Artists receive imaginative assignment : Connexions Summer 2004

At the Centre

Great old poet inspires CAMH artists

Henry Benvenuti, first artist-in-residence at new Jean Simpson Studio

Henry Benvenuti may be a contemporary artist but as of today the new artist-in-residence at the Jean Simpson Studio is busy contemplating the writings of a poet who lived 2,000 years ago. He and seven artists from the Workman Theatre Project who are now using the Jean Simpson Studio at the Queen Street site have been given a dream assignment with the Toronto-based Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. They have each chosen one of the legendary myths from Ovid's "Metamorphosis." Their myths will inspire them to create a large mural that will be displayed in Trinity- St. Paul's Church in Toronto during the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra's festival performance of Metamorphosis from Feb. 24 - 25, 2005.

Throughout the spring of 2005 Metamorphosis as a multidisciplinary festival will include artistic inspiration from art, theatre, music, dance, film, storytelling and education. The festival will give many artistic people and people from various cultures from Toronto an opportunity to interpret various tales of transformation from their own perspective.

In addition to working on Metamorphosis and assisting his fellow artists, Henry will oversee the Jean Simpson Studio. Usually a quiet, private person, Henry is modest about his involvement as artist-in-residence, even though his works of art sit alongside Picasso and Avedon in Toulouse, France, among other places. He has also exhibited at Being Scene for many years.

He admits that an addiction to heroin derailed him for far too many years, but after three years on methadone treatment at CAMH, he is determined to put his problems behind him. When asked how this assignment came about, he says casually, "WTP popped the question." "This is pretty exciting," he says. "It's something I never experienced before-to be in charge. I hope they don't think of me as a boss. I'm really just here as a liaison between the artists and WTP." As his own contribution to the Metamorphosis murals, Henry will depict the Cyclops who is in love with a sea nymph, in collage and oil paints.

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