Charlottetown – The photography of one of the country’s foremost artists will be on display in a new exhibition at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery this fall. Fifty-six works by Iain Baxter& make up Passing Through: Iain Baxter& Photographs 1958–1983.
Using a wide range of media including photography, painting, video, installation, and performance, Iain Baxter& creates works of art that engage audiences in contemporary social, political, and environmental issues.
The images in this exhibition, which were taken by Baxter& over a 25-year period, have not been exhibited publicly before. They provide a rare opportunity to see Canada during this dynamic period of change through the eyes of one of our most innovative and internationally-acclaimed artists.
His early use of mass-communication to reach a broad audience prefigured the transformative effect new technologies have had on society. Baxter& adapts mass-produced objects into works of art and was among the first artists to use Polaroid film, faxes, and computers in his work. He is seen by many as the Marshall McLuhan of the visual arts.
Born in 1936 in Middlesborough, England, Baxter& emigrated to Calgary with his family the following year. In 1988, he joined the faculty at the School of Visual Arts at the University of Windsor, where he is now Professor Emeritus. Previously he taught at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, York University, Emily Carr College of Art and Design and the Alberta College of Art.
His work is included in most major collections of Canadian art, as well as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Los Angeles County Museum, and the Gemeentemuseum (The Hague).
In recognition of his achievements, Baxter& received the Order of Canada in 2003. In 2004, he received an honourary doctorate from the University of British Columbia, the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts and the Order of Ontario. Iain Baxter& lives in Windsor, Ontario.
Cutline: “Racing Queens, Mosport International Raceway, near Bowmanville, Ontario”, 1983. Chromira print, 106.7 x 148 cm
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Media contact: Dan Wall, publicist, Confederation Centre of the Arts, phone (902) 628-6135
Email: confederationcentre.com, web www.confederationcentre.com