Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge
In their contentious 1976 AGO exhibition, It’s Still Privileged Art, Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge exposed the market-driven world of contemporary art from their insider-vantage points as—initially willing, but increasingly critical—artist-participants. They were re-imagining their roles as working artists, turning away from art’s cult of individualism and turning towards collaborative-creation, community engagement, and political activism. In the ensuing years, they have blazed a pioneering path where their art and activism overlap and intertwine. Their constructed photography—illuminating working people’s stories and envisioning social change—reflects and connects with their collaborative work in the community, advancing artists’ rights and forging strong links with the Labour movement and other activist networks. In 2010, the scope and influence of their collaboration prompted OCAD University to award the artists honourary doctorates, followed by similar recognition from NSCAD University, UQAM, and the César Chavez Black Eagle Award from UFCW Canada.
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