Nine years ago.
‘La Cloche Spirit: The Equivalent Light' is a photography exhibit comprised of sequences of La Cloche photographs which are like a cinema of stills for the viewer to enjoy their own time and space between the photographs. It represents my ongoing experience with the spiritual and beautiful La Cloche.
First to enjoy the photograph, then to enjoy the implications of design, then to enjoy the suggestions that come to them from the photograph, then to enjoy any symbolism they derive from the photograph and then to fill in the space and time between photographs.
An Equivalent is a photograph that functions as a work of art because while it communicates it also evokes mental images.
The exhibit is comprised of 26 colour photographs all 32” X 40” printed and framed at Edward Burtynsky’s Toronto Image Works.
The exhibit was part of the Toronto 2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival on display at 200 Bay St., South Tower Lobby of the Royal Bank Plaza from May 13 to 26. It was promoted by press release to all major Toronto media, an advertisement in Slate Art Gallery Guide, in the CONTACT2012 catalogue, by poster/cards throughout downtown Toronto, with a Facebook page, by Twitter @ButlerPhotos and through a new website JonButler.ca.
It was a ‘must see’ in NOW magazine and resulted in coverage on CBC, The Sudbury Star, Northern Life, online on Youtube by the Canada Art Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MgeH2JyuCM and by Stephen Weir Tuesday, 15 May, 2012 "Lismer got it right. There is La Cloche, and then there is the rest of the world".
The May 14 reception was attended by over 150 people and thousands viewed the exhibit during its two weeks in the Royal Bank Plaza Lobby.
The exhibit was at the Gore Bay Museum and Gallery on Manitoulin Island from June 10 to August 6, 2012 curated by Nicole Weppler. It was promoted by press release, advertisement in the Manitoulin Expositor, an ad on the Manitoulin Cycling Map, by posters/cards throughout Northeastern Ontario, with a Facebook page, by Twitter @ButlerPhotos and through the website JonButler.ca.
Media coverage included the CBC, Sudbury Star, Northern Life, Manitoulin Expositor, Mid-North Monitor and Espanola Around & About. A 15 film was produced by Kathy Browning/Laurentian University ‘Jon Butler – The Zen of La Cloche’ and it will be part of the Visual Artists in Greater Sudbury series through Laurentian University.
There were 1,122 visitors to the gallery during the exhibit and the June 10 opening also included readings by the Manitoulin Writers Circle along with haiku by Jon Butler.
From November 19 to 30, 2012 the exhibit was at the Vale Living with Lakes Center in Sudbury. It was promoted by press release, posters/cards in Northeastern Ontario, with a Facebook page, by the Art Gallery of Sudbury, bt Twitter @ButlerPhotos, by the Sudbury Arts Council, Rainbow Country Tourism and the website JonButler.ca
The November 24 reception was attended by 75 people and over 400 viewed the exhibit over the two weeks.