History

The question is not what is art? The question is what is the artist’s job? That job is to inspire the creative spirit in others.

But, what is Sublimatus? Is it a trick? Is it a band? Is it a gallery? Is it a radio show? Is it an events space? Is it performance art? I suppose it’s all of those things, and more in the future. Sublimatus was originally conceived as a description of the artistic partnership between Walter G. Peter and Zena Hagerty. It’s effects have been broad and deep in the artistic community of southern Ontario…and out into the world.

Sublimatus Spaces

Booking of New York Bagel Cafe on Locke Street, Hamilton – 1987 to 1989

Synagogue Studio (ZenaGog) @ Cannon and Bay Street, Hamilton – 1989 to 1993

Sublimatus Studio @ Vine street, Hamilton 1993 to 1995

Sublimatus Dundas Studio @100 King Street East, Dundas 1993 to 1997 (pictured)

Sublimatus Gallery @ James North, Hamilton – 2003 to 2006

Sublimatus Studio At Dundas

Orgone Accumulator - A Sublimatus Release Recorded at Reconnaissance

The spaces where Sublimatus has worked, performed, explored, and included others, have been an integral core of what Sublimatus is and has done. To tell a quick tale, Sublimatus opened the doors of its Dundas studio space for a musical improv performance series called Reconnaissance which was a ten week multi-artist exploration which opened five times to the public in the summer of 1994. Joining Sublimatus was Rich Oddie, Christina Sealey, Aron West who formed the internationally acclaimed experimental noise techno group Orphx, (read more on Vice), folks who formed Legion of Green Men, David Foster of Huren, Johnny Dark (Junior Boys, Doobie Freaks, Stereo Image), a secret pack of wild boys from Fonthill, and a slew of artists from both Dundas and Hamilton. We’ve all heard those stories of this or that show by some wild punk band that inspired the launch of more bands than people who attended the show. This is a touch like that, with the birthing or expansion of an improv-oriented electronic music scene in the Hamilton area that saw international success for multiple attendees and performers.

Sublimatus Music

This one deserves its own page. Go and listen and such.

Art Crawl

Hamilton’s Art Crawl was founded by Sublimatus’ Zena Hagerty along with the hard work of Reverend Ron, Bryce Kanbara, Walter G. Peter, and many others on James North. A documentary about Art Crawl called ‘Hearts’ (watch the trailer) was created in 2015, with Zena acting as Producer.