OMG, PAUL WONG!


Paul Wong, Year of GIF (installation view), 2013

Winsor-represented artist Paul Wong has been keeping busy lately. Earlier this year, Wong launched his Year of GIF project on the Surrey Urban Screen, Canada's largest permanent non-commercial outdoor screen. Starting just after dusk and continuing until midnight, this dynamic outdoor installation featured a year's worth of Wong's explorations in the internet's favourite medium: the animated GIF.


Paul Wong, OMG Art Bar, 2013


This month, Wong took on the role of curator and host of what promises to be a super-fun monthly party, OMG Art Bar. Both a play on internet shorthand and an acronym of On Main Gallery, OMG Art Bar teamed up with Arrival Vancouver (known for the smashing programming at the recently-defunct Waldorf Hotel) this time around for a night of stunning visuals by guest artists and music by DJs Mandy-Lyn Antoniou, Patrick Campbell, and Cherchez La Femme. The party wolves among you would do well to head over to On Main's Facebook page to stay in the loop about upcoming art bars.



OMG Art Bar windows at On Main Gallery

Paul Wong and company are also bringing the future (or, we suppose, the present) to Car Free Day tomorrow. On Main Gallery Social Media Art Zones, or #OMGSMAZ, is set to launch during the celebrations on Main and 20th. Using existing social media platforms, this "public digital space" will promote community-led image creation, as well as "social media network demo workshops every half hour, interactive video booths, emoticon photo backdrops, viewing lounge, QR code games, IMG hunts, info and social interaction spaces".



#OMGSMAZ at Car Free Day


And if that wasn't enough, Mr. Wong is constantly producing new works -- whether in the form of large, projection/installation-based projects or as GIFs, screencaps, and other images disseminated on social media and his blog. We're certainly looking forward to seeing what he's going to do next.

Comments