Sculpture Painting by Theo Pelmus 2005
Theo Pemus (Romania & Ottawa, Canada), ‘Art is so Much Fun Here in North America’, 2005. Mixed Media on Canvas, 20 x 16 inches.
Private Collection. Market Value $450. NFS.
THEO PELMUS:
My process of work can be described as a continuous construction and deconstruction of slippery identity and gender. In my performance work I create obscure multisensory baroque environments that fuse in unusual way elements from sculpture, video, absurd theater and visceral opera. The multisensorial aspect of my performance practice is achieved through innovative ways of using wireless sensors technology and new media. My performance practice mirrors the baroque and radical aesthetics and redefines their characteristics through imitation and inversion, sublimation and glamorization. I invert radical performativity in order to adventure into the realm of playfulness where martyrs are made from candy, and blood is made from sugar and caramel. Glamour and dirt coexist in the same territory. This is my play in a defected playground where feelings and thoughts can be represented as a physical shock, and where drama and jubilation intertwine. My latest body of work places my baroque Romanian identity in a specific niche where filthy operas, sickly sweet parades and hyperbolic presentation take form of a kaleidoscopic vision.
Theo Pelmus is a performance artist who has received several awards, including an emerging artist grant and integrated arts grant from the Ontario Arts Council (2006; 2009), the Dennis Tourbin Fund for emerging artist in performance art (2007) and an emerging artist grant from the City of Ottawa (2009, 2012). He has exhibited nationally and internationally, including shows in New York, Copenhagen and the Bucharest Biennial. Theo has a BFA and MFA from the University of Fine Arts in Bucharest and a second MFA at the University of Ottawa. He is an active participant in the Ottawa arts community, most notably as a programming member of Available Light Screening Collective. He is represented by La Petite Mort Gallery in Ottawa.
EDUCATION
Master’s of Fine Arts, University of Ottawa, 2011
Master’s of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania, 2003 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania, 2002
PERFORMANCES / ACTIONS
2012 LITTLE HORSE VISION, Grace Exhibition Space, NY, Brooklyn, USA FIRST VISION OF EXCESS, AxeNeo7, Ottawa/Gatineau, Quebec PERFORMATIVE FASHION SHOW, AxeNeo7, Ottawa/Gatineau, Quebec PERFORMATIVE OPERA, AxeNeo7, Ottawa/Gatineau, Quebec
2011 PERFORMING CLOWNING PINOCCHIO, Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, NYU, New York City, presented by e_fagia.org
PERFORMING BAROQUE GREEN CHAPEL FOR PINOCCHIO, Traffic, Saw Club, Ottawa PERFORMING GOLD LEAF FACE, Resolution 2011, Saw Video, Mayfair Theatre, Ottawa
2010 PINOCCHIO AND THE RED MEAT, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
SWEET ART TRANSFORMATIVE PERFROAMNCE NR.2, Gallery 101, Time 3, Ottawa SWEET ART TRANSFORMATIVE PERFORMANCE, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa PERFORMING CLOWNING PINOCCHIO, Loading Gallery, Bucharest, Romania PINOCCHIO AND THE WHITE FOX, University of Ottawa
PINOCCHIO, Galerie Donald Browne, Montreal, curated by Celina Jeffery
PINOCCHIO TRIPTYCH, University of Ottawa
2009 THE SMELL OF THE GREAT WHITE BATH Nr.1 & Nr.2, University of Ottawa LE SUPPLICE, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
UN CHIEN ANDALOU, The Great Hall, Toronto
UN CHIEN ANDALOU, VIVA Action Biennale, Montreal
UN CHIEN ANDALOU, Natural Disasters, Ottawa
THE FALL SWEET ART TRANSFORMATIVE PERFORMANCE, digital.event.09, Hotshot Gallery, Toronto
CANDY ART PERFORMANCE, Fait Maison, Ottawa
WATER SNAIL PERFORMANCE, collaborative performance with Cara Tierney, Ottawa
2008 WHAT CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT REVOLUTION, Fait Maison Remix, Ottawa
EATING MOZART, Opéra Rock : 4e Biennale d’art performatif de Rouyn-Noranda, Québec FOUR HEADS, Cornucopia, Ottawa
GOLD, Times 2, Gallery 101, Ottawa
18 BUTTERFLIES PERFORMANCE, Westfest, Ottawa
SAFE MAPPING AKA THEY ARE WATCHING, Bucharest Biennale 3, part of Parallel Events, Bucharest, Romania
PERFORMANCE ANATOMY part of FEEDBACK Series, Saw Video, Ottawa
VESSELS PERFORMANCE NR.2, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
VESSELS PERFORMANCE, Fait Maison, Hull
SAFE PORTRAITS, Crichton Community Centre, Ottawa
INSTANT PORTRAIT ACTION, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
NOTHING TO THINK/NOTHING TO SAY, Fait Maison, Ottawa-Hull
2007 CONFLICT, Fait Maison, Hull
SELF EATING ICECREAM PERFORMANCE, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
FIRST AID OTTAWA, Galerie SAW Gallery, Ottawa
DR. TULP’S ANATOMY LESSON VERSUS ANATOMY OF A SELF, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa ROCA, real time web cam stream double performance in two locations: La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa + Loading Open Lab, Bucharest, Romania
2006 NARCISSUS VERSUS MIRROR, Fait Maison, Ottawa-Hull
ST. SEBASTIAN NR.1 & NR.2, Fait Maison, Ottawa-Hull
LITTLE MAN PERFORMANCE, Fait Maison, Ottawa-Hull
TRANSROMANIA, One Year Anniversary: “Come as You Aren’t!” La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa WASHING HANDS + HANDKERCHIEF, Holy F**K III, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
SEA CITY, commissioned for The Wade Project, Toronto
ROMANIAN WOUND & CANADIAN WOUND BRANDING PERFORMANCE, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
ONE TIME GALLERY/THE PLASTIC ROOM INTERVENTION, alternative space, Ottawa
2005 MANIFESTATION Bucharest, Romania MANIFESTATION Bucharest, Romania MANIFESTATION
2004 MANIFESTATION MANIFESTATION MANIFESTATION
2003 SELF- PORTRAIT- MANIFESTATION
HIBRID 8, How Can We Communicate Using a Plastic Knife? Caminul Artei Gallery, HIBRID 7+Fusion, The Onlooker/ The Sound Thief/ Reflected Studio, HT003 Gallery, HIBRID 6, Phone-Interview Performance, Apollo Gallery, Bucharest
HIBRID 5, Engine Gallery, Toronto
HIBRID 4, Docu-Fiction, University of Architecture Ion Mincu, Bucharest HIBRID 3, Galateea Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
MIRROR SHARDS + HIBRID 2, Atelier 35 Gallery, Bucharest, Romania HIBRID 1, UNA Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012 OPERATIC VISIONS OF EXCESS: A THREE ACT PERFORMATIVE PROJECT, AxeNeo7, Ottawa/Gatineau, Quebec
2010 BRANDED TRANSFORMATIVE INC, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
2008 MAN AWAKE PROJECT, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
2007 EVOLVING IDENTITY, La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa
2006 SELF-PORTRAIT WITH TONGUE STICKING OUT/ ROMANIAN WOUND & CANADIAN WOUND, La Petite Mort Galley, Ottawa
2005 THE ONLOOKER/THE SOUND THIEF, HIBRID 7+Fusion, HT003 Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2004 SELF-PORTRAIT MIRROR, HIBRID 5, Engine Gallery, Toronto
2003 SELF-PORTRAIT – PORTRAIT ON ROBOTRON HERMES MEDIA 3, HIBRID 2 Atelier 35 Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2012 City of Ottawa, Professional Artist Funding for ‘Representations of Vision of Excess
2009 Ontario Arts Council, Integrated Arts Program, for ‘Sweet Art Transformative Performance’ 2009 City of Ottawa, Professional Artist Funding, for ‘Branded Transformative Inc.’
2007 Dennis Tourbin Fund for Emerging Artists, Ottawa
2006 Ontario Arts Council Visual Artists: Emerging Grant for ‘Evolving Identity Project’
2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
RESIDENCIES
2010 DAÏMÕN, Ottawa-Hull
AFFILIATIONS
2006-present 2006-present 2006-2008 2005-present 2003-present
Programming Member, Available Light Screening Collective, Ottawa
Founding Member, Loading Open Lab, Bucharest, Romania www.loadinggallery.blogspot.com
Board of Directors, Gallery 101, Ottawa
Co-founding Member Fait Maison, Ottawa/Hull
Founding Member, Hibrid Action, Bucharest, Romania www.hibridaction.blogspot.com
CURATORIAL WORK
2011 Horror Vérité II, Available Light Screening Collective, Saw Club, Ottawa 2010 Horror Vérité, Available Light Screening Collective, Saw Club, Ottawa
2009 Witnessing Live Red Coyote Exorcism, Available Light Screening Collective, Saw Club
JURIES
2011 Integrated Arts, Ontario Arts Council