Dominic Fetherston

Artist Statement

Pick a Card, Any Card is a self-portrait in which I invite viewers to pull playing cards from the hand of cards that is being dealt to those Canadians who have applied to the government for exemption from arrest for utilizing marijuana approved by medical specialists. Some members of the medical community are very uncomfortable with using viable alternative medicines like marijuana in the treatment of patients who benefit from the drug. On the other hand, there are others who are familiar with the increasing body of medical evidence supporting the use of marijuana.

As a participant in Health Canada’s ‘Healthy Consumers’ medical marijuana program, I was given legal sanction to grow and smoke marijuana in 2001 — but not before a two year fiasco involving family, physicians, ophthalmologists, glaucomatologists, and the government.

When my personal information was leaked to the media by Health Canada, Anne McClellan was the Minister of Health. Recently she was promoted to Minister Responsible For National Security. Also, since then, Canada’s Privacy Commissioner — George Radwanski –has resigned after being found in contempt of Parliament.

Here are the cards I have been holding which tell my story.

Now, pick a card, any card...

http://www.geocities.com/dominic_new_art

Catalogue Description

Dominic Fetherston is a multimedia artist from Victoria, BC who was diagnosed with pigmentary dispersion glaucoma more than 15 years ago. He was the featured artist at the Unitarian Exhibition of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Art in Victoria, BC (2003) and has received visual arts nominations and awards from the Stonewall Society [USA] (2003, 2004). He has participated in one-person and group exhibitions across Canada. This is his second show with S4DAC. "Pick A Card - Any Card" (including playing cards) and Dominic’s other artworks can be seen at his web site: www.geocities.com/caution_studio