“Duality – Firestarter” 2019 was the second annual multi-disciplinary arts incubator and exhibition conducted by Zakide engaging artists and community in tandem with the ON THE EDGE Fringe festival. Starting in early July and running through the festival Duality – Firestarter featured a series of disruptive interventions exploring and invading local spaces in downtown North Bay, Ontario. These interventions took shape as theatrical activations, performance art pieces, visual and media arts installations, poetry, music and all forms of immersive arts experiences.
“Duality – Firestarter” represents barriers between the worlds we live in and an unseen alternate existence that lies beyond. This construct presents the exceptional, unconventional and irregular. Looking through to the other side can present something unimaginable or simply mirrored versions of reality. Delving into the unknown allows for unhindered challenges and questions to flow freely. Venturing through “Duality – Firestarter” is to engage various artists and juxtaposed ideas taking shape as the development and implementation of collaborative multi-arts installations, immersive media arts environments or pop-up performances creating one overwhelming experience of alternative expression.
“Duality – Firestarter” is a transformative experience for both the artists involved and the engaged community members. It compliments and enhances the experience of those attending the festival, as well as anyone whose curiosity is piqued by our activities, while at the same time, allowing the artists to experiment and create new works to further their arts practices. The Duality Firestarter 2019 program encompassed more actions than previous years expanding into the fall and winter to accommodate the ON THE EDGE Fringe Festival and facility rentals from major film productions.
Participating 2019 artists include but are not limited to; Geneviève Crépeau, Jacob Dayfox, Matthieu Dumont, Guy Sioui Durand, Julie Fiala, Cole Forrest, Debbie Ebanks Schlums, Kelsey Ruhl, Kaitlyn Stewart, Clayton Windatt, Ember Windatt & Tara Windatt.
In addition to the many pop-up performances, workshops and collaborative events that took place during Duality Firestarter, two separate exhibitions took place within the ON THE EDGE Fringe Festival’s Black Box Gallery space and a rented space in the front of the building. In the main space the Incubator exhibition took place presenting Kaitlyn Stewart, Kelsey Ruhl, Clayton Windatt, Ember Windatt & Tara Windatt as well as a few performances in partnership with the lottery launch of the fringe festival.
As part of the Incubator Zakide members Clayton Windatt and Jacob Dayfox presented “Break Something” a multi-arts performance responding to the arts environment impacting Ontario.
The second exhibition was a solo installation by Clayton Windatt entitled “Thinking with Many Voices” which was set up in a street-facing window activating on a timer to only present during set hours each day.
A short documentary made by Clara R.W. and Clayton Windatt.
Zakide would like to acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council as well as all the amazing people involved in collaborations and making!