Soul Symphony: The Art of Alex Janvier at Cold Lake Energy Centre until August 10
A short film celebrating the life and the art of Denesułiné artist Alex Janvier will be presented in Cold Lake every day until Monday, August 10.
The 23-minute film Soul Symphony: The Art of Alex Janvier, brings Janvier’s art, stories, and culture to life.
The film is an immersive 360-degree projection, shown inside a dome that was erected in the Imperial Oil Place Arena in the Cold Lake Energy Centre. It is presented through a partnership between the City of Cold Lake and the Janvier Gallery.
Alex Janvier (1935 – 2014) was an influential artist from Cold Lake First Nations. In his long career he received important commissions and was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, the Order of Canada, and the Alberta Order of Excellence among many other honours and distinctions. He was a recognized pioneer of contemporary Indigenous art and a member of The Indian Group Of Seven.
His daughter Jill Janvier said the family was approached by Bernard Dugas from Montreal-based production company Lucion Media about six years ago, wanting to work together on the film project.
“He inquired about the possibility of representing my dad’s art in some type of big immersive exhibition,” Jill said.
“At that time they were touring Vincent van Gogh immersive exhibitions which were projecting his paintings on huge walls,” she said. “We actually got to see one of those with my parents in Edmonton, which was a really cool experience.”
She said the Soul Symphony film is an opportunity for Cold Lake viewers to learn more about the art they see around town, and to understand Alex’s vision.
“The narrative in the film is composed of several interviews with Alex, and he talks about what inspires him,” Jill said. “He talks about his memory and his inspirations. Just a lot of narrative, a little bit of his background history of where he grew up and how he started to draw in the mud as a young child, as his creative expression.”
The film also talks about Alex Janvier’s family, “which is a beautiful thing because we have to give tribute to the fact that almost everything my parents have done with their business since 1972 has been through their partnership. And the support of their children has been consistent throughout,” Jill said.
She said the family was able to see a draft cut of the film inside an inflatable eight-foot dome in the gallery.
“The cool thing about that is that Alex saw that one as well,” she said.
“Our family and a few of our community members were involved. We got to lie down on the floor or sit in a chair and see this draft form of the film back then. And I thought it was pretty cool to see my dad—I think he was a little wowed by his own work. Like he created everything in the film, but to see it in the format, to hear his own voice… I think that is what takes us all in.”
The 360-degree projection literally immerses the audience in the entire experience, creating a storytelling intimacy that a flat screen can’t convey.
“When you see this film, it’s like his voice is right there, the same way that we heard him when he was with us. His wisdom, his thoughts, the kinds of things he talked about, all that’s just fresh. And it’s a reminder of him,” Jill said.
“And then we pair it with his beautiful work and diverse expressions of it.”
People in Cold Lake are proud of Alex Janvier’s success and proud that the community is associated with him. But aside from his family and community at Cold Lake First Nations, local people might not appreciate the depth of his experience or the inspiration he took from the region.
Jill says it’s important that the film is being shown here.
“We’re just really excited to share it,” she said, “and I think it’s important that it came home.
“Alex, although he travelled the world, he always came home. He loved Cold Lake—literally, the lake. He used to visit the lake every day. So bringing the film here has been important for my parents. My mom Jacqueline is still doing her best to represent Alex’s legacy, and that’s something that will always be her intention and her hope for her children to carry on as well. It’s really been a blessing to bring it here.”
The film will run every 40 minutes from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm (13 shows per day) at the Energy Centre until August 10. Tickets can be purchased at the door only, with seating for 50 people in each time slot.
