Cross-Cultural Research Residency: In Search of “Place, Space, and Time”
Metaxata Village, Cephalonia, Greece | June 4–20
Hosted by the Ionion Center for the Arts and Culture
Metaxata Village, Cephalonia, Greece | June 4–20
Hosted by the Ionion Center for the Arts and Culture
This two-week international research residency brings together 12 Canadian artists at the Ionion Center for the Arts and Culture on the island of Cephalonia, within the UNESCO Global Geopark of Kefalonia and Ithaca. The residency examines how artistic practices can respond to the interconnected themes of place, space, and time amid the global climate crisis.
Artists will explore the region’s unique geological formations, ecological systems, and cultural histories ranging from deep geological time to mythological narratives such as the Odyssey’s Ithaca while working alongside Greek partners, researchers, and local communities.
Residency Goals
● Support cross-cultural collaboration between Canadian artists, researchers, and institutions.
● Investigate how art can engage with ecological, geological, and temporal systems in a rapidly changing climate.
● Develop new interdisciplinary artworks informed by field research within the UNESCO Geopark.
● Foster dialogue on place-based knowledge, environmental futures, and shared global ecologies.
● Build sustainable networks between the Ionion Art Center and Ralph Klein Park (Calgary) for long-term exchange.
● Provide opportunities for artists from underrepresented regions, particularly Alberta, within the Canadian arts landscape.
Residency Activities
Artists will participate in guided fieldwork across the Geopark, including geological, ecological, and cultural studies; interdisciplinary workshops and discussions; collaborative research sessions; and an open studio/public sharing event at the Ionion Art Center and a local library. Artists will begin developing concepts and frameworks for new work during the residency. Creation is encouraged but resources at the Ionion Art Center will be limited.
Artists will participate in guided fieldwork across the Geopark, including geological, ecological, and cultural studies; interdisciplinary workshops and discussions; collaborative research sessions; and an open studio/public sharing event at the Ionion Art Center and a local library. Artists will begin developing concepts and frameworks for new work during the residency. Creation is encouraged but resources at the Ionion Art Center will be limited.
Please take a look at the Geo Park website and take note of any location that interests you.
Post-Residency Creation & Exhibition
Following the residency, artists will return to their studios to create new work inspired by their research in Kefalonia. These works will be presented in a curated exhibition in Calgary, Alberta will be presented at a site with ecological significance that mirrors the residency’s focus on geology, environment, and place. Public programming, a digital publication, and an online research archive will accompany the exhibition, with potential future touring or reciprocal programming in Greece. This portion of the program is subject to funding. In Collaboration with The New Gallery, and Contemporary Calgary, the participating artists may be part of a Gathering and Symposium, bringing together other art researchers, scientists, and practitioners.
Following the residency, artists will return to their studios to create new work inspired by their research in Kefalonia. These works will be presented in a curated exhibition in Calgary, Alberta will be presented at a site with ecological significance that mirrors the residency’s focus on geology, environment, and place. Public programming, a digital publication, and an online research archive will accompany the exhibition, with potential future touring or reciprocal programming in Greece. This portion of the program is subject to funding. In Collaboration with The New Gallery, and Contemporary Calgary, the participating artists may be part of a Gathering and Symposium, bringing together other art researchers, scientists, and practitioners.
Summary
This residency provides a unique opportunity for artists to engage directly with a geologically and culturally significant landscape in Greece, deepen cross-cultural dialogue, and develop new artworks that bridge Mediterranean and Canadian ecologies. Through collaboration, research, and creative inquiry, participating artists will explore how place, space, and time intersect in an era of climate instability, generating new perspectives and sustaining long-term international artistic exchange.
This residency provides a unique opportunity for artists to engage directly with a geologically and culturally significant landscape in Greece, deepen cross-cultural dialogue, and develop new artworks that bridge Mediterranean and Canadian ecologies. Through collaboration, research, and creative inquiry, participating artists will explore how place, space, and time intersect in an era of climate instability, generating new perspectives and sustaining long-term international artistic exchange.
Confirmed Artists:
Patrick Moskwa (Lead)
Natasha Faye Jensen (Lead)
Nick Johnson
Avery Fisher
Julya Hajnoczky
Karine Locatelli
Jillian Fleck
Sarah Slaughter
Josefina Rodriguez
Kelly Isaak
Sean Taal Tomo Ingalls
Patti Derbyshire
Tammy McDonald