Since the late 1800s there have been English settlers in the eastern-most provinces of Canada. Building an affinity through trading, rather than forging wars, the ties have always been strong between England and Canada.
Dust ‘n’ Grit explores the continuing relationships between these two countries, focusing solely on towns and cities in the Canadian province of Ontario, that share English place-names.
The work is a study of an intriguing collection of Canadian professions, concentrating on chosen individuals and their connection between occupation and country. Associations are drawn between the sitters, their surroundings and the moments shared with the artist during the production of the images. The work is displayed in diptych form, allowing the correlation between environment and profession to be accentuated further.
The title of the project pertains to the inherent principles found in the selected sitters. Dust ‘n’ Grit is prompted by the motto, ‘Industry And Integrity’, of the artist’s secondary school. Often found defaced, reworked, mocked and jibed at by students’ scrawls, the motto is knowingly left as an anarchic trace of the original phrase. By removing specific letters, an opposing and rebellious adage is left in its place…