Joe Hambleton is a video artist currently living in Toronto, where he teaches Digital Media and Art at York University, OCAD university, and Centennial College. He is a graduate of the University of Windsor (BFA in Visual Arts) and York University (MFA in Visual Arts). His work has been shown across North America, Europe and Asia and has received grants from the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council and Canada Council for the arts. He is represented by the Pari Nadimi Gallery.

 

The Last Chimera 
2021 
17min, 13 seconds, animation, digital video, stereo sound

The Last Chimera is an experimental animation that chronicles how my engagement with fantasy-based media coloured my perception of the Toronto’s housing insecurity, and my eventual realization of the need to reengage with reality. In the work I re-envision the growing divide in economic classes through the lens of the Japanese Role-Playing Games. Existential narrative inspired by dialogue from classic JRPG's is laid over the animation inviting the viewer to interpret the work through it. As they grow comfortable with this structure, I eventually use the same dialogue to question this practice and invite the viewer to look inward, step back towards reality and move forward with me to create positive change.