Narcissus has been selected as a finalist for the Kennedy Prize Art Award 2015 and will be exhibited from 20-28 Nov 2015, Adelaide, South-Australia.

The Kennedy Prize is an annual Australian art award of $25,000 for ‘beauty’

The prize, offered by the Kennedy Arts Foundation, is based and exhibited in Adelaide but open to Australian artists nationwide, and is awarded to works that embody, comment on or celebrate beauty.
The winning artist will receive the Kennedy Prize of $25,000, and their artwork will be acquired by the Kennedy Arts Foundation, toured nationwide and auctioned at the next year’s Kennedy Prize exhibition. The work’s increased recognition, prestige and market value will thus contribute significantly to the prize’s funds, ensuring continued annual growth. The main exhibit will present finalists’ works, demonstrating their exceptional quality.

The Foundation’s Choice,  a separate exhibition comprising a selection of the remaining entries, will run alongside the main exhibit. The Foundation’s Choice exhibition will showcase the scope of the entries and feature a diverse, exciting array of emerging and established Australian artistic talent.

A people’s choice award will also be awarded to the audience’s preferred entrant.

NARCISSUS 2015 © Christophe Canato

Judges Commendation presented to Christophe Canato for the artwork title " self portraits, Inspired by Patricia Puccinini" - 2015 City of Joondalup Community Invitation Art Award

Juges:

ROBERT COOK

BRANDON BALLENGEE

GREG PRYOR

WORK IN PROGRESS

GREY GARMENT, SELF PORTRAIT, NARCISSUS © christophe canato 2015

As in many societies, religious doctrine is a factor in the policing of hair.

To mark their status, ladies never cut their hair among the fashionable middle and upper classes of Victorian society. In contrast, hair became the focal point of sexual interest and the primary expression of femininity could be seen as decadence if untied. What was decadent not that long ago now finds its civilian status as a third gender. Beyond sexuality, what some people consider a vice or confusion between gender will reveal balanced identities with one of its famous representatives, talented bearded lady Conchita Wurst.

Narcissus saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it. From the Greek myth we find the origin of the term narcissism, a fixation with oneself and one's physical appearance. Some say that narcissism is the direct expression of same-sex attraction but can we reduce homosexuality to a single schema, given the complexity of our human brain. Considering recent introduction to same sex marriage in our Western world, Canato’s Narcissus is a way to examine ethic and the relationship between narrative and representation.

Much like artists might look to religion or myths as a catalyst for their work, Patricia Piccinini with The Carrier, 2012, uses biology as a narrative to understand and express the issues of our contemporary world sparking a dialogue with our desire to homogenise the human body. Inspired by this particular work of hers, Christophe Canato’s ludic self-portrait with his partner in life, expressing the challenges of our ability to accept those who don’t meet our concept of the ideal.

This trilogy serves as an expression of the membrane between two worlds; that by which we are surrounded, and another which belongs to the individual, a sort of no man’s land. Intense of emotion and metaphor, this interior space could be portrayed as circus freaks with the bearded lady, the giant and the conjoined twins.

link to CATALOGUE - finalist of the 2015 City of Joondalup Community Invitation Art Award

2015 Catalogue of the Community Invitation Art Award

GREY GARMENT 2015 © Christophe Canato

INTIMACIES - Courthouse Gallery, ArtGeo Cultural Complex, City of Busselton, 1 September to 13 October 2015 - Art On The Move

Curated by participating artists Christophe Canato and Christine Tomas; Erin Coates, Thea Constantino and  Justin Spiers will present audiences with photomedia art that delves into unconventional notions of intimacy.

artist talks - QUIET MOMENTS - 6 June 2015- Fremantle Arts Centre

Quiet Moments: contemporary poetic photography is on exhibit from Sat 6 June – Sun 26 July. 
FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE, 1 Finnerty St, Fremantle Western Australia 6160.
Free Entry.
The shows include work by John Gollings, David Bate (UK), Jane Burton (VIC), Christophe Canato (WA), Kate Hamilton (UK), Estelle Hanania (Fr), Susan Hill (WA), Sascha Weidner (Germany) & Christopher Young (WA).

Photos by Jessica Wyld Photography

QUIET MOMENTS: contemporary poetic photography - Fremantle Art Centre, Western Australia- 06 June to 26 July 2015 - David Bate (UK) Jane Burton (VIC) Christophe Canato (WA) Kate Hamilton (UK) Estelle Hanania (France) Susan Hill (WA) Sascha Weidner (Germany) Christopher Young (WA)

ad vitam æternam © Christophe Canato

Opening Fri 5 June | 6:30pm | Free Exhibition Runs Sat 6 June – Sun 26 July quiet moments showcases the work of some of the premier photographers from the UK, Europe and Australia. Poetic photography is distinctive for cutting juxtaposition and languid beauty, offering many possible meanings in stark contrast to the majority of advertising and online imagery saturating today's media. Curated by Susan Hill, the works presented feature strange scenes, peculiar figures and random objects from everyday life combined in unexpected ways. Rich in colour, hidden meaning and metaphor, viewers are invited to contemplate the images and project their own day dreams into the scenes. quiet moments features the work of eight prominent national and international photographers including: David Bate (UK) Jane Burton (VIC) Christophe Canato (WA) Kate Hamilton (UK) Estelle Hanania (France) Susan Hill (WA) Sascha Weidner (Germany) Christopher Young (WA) Susan Hill, artist, freelance curator and lecturer, holds a BA (Visual Arts) from the Canberra School of Art and an MA in Photographic Studies from the University of Westminster, England. She has curated exhibitions throughout the UK, Germany and Australia. Workshop & Public Program Artist talk with Susan Hill | Sat 6 June Poetic Photography workshop | Sun 21 June

Inside-Out Billboard by Christophe Canato

CITY OF JOONDALUP, Western Australia

PANDORA'S BOX 2015 © Christophe Canato

The City of Joondalup’s Inside-Out Billboard has undergone a change with a new artwork display of commissioned work by artist Christophe Canato. 

Artist Christophe Canato was commissioned by the City for the third instalment of artwork for the Inside-Out Billboard, displaying series of diverse and engaging contemporary artworks by Western Australian artists.

Canato is a professional artist working in the medium of photography and was the winner of the Popular Choice Award at the 2014 Community Invitation Art Award.

The artwork called ‘Pandora’s Box’ was developed following a series by Canato called ‘Ricochet’. The series consists of darkly lit still life photographs representing subjects brimming with a sense of uncertainty and mystery, in this case evoking the fascination and imagination that lies within the mind of a child.

‘Pandora’s Box’ is an image of a young woman, in a dark forest, in front of a gently lit canopy of leaves, kneeling and holding a box. She is back-lit and glows in the dark forest. 

The artwork changes throughout the day depending on the light and position of the sun. In the morning the scene appears as a very dark landscape with only the outline visible of the girl in the forest - creating a sense of tension and mystery. As the sun moves to the west further details of the forest leaves and canopy appear, finally at twilight the billboard begins to glow and the scene is revealed in fine detail. 

Canato’s artwork will remain on display until September 2015. The next artist to be commissioned to produce an artwork will be selected from artists taking part in the Community Art Exhibition in June 2015.

PANDORA'S BOX - City of Joondalup Inside-Out Billboard Project -102 Boas Avenue, Joondalup, Western Australia - From the 21 April 2015.

My work has been installed yesterday on the Joondalup library's side wall billboard, 102 Boas Avenue. Dark in day time, the mysterious and obscure silhouette of PANDORA'S BOX photograph will reveal all its magic and details at night. Must be seen after sunset.

Mon travail a été installé hier sur le panneau lumineux de la bibliothèque de Joondalup, 102 Boas Av. Western Australie. Sombre en plein jour, la mystérieuse et obscure silhouette que l'on distingue sur la photographie LA BOITE DE PANDORE révèlera toute sa magie et ses détails dès la tombée de la nuit. A voir après le couché du soleil.

GESTURE is a 03:04mn video from the RICOCHET series - In collaboration with Sue Peacock.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

OCULA

Abridged magazine 0_39: The Never Never - Issue in conjunction with the 2015 Belfast Photo Festival, Northern Ireland

Issue 0_39: Never Never
Abridged magazine

Christophe Canato Ricochet 2013,
metallic paper, archival pigment print

Finalist for the 2015 MIDWEST ART PRIZE - The Geralton Regional Art Gallery - Opening 28 of January 2015.

Filming of the Mid West Art prize 2015

Geralton Regional Art Gallery

RICOCHET - I am a rhinoceros © Christophe Canato

COLLECTIVE - Exhibition 11-21 December 2014 + Auction and Silent auction open until Friday, 19th December 4pm

Perth Centre for Photography's annual group exhibition and auction showcasing an eclectic mix of some of the best photographic art from Australia and beyond.

EXHIBITING ARTISTS 2014
Jacqueline Ball, Kevin Ballantine, Olga Cironis, Christophe Canato, David Collins, Rebecca Dagnall, Sam Harris, Dan McCabe, Graham Miller, Jim Naughten, Justin Spiers, Juha Tolonen, Christopher Young, Panizza Allmark, Troy Allwright, Ryan Ammon, Phoebe Avenue, Svetlana Bailey, Justin Barnes, Chloe Bartram, David Jo Bradley, Paul Batt, Lyle Branson, Arno Blax, Jaryd Brazier, Shannon Calcott, Darren Clayton, Caroline Day, Simon Deadman, Dominika Debska, Renee Doropoulos, Melissa Eder, Jane Finlay, Suzie Fox, Daniel Gerwien, Kristian Häggblom, Alice Harris, Paris Hawken, Alan Hill & Kelly Hussey-Smith, Pablo Hughes, Sarah Landro, Joseph Landro, Ireneusz Luty, Rebecca Mansell, Daniel Marano, Julian Masters, Caroline McGrath, Kirstyn McMullan, Jason Moffatt, Emiko Monobe, Guido Nigro, Mark Parfitt, Ché Parker, Sandhya Porritt, Harrison Reid Sadler, Johannes Reinhart, Tim Sexton, Darren Smith, Justin Spiers, Suellen Symons, Ebony Talijancich, Lolly Tarver, Geneviève Thauvette, Nina Thomas, Christine Tomás, Rhiannon Tully,  Gwenaël Velge, Dianna Wells, Josh Wells, Angela Welyczko, James Whineray, Emily Willis, Duncan Wright, Fabien Zuffo Deschamps 

Christophe Canato $2000 winner of the Popular Choice Award with EXOSKELETON + $3000 commissioned artist to produce an artwork for the City of Joondalup Inside-Out Billboard for display from March 2015 - City of Joondalup. COMMUNITY INVITATION ART AWARD 2014

EXOSKELETON #" © Christophe Canato

About Community Invitation Art Award
About City of Joondalup Inside-Out Billboard for display 

2014 City of Joondalup COMMUNITY INVITATION ART AWARD - Christophe Canato finalist

EXOSKELETON #2 (selfportrait) artist suffering from recent Sudden Hearing Loss diagnosis.

The city of Joondalup is back with one of the most prestigious art prize in Western Australia.

On it’s new concept, the Community Invitation Art Award exhibits the works of thirteen professional artists from across Western Australia working in a variety of different mediums.

Each invited artists have been asked to submit three works.

With a spiritual aproach of the exoskeleton, in this case represented by the different stages of the sea urchins’s life, Christophe Canato has developed three interpretations from larva to shell.

In EXOSKELETON #3, Sea Urchin Larvae, from latin « ghost mask » (originally denoting a disembodied spirit), a human body is levitating in a fluorescent swarm of sea urchin larvae.

EXOSKELETON #1, Walyungup salt lake, questioning about our origins, our belonging and future.

About Community Invitation Art Award.

EXOSKELETON - Artist talk, Tuesday 21 October 2014 - 6:30pm at Joondalup Art Gallery.

 In the 2014 City of Joondalup Community Invitation Art Award context - Christophe Canato Artist talks, Tuesday 21 October at 6:30pm at JCAA, Joondalup Art Gallery, 4/48 Central Walk JOONDALUP WA 6027.

 EXOSKELETON - Walyungup salt lake © christophe canato

DIGGING is a 04:03mn video from the RICOCHET series - In collaboration with Sue Peacock.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

INTIMACIES - Vancouver Art Centre, Albany WA - opening 18h30 Wednesday 20 Auguste 2014 - Art On The Move

RICOCHET © christophe canato

Curated by participating artists Christophe Canato and Christine Tomas; Erin Coates, Thea Constantino and  Justin Spiers will present audiences with photomedia art that delves into unconventional notions of intimacy.

INTIMACIES - Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery WA - opening 18h30 Friday 13 June 2014, guest speaker Christophe Canato Artist-Curator - Art On The Move

© JUSTINE SPIERS - ARTERIAL LINE I

Curated by participating artists Christophe Canato and Christine Tomas; Erin Coates, Thea Constantino and  Justin Spiers will present audiences with photomedia art that delves into unconventional notions of intimacy.

RICOCHET - ANNA PAPPAS Gallery Vic - 29 April 31 May 2014

Christophe Canato Ricochet 2013,
metallic paper, archival pigment print

Christophe Canato’s photographs of boys are not so much portraits as psychological portrayals of the developmental stage that follows infancy and precedes adolescence. These human subjects are complemented by photographs of inanimate forms and structures: dead animals, a bivouac den, a handkerchief containing a tooth and a couple of buttons. Objects that fascinate the mind of a boy but retain little interest for the busy grownup. In this way the artist sets up a dialogue between the adult viewer and the half-remembered period of childhood his photographs evoke.

Shot against a black background with lighting reminiscent of that illuminating the subjects of Renaissance painting, the images are rich and dark. This marks an interesting counterpoint to his previous body of work, Women of Jerusalem, which presented elderly women using high-key lighting and a pure white backdrop. Where that work cast an almost forensic eye on aging as metaphor for the tolls of responsibility and cultural expectation, the new work emerges from an enigmatic obscurity that suggests the uncertain promises of things yet to come.
   
These photographs are brought together under the title of Ricochet, alluding to the uncertain trajectory of pre-p ubescent boyhood. But, as the artist knows from his own upbringing, in France ‘ricochet’ also refers to the pastime of skimming flat pebbles across a still patch of water; a trick that defies the expectation that a stone should always plummet to the bottom. It is these ideas of uncertainty and mystery that bind the series together.

Text by Alasdair Foster, curator, writer and consultant working on projects that build intercultural connections, especial in the Pacific region. He was the founding director of Fotofeis, Europe’s largest photo festival in the 1990s, Director of the Australian Centre for Photography (1998-2011) and Managing Editor of Photofile magazine (1998-2008).

GESTURE (video):

http://www.christophecanato.com/christophecanato_Gestures 28-3.mov

Anna Pappas gallery

OCULA - May 2014

OCULA.COM 

RICOCHET © christophe canato

ART COLLECTOR - publication April 2014

RICOCHET © christophe canato

Christophe Canato’s evocative photographs trigger memories of one’s childhood. This rich series of darkly lit portraits and still life photographs, each piece brimming with a sense of uncertainty and mystery, delves into the psyche of childhood and looks at the fascination and imagination held only within the mind of the child.

Born in France in 1966, Canato grew up in an artistic family, his father a talented painter. At seventeen Canato successfully enrolled in the Beaux-Arts School and went on to complete a Diplôme National Supérieur D'expression Plastique in 1989. Canato lives and works in France and Australia.

Art Collector publication