Between Pheasants Contemporary

Between Pheasants Contemporary is an experimental presentation site offering a unique display space for artists and curators at all stages of their careers working across all mediums. 

BPC is particularly dedicated to championing the practices of emerging artists, curators, writers, thinkers, and makers, and the development of contemporary art in rural Northern Ontario. Accordingly, BPC prioritizes exhibitions by practitioners that are underrepresented in the region including BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ folks. The gallery, situated on the left side of a pheasant // chicken duplex coop, can present exhibitions year round: the pheasants are in the coop mid-June through November, otherwise, the coop is vacant for the remainder of the year. The chickens live here year round but are necessarily kept separate from the pheasant enclosure.

Between Pheasants Contemporary operates on Windjammer Ranch in Kerns Township — a rural agricultural community outside of New Liskeard in Northeastern so-called “Ontario”. BPC is located on the past, present, and future home of Cree, Ojibway, and Algonquin peoples within Robinson-Huron treaty land. BPC is committed to upholding values that disrupt colonial heteronormative power structures and is dedicated to programming that challenges dominant relations between land and peoples in the North, and programming that is thoughtful, innovative, and accountable to the myriad communities around BPC.

As an experimental space, BPC tries to remain flexible to programming opting to only program 6 months in advance. Similarly, exhibition scheduling is determined based on project requirements, availability, vacancy (i.e. if there are or are not pheasants in the coop) and in conversation with the exhibiting artist(s) and curator(s). BPC does not favour rigid administrative processes and finds value in slow work, spontaneous projects, or whatever working style best supports exhibiting artists and curators. Artists and curators may opt to show works on the chicken side of the coop, or while the pheasants are in the coop provided that the artist(s) is ok with the works being damaged or destroyed by the curious hens, that there are no sharp or hazardous edges, and that there are no harmful materials that the chickens or pheasants could ingest. Projects may also be realized in and around other areas on the 160 acre farm. All projects are considered on a case-by-case basis to determine what is both safe and feasible.