Taking place from July 25th to August 1st, the Emma International Collaboration is an unstructured, creative collaboration between invited artists from all over the world. Affectionately known as “Emma,” this biennial week-long residency takes place at the Ness Creek Festival Site in Northern Saskatchewan. Artists at various stages of their careers are challenged to step outside their usual art practice to explore medium, technique, and subject matter through hands on collaboration and exciting creative exchange.
Frans Lotz
fransjacobuslotz@gmail.com
What is your current area of artistic interest?
Can an art object be taken seriously if also happens to make a person smile? Through sculpture I play with scale, materials and a touch of humour to pose this question visually. My tiny renditions of objects I know intimately through use and experience go beyond the visual. There is a satisfaction in roasting a little leather sausage, trying not to burn or overcook it, while getting the grill marks just right. It makes me feel hungry and it makes me smile. Leather is so close to meat that grilling it feels like telling the truth and telling a lie at the same time. This is the feeling I want to share.
An important aspect of my work is for it to be touched as well as seen. The feel of a tiny sledgehammer, its weight, the way it’s become oily from being handled, is as compelling as its visual resemblance to the original.
What is an an interesting or surprising aspect of yourself as an artist?
Something few people know, besides the fact that I even exist, is that I am inspired by tools and inventing my own, only to realize they already exist and that I have spent three times as long to reach the same conclusion.
If you could have an artistic super power, what would it be?
If I could have an artistic superpower, it would be to have rocket boots so I can make up for lost time.
What is the biggest thrill for you as an Emma participant?
As a first-time participant at Emma, I am excited for the opportunity to share this aspect one-on-one within a diverse community of artists.
Emma Art Auctions
Ness Creek
- WHEN: Wednesday, August 1
- Invite friends on Facebook
- Live & Silent Auction: 4 – 7 pm
- WHERE: Ness Creek Festival Site, east of Big River, SK
Saskatoon
- WHEN: Thursday, August 2
- Invite friends on Facebook
- Silent Auction: 5 pm
- Live Auction: 7 pm
- WHERE: Holy Family Cathedral, 123 Nelson Road, Saskatoon, SK
These live and silent art auctions take place at the end of Emma at the site and in Saskatoon. The auctions are fun, free, and open to the public. This could be the beginning of your art collection! See what artistic magic occurred at the week-long collaboration! Bid on sculptures, paintings, furnishings, jewellery, and wearable art created by more than 80 international, national, and local artists. Proceeds help fund the next Emma.
The Saskatoon auction will feature food by Fresh Dish Catering and a musical performance by Saskatoon local Ellen Froese.