Since the 1970s, Vancouver-based multimedia artist Hank Bull has served as a connector between artists and communities internationally. Inspired by experimental music, mail art, Fluxus, and Dadaist absurdist performances, Bull’s practice has been dialogic and ephemeral, often created for underground audiences in artist-run and improvised settings. While performance and communication have often overshadowed material production, the objects he creates—performance props, photographs, videos, and documents—remain integral to his art as vehicles of communication and aesthetic objects.
Hank Bull: Connexion transforms the artist’s collection into a sculptural installation, reflecting the collaborative and experimental essence of his career. Presented in varying states of order and chaos, the installation juxtaposes seemingly incongruous items—decorative ceramic vases, political newspapers, film props—sparking unexpected associations while revealing their broader social significance. The exhibition reflects Bull’s philosophy of art as a way of being, of improvising with and sculpting the material of the social world.
By pioneering global networks before the advent of the Internet and exploring communication-as-art through early telecommunication mediums, Bull’s work parallels contemporary shifts toward collaborative and decentralized interactions. Connexion emphasizes the artist’s role as a connector of people, offering insights into evolving notions of selfhood and the urgent need for new collectivities.
Events:
Opening Reception: September 29, 2016 | 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Artist Walkthrough: September 29, 2016 | 5:45 PM
Press