta College of Art and Design Faculty Research Award
2002
Canada Council For Arts, New Media Research Grant
(the former) Nova Scotia Arts Council, Creation Grant
2001
Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, Joseph Beuys Memorial Scholarship
2000
Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, MFA Entrance Scholarship
1999
Ontario Arts Council, Artist in Education Project Grant
1998
Ontario Arts Council, Visual Arts Grant to Emerging Artists
1997
Canada Council For the Arts, First Productions Grant in Media Arts
Ontario College of Art and Design, Charles Street Audio Award

EDUCATION
2001
Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, MFA in Media Arts, Halifax, NS
1997
Ontario College of Art & Design, A.O.C.A., Toronto ON

EMPLOYMENT
I teach Electronics for Artists at Concordia University, Montréal. Previously, I have taught at ACAD, Calgary and NSCAD, Halifax. For years I designed and built devices for artists. I conduct workshops internationally.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
El proceso como paradigma (Process as Paradigm), Laboral. Gijon, Spain. (catalogue, essay, photo) 2010.

El Niuton, online journal. Bogota, Columbia. (feature article, photos, video) April 2010, issue 11, pages 15-22.

ETC magazine. Sarah Cook "London: Canadian New Media Art" (review of Schematic at :space: in London, UK, includes photos) June-July, 2009

ESPACE Sculpture. Esther Bourdages (review of Lazymode at Oboro, includes photos) winter 2009

Canadian Art Magazine. Neal Thomas "Peter Flemming: Lazymode/Lambinatronique"(review of Oboro show, incl. photo). Winter 2009

Le Devoir, Montréal QC. Jérôme Delgado "Hors d'usage et efficaces" (review of Lazymode/Lambinatronique)pg. E6, June 1, 2008

"It's A Wonderful Life" Owens Art Gallery, Sackville NB (catalog, essay, photo) fall 2007

Canadian Art Magazine. Ashley Johnson "Peter Flemming: Koffler Centre For The Arts" (review of "Manual", incl. photo). page 146, volume 23, issue 3, Fall 2006

CBC North. Dawson YK, Canada. Arts Report (various interviews on solar powered Canoe) August 2006

Manual Exhibition Brochure, Koffler Centre For The Arts. Toronto ON, Canada Essay by Norman T. White (incl. photo) May 2006

Electrohype Catalog, Electrohype/Malmo Konsthall (essay, incl. photo). Malmo, Sweden. February 2005

ESPACE Sculpture. Gil McElroy "Machine Life" (review, incl. photo) issue 68, Summer 2004

Machine Life Catalog, Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Kingston ON, Canada Jan Allen (exhibition catalog and essay, incl. photo) February 2004

MacLeans Magazine, Canada, "10 Artists Who Rock" Jan 12, 2004

FastForward, Calgary AB, Canada "Used Vehicles" (review)

Border Crossings. James Trainor "Canada Darling" (review) issue 84, volume 21, no. 4, 2002

Devils Workshop, Mount Saint Vincent University. Halifax NS, Canada
Sarah Hollenberg (exhibition catalog and essay, incl. photo) June 2002

Canada Darling, Burnished Chariot. New London CT, USA
Emily Luce (exhibition catalog and essay, incl. photo) November 2002

NY Times, New York NY, USA. William Zimmer "Alternative Offerings, Fresh From Halifax" (review of Canada Darling, incl. photo) July 7, 2002

The Coast, Halifax NS, Canada. Jane Kansas "The Devils Workshop" (review) May 23-30, 2002

Arts Atlantic (Monthly National Arts Journal)
Julian Forrest "Open Studio, Struts Gallery, Sackville" (review, incl. photo) issue 71, Spring 2002

Arts Atlantic (Monthly National Arts Journal)
Linda Dornan "The Experiment Continues" (review, performance) issue 71, Spring 2002

CBC Radio One. Moncton NB, Canada. Arts Report (radio interview on Struts residency) October 2001

Sackville Tribune-Post, Sackville NB, Canada
Scott Doherty, ed. "Exploring Interactions With Machines" (review) Oct 10, 2001

Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax NS, Canada Tim Dallett "Peter Flemming: Ends and Means" (exhibition essay, Manual) September 2001


Ma pratique artistique incorpore des pièces électroniques usuelles, des mécanismes faits maison, des processus mécaniques, des objets industriels, des articles de quincaillerie, de la technologie désuète ou bon marché pour grand public et/ou des codes informatiques copiés-collés ensemble.

Mon travail va de petits dispositifs en réseau à des installations de grande échelle. Ce sont, pour moi, des équivalents électromécaniques de la nouvelle littéraire. Je n’utilise pas des paragraphes, des phrases, des mots et des lettres, mais plutôt des verrous et des écrous, des piles, du métal et des composantes électroniques pour explorer différents thèmes: utilité, efficacité, entropie, loisir et nature versus technologie.

J'ai appris les rudiments de l’électronique à l’école des beaux-arts et a développé d’autres connaissances en bricolant dans l’atelier. Ma pratique s’appuie sur l’expérimentation empirique de diverses techniques et technologies, à laquelle s’ajoute un intérêt pour les phénomènes naturels et culturels. En construisant des automates aux mouvements répétitifs, je souhaite ouvrir un petit espace de contemplation dans lequel le public peut s’absorber temporairement.

Avril 2008

Peter Flemming est un artiste qui construit des machines. Il a présenté son travail en Amérique du Nord et en Europe. Il vit présentement à Montréal où il enseigne l'électronique pour les artistes à l'Université Concordia. Il a mené des ateliers en électronique et en programmation dans des centres d'artistes autogérés à travers le monde.