Ron Benner
Born in London, Ontario where he continues to live, Ron Benner studied agricultural engineering
at the University of Guelph before embarking on a career as an artist. Working in a variety of
diverse media he produces complelling and provocative works that examine colonialism and biodiversity.
[ biography ] [ cv ]
[ website: The Canadian Art Database ]
[ contact ]
Maize Barbacoa, 2006
Site-specific installation
(black and white laminated photographs, corn plants, and
corn roast performance)
[ selected photographs ]
[ video ]
Village of Yorkville Park (Cumberland Street and Bellair Street)
[In association with Victoria University in the University of Toronto,
which provided the corn-growing site during the summer of 2006].
[Patron Arts Supporter: Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Association].
Maize/corn has been grown and roasted in the Americas for over 6,000 years. Its dissemination to Europe
as a curiosity began with the first voyage by the Italian merchant mariner, Christopher Columbus (1446?-1506)
to the Caribbean in 1492 A.D. Its dissemination to Africa and Asia began with the Portuguese Pedro Álvares
Cabral's voyage to India via Brazil, which he is credited as "discovering" on April 22, 1500 A.D.
Today maize is grown, harvested and roasted throughout the world. Corn roasters can be found plying their trade
in such diverse corners of the world as Beirut, Lebanon; Cologne, Germany; Cuzco, Peru; Hoi An, Viet
Nam; London, Canada; Mexico City, Mexico; Mombasa, Kenya; Mumbai, India; Tokyo, Japan; and now Toronto,
Canada.
Images of Benner's fellow corn roasters were displayed to accompany his performance,
along with texts of the word 'corn' in 45 languages.
YOU ARE HERE [audio project by Lewis Kaye]
For the audio file for this site, please right-click the link below
and select "save target as (pc) /
download linked file (mac)".
Village of Yorkville Park (6.38 MB)
You Are Here instructions
1) Download each track to your personal computer
and add them to your favoured MP3 player software (e.g. iTunes, WinAmp, etc.) library.
2) Create a playlist specifically for Scotiabank Nuit Blanche,
and download this playlist to your portable MP3 player.
***Please note that while you can play the tracks on a normal stereo speaker system,
You Are Here is a binaural audio project specifically designed for personal stereos.
For full effect, each track should be listened to with headphones.
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