CCCA Canadian Art Database

Dick Averns

Dick Averns' practice investigates the commodification of space. Language, media convergence and identity politics – major arbiters of spatial control – are explored via sculpture, performativity, text-based works and photography. Pyscho-geography and performance ethnography feature as regular approaches to executing projects, often manifested as public art. As a cross-departmental faculty member at the Alberta College of Art & Design, teaching between liberal studies and studio, Averns has established new curricula for undergraduate programs in sculpture, performance and installation. Complementing his art production, Averns is both a critical and scholarly writer. Mental spaces are addressed on conflicted fronts: the overt and covert. In terms of overt conflict Averns writes on contemporary war art and has presented public lectures, chaired academic conference panels and published articles on this topic. Covert conflict is probed via applied research into mental health disorders. This has included the role of principal investigator for an interdisciplinary project investigating mental health, career choice and achievement in the workplace. Specifically, this work investigates how challenges associated with Tourette Syndrome may be channeled into positive career characteristics. Averns is also a professional panel chair and conference moderator. Dick is represented by the Bjornson Kajiwara Gallery, Vancouver.
Creator Id: 34
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Country of Birth: England
Year of Birth: 1964
City: Calgary
Country: Canada
Type of Creator: Artist
Gender: Male
Mediums: installation, photography, sculpture, text-based
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Work by Dick Averns

Operation Indian

Work ID: 68141

Description: Clandestine billboard installation (multi-site), London, UK, 1993.

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Operation Indian (Let This Smoke Signal be a Warning)

Work ID: 68142

Description: Clandestine billboard installation (multi-site), London, UK, 1993.

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Operation Indian (Don’t Let Cigarettes Take Your Scalp)

Work ID: 68143

Description: Clandestine billboard installation (multi-site), London, UK, 1993.

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Operation Indian (Here Rides the Ghost of the Marlboro Man)

Work ID: 68144

Description: Clandestine billboard installation (multi-site), London, UK, 1993.

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Luxury Avenue:

Work ID: 68139

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 76.2 cm

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Earth Moving

Work ID: 68135

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Gulf Island Logging Access

Work ID: 68133

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Zero Avenue

Work ID: 68140

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Human Overspill

Work ID: 68136

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Footprint

Work ID: 68137

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Tract

Work ID: 68134

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Critically Framed

Work ID: 68138

Description: from the Series Luxury Avenue, 1998.

Measurements: 50.8 x 101.6 cm

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Illuminating Language

Work ID: 68122

Description: from the series of Neon Sculpture Works, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 25.4 x 304.8 x 15.24 cm

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Exercising Desire (detail)

Work ID: 68124

Description: from the series of Neon Sculpture Works, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 106.68 x 157.48 x 20.32 cm

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Exercising Desire

Work ID: 68123

Description: from the series of Neon Sculpture Works, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 106.68 x 157.48 x 20.32 cm

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Illuminating Language

Work ID: 68125

Description: from the series of Neon Sculpture Works, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 60.96 x 609.6 x 30.48 cm

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Utopia Pkwy – chez Joseph Cornell

Work ID: 68107

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. New York City, 2002.

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Seats of Power – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68110

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 50.8 x 71.12 cm

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Seats of Power – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68111

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 50.8 x 71.12 cm

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Seats of Power Mk2 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68121

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: LIVE: Vancouver Biennial of Performance Art, Vancouver, 2003.

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Comrades, It’s Never Over!

Work ID: 68096

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Comrades, it's Never Over! [Eddie Adams, Saigon, February 1968: Chief of police executes Vietcong suspect, 1968 // Istvan Orosz, Tovarishi, Koniets! (Comrades, It's Over), Hungary, 1990].

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Seats of Power Mk2 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68119

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2003.

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Dog Police

Work ID: 68100

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Dog Police [Grabbed image, U.S. transport plane en route to Guantanamo Bay, 2002 // Joseph Beuys, Coyote: I Like America and America Likes me, 1974].

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United We Stand (Ambivalence Blvd)

Work ID: 68104

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. World Exchange Plaza, Ottawa, 2005..

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Exquisite Corpse

Work ID: 68098

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Exquisite Corpse [James Montgomery Flagg, I Want YOU for U.S. Army, 1917 // Anon, I Want YOU for U.S. Army, 1972].

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Seats of Power Mk1 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68116

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: union rally, Vancouver, 2003.

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Seats of Power Mk2 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68120

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: LIVE: Vancouver Biennial of Performance Art, Vancouver, 2003.

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Opening Competition

Work ID: 68092

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Opening Competition [Albert Janesch, Water Sport, 1936 // Benno von Arent, Unter den Linden, 1937].

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Seats of Power Mk2 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68118

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2003.

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Seats of Power Mk1

Work ID: 68112

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing.

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Sporting Protest

Work ID: 68097

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Sporting Protest [Popperfoto, Mexico City, October 1968: Tommie Smith and John Carlos give the Black Power salute at Olympic Games, 1968 // Arnold Skolnick, 3 days of peace & music, 1969].

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Seats of Power Mk1 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68115

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: LIVE: Vancouver Biennial of Performance Art, Vancouver, 2003.

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Repeat Performance

Work ID: 68099

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Repeat Performance [Alfredo Jaar, The Eyes of Gutete Emerita, 1996 // Alfredo Jaar, The Eyes of Gutete Emerita, 1996].

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Fall – War is Clover

Work ID: 68103

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Fall - War is Clover [John & Yoko, War is Over, 1969 // Gilbert & George, Fall, 1987].

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Seats of Power Mk1 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68114

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: 'Live Action, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, 2005.

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Formal Structures

Work ID: 68093

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Formal Structures [Soviet & German pavilions, Paris, 1937 // Anon, Madrid. The 'Military' Practice of the Rebels].

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Seats of Power Mk1

Work ID: 68113

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing.

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Erasure

Work ID: 68102

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Erasure [Grabbed image, Rachel Corrie, Palestine, 2003 // Robert Smithson, Glue Pour, 1970].

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Pinnacle

Work ID: 68101

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Pinnacle [Grabbed image, Iraqi P.O.W. and son, Iraq, 2003 // Rebecca Horn, Unicorn, Rebecca Horn, 1973].

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Bodily Clarification

Work ID: 68094

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Bodily Clarification [Josef Thorak, Monumental Group, 1934-6 // Willi Baumeister, Arno Breker's “The Avenger” with head drawn by Willi Baumeister, c. 1941].

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Continental Shift

Work ID: 68095

Description: from the Series 1933, 1968, 2003 - Art in the Face of the Project for The New American Century, 2003 - ongoing.
Continental Shift [Anon, Warsaw Ghetto, April 1943 // Art Workers' Coalition, Q. And babies? A. And babies, My Lai, Vietnam, 1970].

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Seats of Power Mk2 – the Armchair Terrorist

Work ID: 68117

Description: from the Series, Seats of Power - the Armchair Terrorist, 1999 - ongoing. Location: Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, 2003.

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Making a Stand (Ambivalence Blvd)

Work ID: 68105

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. Union Rally, Simon Fraser University, 2003.

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Benchmarks and Bookends

Work ID: 68128

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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Museological Stand

Work ID: 68108

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. Canadian War Museum, 2005.

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Benchmarks and Bookends

Work ID: 68130

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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Global Stand (Ambivalence Blvd)

Work ID: 68106

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. World Exchange Plaza, Ottawa, 2005..

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Benchmarks and Bookends

Work ID: 68131

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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Benchmarks and Bookends

Work ID: 68132

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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Benchmarks and Bookends

Work ID: 68129

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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Ambivalence Blvd (video still)

Work ID: 68109

Description: from the Series Ambivalence Blvd, 1999 - ongoing. US Embassy, Ottawa, 2005.

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Benchmarks and Bookends (preset)

Work ID: 68127

Description: The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, 2005.

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The Terms of Art are Endless

Work ID: 68126

Description: from the series of Neon Sculpture Works, 1999 - ongoing.

Measurements: 5.08 x 182.88 x 7.62 cm

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