The Confederation Centre Art Gallery invites the public to the opening reception for its summer exhibitions on Wednesday, June 20, at 7 p.m.
Six new exhibitions showcase Canadian talent at its best, from the paintings of historical national icon Charles Comfort to the work of local photographer Anna Karpinski. Tracing the inception and evolution of Canadian artistic styles, these shows are a must-see for anyone curious about the shaping of Canadians’ national character.
“These exhibitions offer a fantastic opportunity to experience the richness of Canadian art from Nunavut to British Columbia to Quebec and beyond,” gallery director Jon Tupper commented recently. “Photography, painting, sculpture, crafts - there are amazing things to see and it’s all free.”
A Good Summer: Photographs by Anna Karpinski features black and white photos taken by the Charlottetown artist in the summer of 2006. Illustrating summer life on the Island, these informal portraits capture Islanders as they participate in the events that make summer, summer. This exhibit runs until September 2 in the Entrance Gallery, and is curated by Siobhan Wiggans.
Yousuf Karsh: Industrial Images offers a different look than usual at the work of well-known Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002). Although he is famous for capturing the “inward power” of prominent figures of the 20th century, this show circulated by the Art Gallery of Windsor features Karsh’s portraits of industrial workers. This exhibit runs until November 25 in the Upper West Gallery, and is curated by Cassandra Getty.
Annie Pootoogook finds inspiration for her pencil crayon and marker drawings in the community members of Cape Dorset, Nunavut, the remote village of 1,200 where she lives and works. Pootoogook’s depictions of contemporary arctic life reveal the melding of traditional Inuit life with influences of consumer culture. She is the daughter of Napachie and granddaughter of Pitseolak Ashoona, seminal Inuit graphic artists. Curated by Nancy Campbell, this show is organized by the Illingworth Kerr Gallery and runs until September 16 in the Lower East Gallery.
Jean-Yves Vigneau’s worldview has been shaped by the landscape and culture of islands since his childhood. A self-admitted “islomaniac” (someone fascinated by the idea of islands), Vigneau investigates islandness from geographic, economic and cultural perspectives in this multi-media show. His work includes sculpture, installation, video, drawing and photography. This exhibit runs until September 21 in the Concourse, and is curated by Jon Tupper.
Common Threads weaves together work by a stellar group of international artists who use knitting and embroidery in their art. Knitting has emerged as one of the most popular and social artistic hobbies of today, and continues turning up in contemporary art. Negotiating the pressures of contemporary life, these artists refer and resort to the act of making, forming expressive critiques of modern life. Curated by Lee Plested, Common Threads is on view until September 23 in the Upper East Gallery.
Take Comfort-The Career of Charles Comfort is a major retrospective exhibition of the work of Charles Comfort (1900-1994) circulated by the Winnipeg Art Gallery. A seminal figure of 20th-century Canadian art, Comfort and his contemporaries explored socially conscious art in the 1930s, breaking away from European-inspired landscapes in favour of Canadian themes explored through a blend of early modernist techniques.
Made up of works from private and public collections across the country, Take Comfort is the first critical assessment of a prolific career that spanned nearly seven decades. Curated by Mary Jo Hughes, this show is on view until September 2 in the Lower West Gallery.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is by donation. Yousuf Karsh: Industrial Images is sponsored by Office-Xperts and supported by CAW-TCA Canada. Hyndman and Company Limited is sponsor of Take Comfort-The Career of Charles Comfort.
-30-
Media contacts: Anna MacDonald, Publicist, (902) 628-6135 confederationcentre.com;
Amanda Rafuse, PR Assistant, (902) 628-6139
confederationcentre.com
www.confederationcentre.com