instruction manual for something that doesn't work
instruction manual for something that doesn't work is a collaborative project between Taiessa Pagola and Alma Visscher that will present different ways of (re)learning, the possibility of failure, and potential within sharing and exchange. Using a small 3D printed replica of a printing press, they will invite the public to contribute physical objects or more intangible sentiments that will then be run through the press.
Want a copy of Alma an Taiessa's instruction manual mailed to you? Email MAGinstructionmanual@gmail.com with your name and mailing address.
“Sharing some quick shots of some of the prints from the Instruction manual for something that doesn't work. So far we've made prints from egg shells, plastic leaves, nostalgic dreams, and golf balls.
As an aside: Originally our ‘drop off dates’ were originally conceived as practical way in which for the public come by and deliver something to be printed at a later point, but most people have ended up staying for the whole time and chatting. Which has been super lovely.
I have also included a collage piece, where I am playing around with the ink and seeing how different glues change the colour.”
— Alma Visscher
"Alma and I wanted to share a Polaroid from our third meeting at Paul Kane park, where we collected and printed (and are still printing at home/studio! I will share some images once I've gotten the chance to scan them) objects as part of instruction manual fro something that doesn't work.
As Alma mentioned, our afternoons in the park became a lot more conversational than we initially expected, with people staying to visit and share with us. Here we are with Alma's friend Sam and Gord."
— Taiessa Pagola
"Here are some of the prints that Alma and I made in the park together! The captions are the descriptions that each participant gave of the object or sentiment that they shared with us to print."
— Taiessa Pagola
a summer garden my father's garden the summer before he died
a summer garden my father's garden the summer before he died
perceptive, not symmetrical, roof of mouth, sporty
one pilea plant leaf
piece of ceramic plate in Ontario, lake of the woods
piece of ceramic plate in Ontario, lake of the woods
piece of ceramic plate in Ontario, lake of the woods
forever chlorophylled (evergreen but not) also resembles the roof of a mouth, plastic:fantastic, striated pothos
Taiessa Pagola is a multidisciplinary artist, local to Edmonton, Alberta. She is a recent Fine Art graduate from MacEwan University, currently completing a BFA through the University of Alberta. Taiessa’s practice centralizes on the interpretation of our most intimate relationships through the lenses of self-reflection and social psychology. Taking an auto- ethnographic approach to her work, she explores themes of nurturance, intimacy, sentimentality and self-awareness. Through writing, print, drawing, and installation, the process provides space to examine the intricacies of her own interpersonal relationships and the effects that they have upon herself.
Alma Louise Visscher (University of Alberta MFA ‘12), works with textiles to create installations, sculptures, and drawings that examine material culture, soft architecture, and the language of abstraction. Her work has been shown in abandoned buildings, underground parking lots, universities, public parks, suburban malls, and dollhouses with exhibitions in New York, Iceland, Germany, and throughout Edmonton: solo shows at the Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton) and the Sweet Lorraine Gallery (Brooklyn), several temporary public installations, and numerous group exhibitions throughout Canada. She is grateful for the support of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, The Edmonton Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. She has attended residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Icelandic Textile Centre, and in Leipzig Germany. Current projects include “The Future Library of Worries, Hopes, and Fears” with artist Taryn Kneteman, and a community art project with youth artists at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre.
website