‘The United States is no longer a country that Canadians can trust’ says artist in canceling show

By Elmer Ploetz
(Image above: Courtesy PODO Museum, JeJu, South Korea.)

As a border city, Buffalo is always going to be caught up in any tensions between the U.S. and Canada, and artist Alan Belcher’s cancellation of his upcoming exhibit may just be the tip of the ice berg.

The Toronto-based artist announced on Thursday that he was cancelling his “Since 1957” major exhibiton at Buffalo’s Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center that had been scheduled to open on May 2.

In a Facebook post, Belcher said it’s not an issue with Hallwalls, but with the sense that his country is under attack from Washington.

“For decades I have held the highest regard for Hallwalls, for its legacy as well as for its vital place within the Buffalo arts community. I was thrilled to be invited to mount a solo exhibition at Hallwalls, it’s something I had always hoped for,” Belcher said. “I’ve been excited about the new works that have been in production for the show, and I’m very disappointed not to exhibit the works as planned. To go through with the exhibition would seem self-serving, and inappropriate, and somehow even traitorous given the severity of the situation my nation finds itself in.”

Make no mistake about it, Canadians feel threatened by the machinations going on in the Trump administration.

“With a Canada-wide boycott of travel to the U.S.; my thoughts of crossing the border several times, and staying in Buffalo a few days, and encouraging my Canadian friends to attend the exhibition, have left me feeling seriously in a very uncomfortable position,” he said.

“In Canada we are taking the U.S. threat of annexation and the forced redrawing of our border seriously as an extremely dangerous reality. This has very little to do with the current tariff war, except for the fact that Washington plans to weaken Canada with economic warfare before executing a Russian-styled takeover. Washington’s war-plan is the obliteration of my nation’s sovereignty, to remake my country as a U.S. territory, and to seize our raw materials and natural resources (including our oil, our timber, and our water) …and there’s quite probably the gifting of our Arctic to Moscow. It’s frankly all quite terrifying and really rather sickening.”

The situation has drawn national attention with a story on Artnet, the leading national art news source.

Hallwalls Executive Director Edmund Cardoni said he supports the decison.

In his own social media response, Cardoni said, “This is a very big deal, maybe the first of many to come across our country involving Canadian artists scheduled to show at American art spaces and museums. I totally support Alan Belcher’s decision, his reasoning, his integrity, his self-sacrifice, and his kind words about Hallwalls.

“I regret that my country has joined the shameful ranks of such past and present world regimes as apartheid-era South Africa and Israel as a country artists feel bound by conscience — and, in this case, also patriotism — to boycott.”

Contacted later, Cardoni elaborated on Hallwalls’ tradition of cross-border collaboration. The organization’s first film event — 50 years ago, in January of 1975 — was a screening of groundbreaking Canadian experimental filmmaker Michael Snow’s 16mm films at Buffalo State College, followed by dinner and conversation with the filmmaker at Hallwalls.

“Canadian artists have always been an important part of our programing and will always be welcome here,” Cardoni said.

Cardoni is preparing his own statement on the situation, looking at the history of Hallwalls’ engagement with Canadian artists, but mentioned the “Hallwalls: Five Years” exhibit in 1980s, which traveled to only two locations: A Space in Toronto and The New Museum in New York City.

Hallwalls’ first exhibit at its current location in 2006 featured Canadian/American photographer Suzy Lake; later that year one of Hallwalls most significant exhibits was the Aboriginal Sketch Club “Pimup Toon Kitchi Animoosh (The Great Dog Race),” a satirical and pointed look at stereotyping from six Native-Canadian artists.

Those are just a couple of examples of the cross-border pollination we’ve been privileged to witness, so the fracturing of those relationships is not something to be taken lightly, and it could be just the beginning.

The Trump administration has ordered the enforcement of regulations that have been rarely enforced regarding Canadians visiting the U.S., requiring Canadians visiting the country for more than 30 days to be fingerprinted and to register with authorities. Previous practice required only individuals who flew across the border to register with the government; this affects people crossing the border via our bridges. It’s scheduled to take effect April 11.

While it’s the enforcement of existing law, it’s law that has never been enforced with our closest neighbors because it has never needed to be, and it still isn’t needed. The new enforcement is being ordered under the subterfuge of stopping fentenyl smuggling — when seizures of fentenyl coming into the U.S. from Canada have been less than 1 percent of total seizures.

It’s leaving us at a difficult juncture with our friends to the north. Many will choose to look past our government’s actions and continue to come. But it will be less comfortable.

Maggie’s Wake is a Canadian band that will be playing two St. Patrick’s Day shows at the Sportsmen’s Tavern on Monday. The band, led by singer Tara Dunphy, will be making its Buffalo debut, but Dunphy has played the venue numerous times with her honky tonk band, the Rizdales.

Dunphy said they’re still coming, but the international issues have had an effect.

“We love playing in the U.S. and for me, I have a major love for Buffalo and the Sportsmen’s Tavern so I’m really excited about being there,” she said. “Having said that, given the political climate and recent border issues for people who hold valid visas, we are planning on spending more time than usual at the border crossing. The American people have always been very welcoming to us and while we love sharing our music and playing in the States, we are very proud Canadians and there’s no better feeling than going home.”

So even with those Canadian artists who come, the emotions are more frayed than they’ve ever had to be.

Cardoni said that within the visual arts field, he expects more cancellations.

“It makes me sad they believe it’s necessary,” he said. “They’re taking the way the Trump administration is treating them very seriously. It’s not a joke.

“I believe there’s worse to come if this escalates. I anticipate there will be more Canadian artists who have exhibitions who will probably start canceling those exhibits. It’s almost incomprehensible to me that there will be this kind of barrier between our countries.”