Art Gallery ready to spread its wings

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:44:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Gallery is on the move – but don't break out the packing crates just yet. The move is not physical but rather administrative as the gallery, once administered by the Faculty of Fine Arts, now reports to Andy Hakin and the Office of the Vice-President (Academic).

"The reason for it and the big difference is that it is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's art gallery," says Art Gallery Director/Curator Josephine Mills. "Being located administratively in a faculty, it was too regional and made it too difficult to do the things we do well, which are interdisciplinary projects and bringing faculties together."

The gallery is already a viable part of campus life, something Mills has played a big part in establishing. She also gives credit to a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ administration that has shown support at every turn.

"We have a really great situation at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge because people do know about our gallery better than most university art galleries, but there's still room for improvement and this change will allow us to do a lot of things to make that happen," she says.

"I've always felt our administration sees the gallery as a very valued unit. Some institutions just don't have that support."

Galleries often struggle with perception issues, that they are simply a housing area for collections. The U of L Art Gallery has taken great strides to break out of that mold with a much more interactive approach.

"We've really changed how we're operating and become a fully operational art gallery as opposed to a collection with an art gallery attached to it," says Mills.
"I'd like to see that continue with an increased awareness for faculty, students and staff across the whole ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that we're a place to not just come to, but to come work with us as we set up more interdisciplinary projects in the future."

From Hakin's perspective, the move just makes sense.

"The gallery will still obviously have very close ties to the Faculty of Fine Arts by the nature of the work they do, but this gives it a chance to grow and really reach out to the rest of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Hakin. "This is the U of L's gallery, and if we can expose more of our campus to the innovative and provocative programming they provide, then we've added a rich resource to the campus experience."

Mills revels in the campus atmosphere and through projects such as Culture Vulture Saturdays, work with the First Nations Transition Program (FNTP) and aboriginal artists, family in residence events, first-year student programs, the popular art + people = x display and the recent Tor Lukasik-Foss event in the Atrium, she endeavours to connect as many people as possible to the gallery and to each other.

"I really want the art gallery to do the kinds of things that bring people together on campus and give them an opportunity to either just meet and talk in an informal way or engage in ideas that can be seen from a number of perspectives," says Mills.

"The Ladies Sasquatch exhibition in the fall is a great example. It was obviously a very innovative art project but also had a great deal of interest for women's studies courses and the women's centre. I want to see more events just like that."

Events Calendar - November

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:12:30 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Men's Hockey

Nov. 13-14 | Alberta vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 27-28 | Alberta vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Women's Hockey

Nov. 20-21 | Manitoba vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Basketball

Nov. 6-7 | Regina vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m. nightly, 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Nov. 13 | Trinity Western vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym
Nov. 14 | Fraser Valley vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Nov. 20-21 | Manitoba vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m. nightly, 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures

Nov. 4 | Art Now: Vancouver artist Isobelle Pauwels | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 5 | What I've Learned about being Human from Studying . . .
Lecture Series | Organizations: How Collectives Shape Who We Are and What We Do | Dr. Janelle Enns Gordon, Management, U of L
7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Nov. 6 | Art Now: Dana Claxton
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 9 | Art Now: Cameron Bailey
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 9 | Architecture & Design Now: Toronto architect Stephen Teeple
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 12 | What I've Learned about being Human from Studying . . . Lecture Series | Canadian and Northwest Coast Native Art: Sometimes It's Necessary to Trespass Borders | Dr. Les Dawn, Art, U of L
7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Nov. 16 | Architecture & Design Now: Toronto architect Ian MacDonald | 6 p.m., C610

Nov. 17 | Women Scholars Speaker Series – Deborah MacLatchy
From Lab Coat to Business Suit: Perspectives on Science and Academic Administration
12 noon to 2 p.m., AH100

Nov. 18 | Aboriginal Speakers Forum – Sharon Goulet | The Power of Stories in Aboriginal Research
9:30 to 11 a.m., B716

Nov. 18 | Art Now: Tor Lukasik-Foss
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 20 | Art Now: Tricia Middleton
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Art Now: Kathryn Walter
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Architecture & Design Now: Kathryn Walter
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 25 | Art Now: Rebecca Miller
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 27 | Art Now: Montreal painter Etienne Zack | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 30 | Architecture & Design Now: Esther Shipman
6 p.m., C610

Performances

Nov. 5-7 | Positive Space by Ian McFarlane | A unique performance exploring various aspects of theatre
8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre. Matinee, 2 p.m., Nov. 7

Nov. 7 | Dale Ketcheson & Friends
Classical guitar from U of L music professor Dale Ketcheson
8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Nov. 10 | Music at Noon: Gerard Gibb (oboe), Sarah Gieck (flute), Margaret Mezei (clarinet), Glen Montgomery (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 17 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet with Jesse Plessis (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra | With special guests and U of L music majors Matthew Blackburn (piano) and arranger Jesse Plessis | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Nov. 24 | Music at Noon: Arthur Rowe (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 24-28 | Festen by David Eldridge | A time of celebration is undermined by revelations that pierce and destroy the veneer of middle-class respectability
Nightly, 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Nov. 27 | Wind and Song
Featuring U of L Wind Orchestra and Vox Musica | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Nov. 28 | Season of Joy
With the U of L Singers and Women's Chorus | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Dec. 1 | Music at Noon: Dr. Brian Shaw (trumpet) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Miscellaneous

Nov. 3 | Keys to Living Well – Student Workshop | The Road to Happiness – how to buffer yourself against stress and depression | 12:30 to 1:20 p.m., AH119

Nov. 6 to Jan. 8, 2010 | To Mark on Surface | Dana Claxton new video installation | U of L Main Gallery
Opening reception, 4 p.m., Nov. 6

Nov. 12 to 14 | Darwin Symposium
International Symposium on Darwinism

Nov. 17-21 | The Monotheatrum
Hamilton artist Tor Lukasik-Foss creates a performance space for a single musician | U of L Atrium

Nov. 21 | Culture Vulture Saturday
Luck of the Draw – Colour by Numbers | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., U of L Main Gallery

Through Jan. 3, 2010 | art + people = x continues | Darcy Logan presents recent paintings | Helen Christou Gallery | Opening Reception, 4 p.m., Nov. 6

UNews - Tor Lukasik-Foss

Art Gallery ready to spread its wings

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Events Calendar - November

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