Haylee Fortin | Night Vision

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Haylee Fortin, “Hunting Blind Interior,” 2021

diorama (courtesy of the gallery)

Upon entering the Art Gallery of St. Albert’s Vault Feature Exhibition Space, you come across a hunting blind. It sits near the back, contained in this small space, maintaining a quiet, but undeniable presence. A soundscape permeates the room, tracking solitary footsteps that rustle through leaves and gravel. Fragments of branches hang here and there, with pink and purple leaves - dreamlike. Looking into the blind you are met by a pair of unblinking eyes, which have been steadily observing your approach.

Inviting, yet uncanny, Haylee Fortin’s immersive installation Night Vision, is about acts of watching, and being watched. The work embodies her observations of the nuances and complexity of the hunting community in Alberta. But, her knowledge of this world is fragmentary, gathered as an observer on online hunting forums and social media groups. Initially joining the forum looking for photographs from trail cameras, she stayed to reconcile her preconceptions. The tension she felt between what she thought she would find and what was actually there.

Throughout her observations, Haylee felt a counterweight of unexpected commonality. Despite many differences, she found that she shares many of the desires and values of the forum members, including a feeling of interconnectedness with the wider world.

Working with a range of printmaking methods, painting, sculpture and diorama traditions, her work exists in a space of not knowing but seeking to understand. Referencing her role as an observer, she can occasionally be found in her work. It is a photograph of her eyes that watch from the blind. It is unsettling, embodying Haylee’s questioning of her own presence on these forums. She is a fascinated observer, learning but uninvited.

Complex and beautiful, Night Vision is a space that holds both strange disconnections and moments of understanding.

Events: In-person Tour: September 3 at noon

Virtual Tour: September 12 at noon on Facebook Live

Contact: Phone 780.460.4310

Email: exhibitions@artsandheritage.ca