An eccentric Winnipeg artist's doodles are set to grace the iconic stages of the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall! You might think this is a tale of overnight success, but the journey of Ed Ackerman's art from a local bar to international acclaim is as unique and unconventional as the artist himself.
Mac DeMarco, a musician celebrated across Canada for his distinctive indie sound, has hand-picked the captivating artwork of Ed Ackerman, a resident of Winnipeg, to adorn the posters for his highly anticipated fall concerts. These aren't just any concerts; they're slated for two of the most prestigious venues in the world: the legendary Hollywood Bowl and the hallowed halls of Carnegie Hall.
But how did this remarkable collaboration come about? It certainly wasn't through a typical artist-manager handshake. The story unfolds on the very night DeMarco was performing in Winnipeg. Ackerman, a man of artistic pursuits, was sketching away at the Yellow Dog Tavern, a spot conveniently located across the street from the venue where DeMarco was playing. As concert-goers spilled into the bar after the show, a group of young people approached Ackerman, intrigued by his work.
"And then they sent this other (man) over, saying, 'Go, go look at this old guy’s stuff.' And it was Mac DeMarco," Ackerman recounts, recalling the moment the acclaimed musician, known for his 2014 album Salad Days which was a contender for the Polaris Prize, approached him. "I didn’t know him at all, and he thought that was great."
DeMarco, clearly impressed, extended an invitation to Ackerman: a complimentary ticket to his performance the following evening. The artist, in turn, asked, "What can I do for you?" DeMarco's simple request was, "Make a sketch (at the concert)."
The next night, Ackerman found himself immersed in the concert, wandering through the venue and capturing the energy of the performance through his sketches. He drew caricatures of security guards, audience members, and even the action unfolding on stage as DeMarco and his band delivered their indie rock anthems. In a moment of charming forgetfulness, Ackerman admits, "I didn’t get his name right. I thought it was Mark D’Acampo."
Following the show, a DeMarco fan managed to get Ackerman's sketches into the musician's hands. For Ackerman, this felt like a pleasant conclusion to an unexpected encounter. Little did he know, this was just the beginning.
Then, in mid-January, DeMarco's team launched a social media campaign to locate the Winnipeg artist. Here's where it gets interesting: Ackerman, with his unique approach to modern life, doesn't own a phone or use email! His friends had to resort to knocking on his door and leaving notes until an intermediary, his brother, was brought into the loop.
Ackerman readily granted DeMarco's team permission to use his sketches for promotional materials and, he notes, was compensated generously for his contribution. His drawings themselves are described as whimsical and almost spontaneous, reminiscent of quick doodles on a concert program. Ackerman's philosophy on art is refreshingly candid: "Art is always just someone else’s junk."
He's unsure why DeMarco, who embodies a DIY spirit and a laid-back persona that mirrors Ackerman's own, was drawn to his art. However, Ackerman's reputation precedes him, and stories about his life might have reached DeMarco.
Ackerman is no stranger to the spotlight. He gained recognition for his 1988 experimental animated short film, Primiti Too Taa. More recently, he was the subject of a 2013 documentary by John Paskievich titled Special Ed. This film chronicles Ackerman's determined, almost Sisyphean, efforts to restore several downtown houses he acquired cheaply in the mid-2000s. His goal was to renovate these properties for his children, most notably the "Alphabet House," adorned with large, discarded sign letters.
But here's where it gets controversial: Despite his best efforts, the city deemed the buildings unsafe and threatened demolition. Ackerman raced against time to bring them up to code. The documentary captures his dedication, including camping outdoors in the harsh Winnipeg winter to protect the houses from arson and undertaking much of the renovation work himself. In a move that blurred the lines between art and activism, Ackerman even ran for mayor, declaring one of the houses his political headquarters. This made it a PR challenge for the city to demolish the home of a political opponent.
Ultimately, his efforts weren't enough. The Alphabet House was demolished in 2010, followed by another in 2012, even as Ackerman stood on the roof in protest. "I stood protecting it with my life. I (did) one day in jail. They tore it down at night with everything I owned in the house," he shares, marking the destruction of his third house by the city.
Ackerman seems to be drawn to what appear to be lost causes. In 2018, while again running for mayor, he was asked how he'd ensure young people stayed in the city. His memorable response was to hold up a sign reading "Dam the Panama Canal," a symbolic nod to how the waterway's opening in 1914 shifted North American trade routes, impacting Winnipeg's potential.
Today, Ackerman resides in a house on the same block as his former properties, which he's happy to report is nearly paid off. "The house is fine. It’s the best house I’ve owned. This is for my three children."
He remains remarkably nonchalant about the DeMarco opportunity, admitting he hadn't yet seen the poster and expressed surprise at the 30,000+ likes on the Hollywood Bowl's Instagram post featuring his work.
Ackerman seems more eager to discuss his ongoing artistic explorations: a project that collages years of rejected arts council funding applications, his new venture into painting, and a film he's developing centered on the theme of failure. "You won’t fail, if you don’t try anything," he muses. He clarifies his perspective: "(But my work) isn’t necessarily about lost causes. It’s about what seems to be a lost cause may not, in fact, be one."
What do you think about Ed Ackerman's philosophy on art and his approach to seemingly lost causes? Does his story inspire you to pursue your own unconventional dreams? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
