Artist

Johannes Zits

Since graduating with a BFA from York University (1984), Johannes Zits has presented work across Canada as well as internationally. In 2013, Zits performed at the 8th Encuentro, Sao Paulo, Brazil and presented a collection of his videos at Le festival international du film sur l’art, Montreal. In 2014, he presented variations on the performance, “Island” at M:ST Festival, Calgary, Yuz Museum,Shanghai and at Meta 2014, Chongqing, China. His photographic and collage work has been featured in Fotogalerie, Vienna (2000); Galerie Nord, Berlin (2004); Bizart, Shanghai; Galerie Caesar & Koba, Hamburg (2008); WRARF, Caen, France (2008); and ATEA, Mexico City (2012). From 2011-14 he facilitated the Intensive Performance Art Workshop at Artscape Gibraltar Point and curated S.P.A.N.E., Screening of Performance Art in the Natural Environment. He was also a member of the curatorial team Duration And Dialogue (2015-17). Johannes has been a member of the artist collectives The Red Head Gallery (1992-1997), Persona Volare (2000 - 09) and No Object (2016 -18). In 2019 the Copenhagen Contemporary Museum commissioned him to create a score for their permanent collection in 2019 and he recently performed a new work, Good ’til it’s Gone at the International Biennial of Asuncion, Paraguay. In 2020, Johannes was the artist-in-residence at Western University’s McIntosh Gallery in London, Ontario, presenting the exhibition Listening To Trees, realizing the 20-minute video, Checking In On An Old Copper Beech and working on a forthcoming publication with the gallery. Last year he also presented work for Pi*llOry 4, Distance Dances (both Toronto) and Performance Kokkenet, a streamed performance from Copenhagen.

Artist Code: 247

Videography

Checking In On An Old Copper Beech

2020, 21:38 minutes, colour, English

Moving with the Old Mother

2019, 14:17 minutes, colour, no dialogue

With a McIntosh

2019, 16:25 minutes, no dialogue

Amongst the Tall White Pines

2018, 19:26 minutes, no dialogue

Sacred Trees

2015, 80:00 minutes, colour, English

Elemental Gestures

2009, 16:00 minutes

Reclining

2009, 04:40 minutes

Style on Skin

2003, 10:30 minutes, colour, English and German

Guys Night In

2001, 07:00 minutes, colour/B&W, English

Critical Writing

Skin Trade: Cockiness, copyright & colour
by Daryl Vocat. Xtra!, Mar. 1, 2007, no. 583.
Tranz<->Tech Toronto International Media Art Biennal 2003
by Dara Gellman. Toronto: Vtape, 2003.