“THIS PROJECT is about the process through which we form identity. At the moment, i am tapping into fear -peur-, loneliness, nausea, exhaustion, and i sometimes can see the fine line that exists between self-rejection and sexual energy. i know that offthemapgallery can evoke both and separately my mother and my father and i know for now that i can't hold the concept of gender identity in my mind with calm. i am working with source coach and performance artist Paul Couillard who will often be working in the gallery with me. opening my process to the public is something profoundly integral to this project. i am looking for a thread of transformation."

CLAUDIA WITTMAN: was born in Switzerland and lives in Toronto since 1998. She works as a butoh performer and has been presenting her own solos in Toronto since 2003. Her work deals with body memory and it aims at exploring vulnerability, transformation and issues related to intimacy. Claudia's process is based on her butoh training with SU-EN (Sweden) and on her regular work with Toronto-based artist Paul Couillard who has been guiding her through the curricula of Jerzy Grotowski since January 2006. Claudia has a background in biology and in the philosophy of science.

SOURCE COACH PAUL COUILLARD: has been working as an artist, curator, and organizer since 1985. His work as a source coach is based on Grotowski curricula for independent live artists as taught by Linda Putnam. Couillard was the Performance Art Curator for Fado from its inception in 1993 until 2007, and is also a founding co-curator of the 7a*11d International Festival of Performance Art. He is currently a sessional lecturer at McMaster University in Hamilton, and is the editor of Canadian Performance Art Legends, a series of books on senior Canadian performance artists. The second book in the series, Ironic to Iconic: the Peformance Works of Tanya Mars, will be released in May 2008. Couillard has presented solo and collaborative performance art pieces in more than a dozen countries, including over 100 Duorama works with his partner Ed Johnson.

Claudia Wittmann.ca

For more information contact
Antonia at: 416 642 2113

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OFFTHEMAPGALLERY
712 Lansdowne Avenue
The Back Building
Toronto, Canada M6H 3Y8

www.offthemapgallery.com
info@offthemapgallery.com
416 642 2113

Gallery Hrs: Customized for present show--

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DIRECTIONS TO THE GALLERY :
From the Bloor/Lansdowne subway station, walk north
to Wallace and then another halfblock. It is on the WEST
side in the back building of a yellow storefront.
NOTE: ONLY USE THE WEST SIDE NUMBERS