Nuit Blanche Edmonton: Ali Nickerson | Blue Christmas

Above: a very small sampling of the numerous items loaned by local Christmas enthusiast Ralph Hartfeil to adorn the winter wonderland of Ali Nickerson's Blue Christmas piece, which will be set up at 100A Street and 101A Avenue, Rice Howard Way (south of Parkade Entrance).



"A towering green-and-red polka-dot wrapped present is at the centre of a Winter Wonderland, complete with snowmen, Santas, Christmas lights and candy canes lining the streets. It will serve as an all-night workshop, where the artist and her elves will work feverishly to hand-make gifts in response to visitors wish-lists. While awaiting their gift, participants can have their photograph taken with ‘Woody the Christmas Tree’, a replica of a vintage small town shopping mall attraction.

Ali Nickerson’s practice spans a range of media, including sculpture, drawing, robotics, and craft. Fuelled by skewed narratives, violence, and dark humor, her work embraces the conflicts, uneasiness, and anxieties that shape human life. She received her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from NSCAD and her Masters Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Alberta. She has participated the Future Station: 2015 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art at the Art Gallery of Alberta and The Biennial of Canadian Fiber Art in Ontario (2008). She has exhibited her work throughout Canada and was the 2014/15 Artist in Residence at Edmonton’s Harcourt House.

This Artist Project is presented by Kelly Ramsay Tower with the support of the Edmonton Arts Council."

Update: the project was a hit, with line-ups all night long. Ali and her elves (all charismatic, smart, funny) fashioned makeshift presents all night long. I recall requests as varied as "a pick-axe", "a taco", "winnie the pooh", "all my dreams come true" and "a penguin". We asked for a hamburger and hotdog and received the following: