Intent to Take Off is collaborative performance based effort between Canadian Artist Monique Blom and American Artist Vincent Kral that is a continuation of Monique Blom’s piece Intent to Re-Side that was featured in the 2016 public art festival Art In Odd Places Orlando: PLAY. Monique presented a playful opportunity for American citizens to become Canadian and step away from America’s turbulent political climate. Offering to teach unique skills to survive in Canada, Monique introduced “Canadiana”; this included how to chop wood, set a trap line, recognize an igloo, the importance of the fur trade and how to convert text messages to smoke signals. At Monique’s “Table Top Embassy” she invited visitors to fill out the paper work to apply for Canadian citizenship and immediately receive a faux passport. Following the election Vince felt devastated and depressed. After experiencing Monique’s piece started his goal to “Re-Side”.
In this sequel Intent to Take Off Monique and Vince are documenting Vince’s desire to leave his home in Tampa to “take off” to the Great White North. This multi-layered piece deals with stereotypes, social misconceptions, and the contribution of the mass media that has saturated Vince’s life as an American and his perceptions of what it is like to be Canadian. To try and get Vince ready for his “Re-side” Monique is sending Vince lessons via text, email, and telephone conversations. In an effort to acclimatize his body to the cold weather and find warmer clothes Vince will travel to visit his family in Iowa during the 2016 holiday break. He will continue reporting back to Monique his experiences, struggles and feelings, while she patiently tries to empathize and quiet his reservations in attempt to bring him to Canada.
In this sequel Intent to Take Off Monique and Vince are documenting Vince’s desire to leave his home in Tampa to “take off” to the Great White North. This multi-layered piece deals with stereotypes, social misconceptions, and the contribution of the mass media that has saturated Vince’s life as an American and his perceptions of what it is like to be Canadian. To try and get Vince ready for his “Re-side” Monique is sending Vince lessons via text, email, and telephone conversations. In an effort to acclimatize his body to the cold weather and find warmer clothes Vince will travel to visit his family in Iowa during the 2016 holiday break. He will continue reporting back to Monique his experiences, struggles and feelings, while she patiently tries to empathize and quiet his reservations in attempt to bring him to Canada.