The Grande Stage Democracy
Doug Brinkman, Skaters on Ice
Disorder, backside of Point of Order
The Legislature has no dome, Unity
Art Is Freedom
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Rare White Bird, Scab's Gallery
As a Venezuelan woman shared during the 2017 Alberta Legislature’s Art Show and Tell: “Having a position means what you are doing is needed, and it is creating change. In the long term, a lot of people are going to appreciate it.” 2017 Not a Bystander Art Project. The Painter, Doug Brinkman’s approach blends intuition and serendipity, crafting a layered critique of Canadian society. His work examines the pressures of economic forces and labor divisions—embodied by the term "scabs"—while drawing parallels to the cultural struggles faced by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This interplay reveals a broader narrative of fractured unity and resilience. Birds of a Feather creates a neutral space for reflection, using art as a medium to explore societal tensions. His work highlights Canada’s identity and place in the world.
After a Point of Order, Art Show, I added a little ice cream, my day's reward. A young woman, lingering with a tattooed crowd in downtown Edmonton near the library, complimented my artwork. After finishing my rapidly melting ice cream in the 24°C heat, I walked over to her gang to show the backside, titled Disorder. Suddenly, a young man lunged at me. "Get the f*** away from here!" he snapped. Before I could react, the group's matriarch—Mama Tattoo—spoke up. "I like your painting," she said, her voice steady. The young man’s demeanor shifted. He looked at the artwork again, his expression softening. "That's an amazing piece of art," he admitted. "You're a super talent!" XLife.
Democracy's Quick-Drawn Conclusions
2025-05-05, Painter's Notes: During the COVID-19 lockdown, I conducted a sketch study of The Last of Us HBO TV series set, which was filmed in Alberta. One striking element was the Alberta Legislature dome—repurposed as a prop and later destroyed through CGI. While the series became a television hit in the United States, it garnered surprisingly little attention in Canada. I successfully sketched the sets at the Alberta Legislature and several downtown Edmonton neighborhoods used for filming. Despite attempts by security personnel—going so far as to involve Sheriffs—to stop me, I managed to document Edmonton’s transformation into a post-apocalyptic world, orchestrated by the fiction film industry for profit-driven🍁US media.
Homme Made - Dundee Law, XLife