Abstract (written by Valérie Tremblay-Blouin):

The Canadian system of support for the arts, through its various councils, grant-giving organizations and other sponsors, demands that an artist proves their authenticity before aid is even considered. In order to do this, a number of steps are suggested, the most common being to get an art education from a recognized institution. Above all, the MFA from a prestigious university, such as NSCAD, is regarded as a ticket to peer recognition. How does one navigate the demands and necessities of real life while sustaining the fantasy of the art school?

This thesis is a collection of documents, texts and objects that address the lived experience of MFA studies, and the discrepancy between this experience and the narrative promoted by those who make a living from it. It is comprised of a number of clerical facsimiles (and fake-similes), various pictures, relevant lists, a personal reflective essay, a descriptive account of the thesis project, a timeline, and copies of letters to and from various people in the art world. These elements are a record of the hidden transactions that take place within and between art institutions. They are presented without the framing of theoretical analysis, in order to highlight the unstable nature of art and its dependence on the discourse and protocols that inform its reception. Thus, they become evidence of the confusion surrounding notions of truth, value, and worth, revealing the systemic economic inequalities at the heart of the art school.

The reader is invited to buy the thesis in order to have access, and by doing so to take a step closer and witness the economic imperatives tied to what is understood as the necessary path towards the professionalization of the artist.

Anticipating the State of Despair (2020) is available online at Blurb: