'cold morning' is a selection of four new films by mark lewis who represents canada this year at the
venice art biennale. the films combine documentary footage and dramatic action with his recent interest
in the historical technique of rear projection, resulting in works that explore the history of place
and the passage of time. the four autonomous works are presented together in a spatial syntax of
oppositions that characterize some of the social tensions and spatial complexities that mark urban
modernity as well as the conditions and potential of film as a modern medium.


nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating (2009)
single screen projection, 4 minutes 35mm and 4K transfered to 2K
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
comissioned by justina m. barnicke gallery, hart house, university of toronto. mark lewis studio inc. in co-production with
the national film board of canada

'nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating' follows the undulating narrative of lovers
which are seemingly immersed in the open dream space of an urban skating rink.
the simultaneity of two temporal and spatial dimensions within one picture, already an aspect of
the history of the avant-garde's pictorial interests, challenges the visual experience of backgrounds
as just a setting.


nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating (2009)
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


the young couple embracing
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating (2009)
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


the open dream space of the skating rink
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating (2009)
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


nathan phillips square, a winter's night, skating (2009)
image © designboom


cold morning (2009)
single screen projection, 7 minutes 35 seconds HD video
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
comissioned by justina m. barnicke gallery, hart house, university of toronto. mark lewis studio inc. in co-production with
the national film board of canada

shot in toronto, lewis shifts perspective in 'cold morning' by focusing on the actions of someone
who lives and makes his home on the street during one winter's coldest days. using rear projection,
lewis elaborates on the spatial dissociation more explicitly at the level of film itself.


the man and his belongings, finding warmth in cups of coffee and a nearby grater emits heat
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


cleaning up his 'home'
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)


his belongings neatly piled together
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)




the flight (2008)
single screen projection, 5 minutes 27 seconds, HD video
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
a production of the research laboratory for film & television - academy of fine arts vienna

'the flight' observes the to-and-fro of physical conflict without any apparent resolution.


the flight (2008)
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
a production of the research laboratory for film & television - academy of fine arts vienna


the vicious cycle of the fight, separating the fight and starting another
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
a production of the research laboratory for film & television - academy of fine arts vienna


the fight continuing with no apparent resolution
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)
a production of the research laboratory for film & television - academy of fine arts vienna


the flight (2008)
image © designboom


the film depicts men and women in the street fighting with no end
image © designboom


the flight (2008)
image © designboom




TD centre, 54th floor (2009)
single screen project, 6 minutes, 57 seconds 35mm transfered to 2K
film still courtesy the artist / monte clark gallery(vancouver) / clark & faria (toronto) / galerie serge le borgne (paris)

the film offers a vertiginous view of the pulse of downtown from the 54th floor of
mies van der rohe's iconic office tower in toronto


TD centre, 54th floor (2009)
image © designboom


TD centre, 54th floor (2009)
image © designboom