UNews - curator

Alumni earn spots in Oh Canada exhibition

trevor.kenney — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:35:46 +0000

Oh, Canada is the largest exhibition of contemporary Canadian art to ever take place in the United States. Among the 62 artists included are three graduates of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Faculty of Fine Arts.

Artists David Hoffos (BFA '94), Mary-Anne McTrowe (BFA '98) and Daniel Wong (BFA '03) travelled to North Adams, Mass. at the end of May for the opening of the exhibition.

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is known globally for showing the very best art of our time. Occupying a vast network of 19th century factory buildings, MASS MoCA's galleries boast more than 100,000 square feet of exhibition space. With a strong focus on new art, the museum has become a destination for those seeking unique, fresh and challenging encounters with contemporary art.

David Hoffos will show works from his Scenes from the House Dream at Oh Canada this fall.

"We think it is an honour to be included in this exhibition, considering Denise Markonish (the curator of Oh, Canada) did more than 400 studio visits in determining the lineup," says Wong.

Known together as the 'art-ernative' folk-rock band The Cedar Tavern Singers AKA Les Phonoréalistes, McTrowe and Wong have worked collaboratively since 2006. They are among the artists who created new works specifically for the exhibition. In addition to performing at the opening of Oh, Canada, the duo released a new album of songs relating to the museum.

"The album features four songs about and related to MASS MoCA: 'Oh Canada, Oh Canada' is our interpretation of what a theme song for the Oh, Canada exhibition might be; 'MASS MoCA' is about the history of the site that MASS MoCA inhabits; and 'Gravity is a Force to be Reckoned With' and 'Truisms' are about Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle and Jenny Holzer, respectively – two artists who have had exhibitions at MASS MoCA. The album cover itself is a riff on Bachman-Turner Overdrive," explains McTrowe.

Though it may come as a surprise to some, Lethbridge is a hotbed for contemporary art production in Canada.

"For as long as I've lived here, Lethbridge has had strong contemporary artists – people who contend on the national and international stage, so I'm not surprised Lethbridge artists are included in Oh, Canada. In fact, I'm honoured to have been chosen, especially considering there are so many great artists here," says Hoffos.

Hoffos has received widespread national acclaim for his large-scale, multimedia installations. From 2008 to 2011 his exhibition, Scenes from the House Dream, toured Canada debuting at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) and showing at major institutions across the country, including the National Gallery of Canada. For Oh, Canada, Hoffos presents works from Scenes from the House Dream; a snapshot of his practice representative of his larger body of work.

"Oh, Canada is a celebration for the whole country. It's the first time an exhibition like this has happened south of the border and it's never happened in Canada either, so it's a special moment not just for the artists in the exhibition, but also for contemporary art in Canada," he says. "My hope is that this exhibition demonstrates that cutting-edge contemporary art production can happen anywhere, including Lethbridge."

Oh, Canada opened May 27 at MASS MoCA and is on view until Apr. 1, 2013. For more info: www.massmoca.org

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

Smith and SAAG give boost to community arts

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:58:25 +0000

Growing up in Whitehorse, Marilyn Smith, executive director for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG), was surrounded by some of the most beautiful artwork that nature could provide – but it was the artwork created by humanity that truly captured her heart.

"The arts have always interested me. The Yukon is an adventurous, creative place and I'm attracted to that same spirit in the arts; a place where people aren't afraid to push boundaries," says Smith, winner of the 2011 Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management.

Drawn by its size and reputation for Native American and education programs, Smith became a student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in the mid-1970s.

"I originally thought about going into art education. I started taking art classes and art history. I realized that was the area I was most interested in, and that I didn't want to teach in a formal school system. Simultaneously, I got a job working at SAAG as part of the gallery's first extension program led by Victoria Baster (now an instructor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts). It was this experience that shifted my concentration to the administrative side of the arts," says Smith.

SAAG executive director Marilyn Smith, middle, is flanked by fellow U of L alumni and SAAG employees Tyler Stewart (far left), David Farstad, Jenn Prosser, Christina Cuthbertson and Ryan Doherty.

After her third year at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Smith went home for the summer where she stayed until 1995 as co-owner and producer of a musical theatre company: Frantic Follies Vaudeville Revue. Ready for a change, she returned to Lethbridge to complete the final year of her multi-disciplinary bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

"In my first go-round, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was so small; it was almost like a large high school. Art classes were in the dark, dank basement of the physical education building. When I returned in 1995, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was much bigger, more sophisticated. There was a wider range of opportunities and a state of the art Fine Arts building. It was quite a big change," says Smith, who is quick to point out that the constant over the years was the quality of the professors and the educational experience.

"The professors are top-notch. My drama professor, David Spinks, was inspirational to me in my first experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He created opportunities to go into local and First Nations communities to perform that really expanded my understanding of this area and the different people who live here. Jeffrey Spalding, the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Art Gallery, was amazing. He made the collection accessible on so many levels; he had such an inspiring, boundless vision," remembers Smith. "The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ introduced me to contemporary art through their exhibitions, speaker series, visiting lectures and art history classes. I have brought that knowledge with me in my career."

In 1996, Smith graduated with distinction and began her career at the SAAG as an education co-ordinator and curator until 1999 when she was promoted to her current position. During her tenure, gallery proceeds have increased 200 per cent.

Recently, Smith oversaw renovations at the SAAG that included an addition of 6,000 square feet of space with a library and new instructional area. Since re-opening in 2010, the gallery has tripled its membership, while programming and sponsorship has increased.

"The focus of SAAG, from the founding board until now, has always been that the gallery would bring the kind of quality programming to Lethbridge that is available in larger centres. It is my privilege to work with amazing colleagues, board and community members. It has been a group effort that brought us to the point where we have an excellent reputation locally, nationally and internationally," says Smith. "I am honoured to have been a part of that."

Smith also believes that the gallery's success is greatly supported by the close connection it has with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the SAAG have had a symbiotic relationship over the years. We exhibit artists who teach at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ; many of our artists speak at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's lecture series and we are actively involved in student internships from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Smith. "Currently all our staff are ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ graduates; there is a shared understanding and experience because of that. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has made a huge difference in our quality of life and the fact that we have such a tremendously well-educated group of people to draw upon to fill the expertise needed to run the gallery has significantly influenced the growth of our institution."

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Internship program benefits all

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:27:10 +0000

Have you noticed that bridges are being built all over Lethbridge right now, linking the U of L to the broader community?

Exciting new opportunities are being offered each semester through the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Museum Studies Internship program. Each year, this program enables students to build connections with the community for their future careers. Those connections provide a plethora of benefits for students, the institutions they work with and the community as a whole.

David Smith and Allison Spencer curating the 1950s exhibition, which is currently showing in the Helen Christou Gallery.

Students enrolled in the internship option, which is part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program, use their interests as a starting point to develop relationships with organizations in the community. These interests lead to internships where students gain valuable work experience and the hosting institutions benefit from having new and fresh perspectives. Interns become ambassadors for their institutions, sharing information with the broader community.

"Internships are a great way for students to gain insight into the career choices they are considering, and to acquire behind the scenes perspectives about how institutions operate," says Kevin MacLean, collections technician, Galt Museum and Archives.

Students who gain these insights have an advantage when envisioning their future because they have a clearer sense of the roles they want to occupy. By participating in the internship program, students further their careers by gaining practical hands-on experience, which employers are quick to recognize, and by networking within their career fields.

"My appreciation for public programming has definitely grown with my understanding of what goes into creating events," says Allison Spencer, curatorial intern with the U of L Art Gallery. During her internship, Spencer assisted in hosting public programming activities including Culture Vulture Saturdays as well as assisting exhibition planning.

Hosting an intern is also advantageous for the institution. Students bring enthusiasm, a desire to learn and a willingness to work diligently.

"It's an excellent way for an institution to achieve its vision, because the interns take on responsibility and help permanent staff to become more effective," says Ryan Doherty, SAAG Curator.

In non-profit institutions, volunteering is always encouraged and appreciated. Interns, although often unpaid, bridge the gap between permanent staff and casual volunteers by working regular hours and remaining a valuable resource of volunteer energy. Students who complete the internship program promote their institutions in a positive manner by communicating their learning experiences with others.

Granting opportunities to interns is highly beneficial to the community as well. When cultural institutions thrive, the community thrives as a result.

"Having interns is a great way for us to revitalize ourselves. Having new ideas and a fresh perspective allows us to reflect on how and why we do things the way we do. It adds a sense of vitality to our organization," says Marilyn Smith, SAAG Director.

This year SAAG, Galt Museum, and the U of L Art Gallery had interns in several capacities and expect to have more in the future.

"We welcome interns with an incredibly diverse range of opportunities and will work with students to create the experience that is right for them," says Lori Harasem, volunteer and special events co-ordinator with the Galt Museum.

Jennifer Vanderfluit, who interned at the Galt and worked with the archivist to complete a digital conservation project, readily recommends the experience to fellow students.

"I think the internship program is an incredible opportunity that students should take advantage of," she says. "Every major should have a similar program."

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Events - October

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:33:47 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Oct. 15 | Canada West
Men's Hockey
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns
7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 16 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns, 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West
Basketball
Trinity Western vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m.
1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-24 | Canada West Women's Rugby | Canada West Championship Tournament, Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 23 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 24 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 29-30 | Canada West Men's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 6-7 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia vs. Horns
Nov. 6, 7 p.m. | Nov. 7, 2 p.m.
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 12-13 | Canada West Basketball | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures

Oct. 13 | Art Now: Writer Simon Houpt | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 14 | Responding to Sexual Violence on Campus | For faculty and staff. Pat Anderson, Counselling Services, discusses how you can respond effectively if a student discloses sexual violence to you.
3 to 4:30 p.m., AH118

Oct. 15 | Art Now:
Curator Steve Loft
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | Art Now: Multimedia artist Laurel Woodcock | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | Class Discussion and Tutorials with Dr. Harold Jansen and Dr. Janice Newberry | 2 to 4 p.m., L1102

Oct. 19 | Between Imaginary and Real Islam in Europe and France: Professor Raphael Liogier
7:30 p.m., TH201

Oct. 20 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | The Multicultural Classroom with Dr. Hillary Rodrigues and Dr. Dayna Daniels | 1 to 2:30 p.m., TH143

Oct. 22 | Art Now: Curator Candice Hopkins | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 25 | Architecture & Design Now: Dr. Victoria Dickenson | 6 p.m., C610

Oct. 27 | Art Now: Curator and historian, Richard Hill | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 1 | Architecture & Design Now: Winnipeg architect, Neil Minuk
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 3 | Art Now: Anne Henderson
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 3 | WestGrid Seminar: Molecular Simulations of Biomolecules using GROMACS | Gurpreet Singh, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary
12:30 to 1:30 p.m., CRDC L1126

Nov. 5 | Art Now: Alison McTaggert
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Art Now: Photographer Lynne Cohen | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Architecture & Design Now: Calgary architect, Gerald Forseth
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 15 | Art Now: Daniel Young & Christian Giroux | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 15 | Architecture & Design Now: Furniture designers, Brothers Dressler | 6 p.m., C610

Performances

Oct. 14 | President's Choice
Honouring U of L President
Mike Mahon | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Oct. 15 | Art Gallery Open House
Behind the scenes at the Art Gallery 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Art Gallery

Oct. 19 | Music at Noon: Peter Visentin (violin) and Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 19-23 | Uncommon Women and Others | By Wendy Wasserstein, five women reunite to discuss where their lives have led | 8 p.m. nightly, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Oct. 26 | Music at Noon: Akiko Tominga (piano) | 12:15 p.m.
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 28-30 | TheatreXtra
The Good Egg By Michael Lewis MacLennan | 8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre, 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 30

Nov. 2 | Music at Noon: Joel Gray (trumpet); Dr. David Renter (piano); Elior Lawson (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 5-6 | Opera Around the World
U of L Opera Workshop presents a world tour | 8 p.m. nightly
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Nov. 9 | Music at Noon: Dr. Magdalena Adamek (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)
Nov. 16 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet | 2:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Miscellaneous

Sept. 12 to Oct. 24
Shifting Myths
Helen Christou Gallery

Sept. 16 to Oct. 29 | Jamelie Hassan: At the Far Edge of Words
U of L Main Gallery

Oct. 13 | Jet Programme Information Session | Learn about opportunities to teach English in Japan
6 to 7 p.m., W646

Oct. 12-13 | Faculty Focus Groups
Contact Nicole Leusink at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca to participate
3 to 4:30 p.m. daily

Oct. 20 | Oldman Watershed Council Science Forum | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (registration 8:30 a.m.)
Students' Union Ballroom A& B

Plays and Prose Writing Competition
Submission deadline: Dec. 13 by 4 p.m.
Submit to Rebecca Gray, W850

Curated Student Exhibition opens

trevor.kenney — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:19:11 +0000

The Annual Curated Student Exhibition opens Friday, Mar. 12 and, with a revised focus, promises to provide an even greater learning experience for students.

"The U of L Art Gallery provides an exceptional opportunity for the professional development of Art Studio majors as they near the completion of their degree," says Dr. Josephine Mills, Director/Curator.
"The Annual Curated Student Exhibition gives students realistic experience with the process of applying for exhibitions and receiving feedback from an established curator."

This exhibition is only open to senior art majors to focus attention on those with the goal of becoming professional artists. In applying for this exhibition, students follow the same process and standards for documenting, describing and proposing their work, as they will when applying to public art galleries and artist-run centres or for grants.

Art Gallery staff provides advice on preparing the proposals and share insights into what curators look for when deciding to book a studio visit and choose artwork for an exhibition. To further that real life experience, an established curator from outside of Lethbridge is invited to create the exhibition.

The curator views the proposals and selects a short list of students for follow-up meetings during their time on the U of L campus. From these studio visits, the curator makes the final selection and works with the Art Gallery staff to lay out and install the exhibition.

"The Annual Curated Student Exhibition provides a showcase of excellent work by art studio majors in that year and gives the students a valuable achievement to list on their résumés," says Mills.

As well, students who are not selected to display their work receive feedback on their proposals, and can learn how to improve as they prepare to begin their careers.

The Annual Curated Student Exhibition is in the U of L Main Gallery, Mar. 12 through Apr. 9, with the opening reception on Friday, Mar. 12 at 8 p.m.

The guest curator this year is Sandra Dyck, the curator at the Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Art Gallery in Ottawa.

Student Exhibition a valuable learning tool

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:48:37 +0000

The Annual Curated Student Exhibition is on the horizon and, with a revised focus, promises to provide an even greater learning experience for students.

"The Annual Curated Student Exhibition provides a showcase of excellent work by art studio majors in that year and gives the students a valuable achievement to list on their résumés," says Mills.

As well, students who are not selected to display their work receive feedback on their proposals, and can learn how to improve as they prepare to begin their careers.

The Annual Curated Student Exhibition is in the U of L Main Gallery, Mar. 12 through Apr. 9, with the opening reception on Friday, Mar. 12 at 8 p.m.

The guest curator this year is Sandra Dyck, the curator at the Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Art Gallery in Ottawa.

Events Calendar

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:43:08 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Men's Hockey

Jan. 8-9 | Manitoba vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Jan. 15 | Calgary vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Basketball

Jan. 9 | Calgary vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Jan. 22 | UBC vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Jan. 23 | Victoria vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Women's Hockey

Jan. 22-23 | UBC vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Jan. 30 | Calgary vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Lectures

Jan. 8 | Art Now: AA Bronsen of General Idea | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Jan. 11 | Art Now: Art historian Jennifer Stone | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Jan. 15 | Art Now: Calgary artists, Dave & Jenn | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Jan. 18 | Curator Kitty Scott
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Jan. 20 | Art Now: SAAG artist Manon de Pauw | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Jan. 22 | Art Now: Curator Louise Dery | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Performances

Jan. 15 | Opera Goes to the Movies
U of L Opera Workshop | 7 p.m., Gem of the West Museum (Coaldale)

Jan. 21-23 | TheatreXtra #3
8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre, Matinee, 2 p.m., Jan. 23

Jan. 23 | Big Band Cabaret
Silent auction, door prizes and dancing to the Lethbridge Big Band
8 p.m., Students' Union Ballrooms

Jan. 24 | Tono
Toronto's Red Sky with musicians and dancers from Mongolia and China | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Jan. 29 | Lethbridge Symphony Chamber Series | U of L Faculty Brass Quintet | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Jan. 30 | Schumann & Chopin: Hearts Alive at 200
A celebration of two of the greatest romantic minds in music
8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Miscellaneous

Jan. 15 to Feb. 26 | Snap, Crackle, Pop | An exhibition highlighting Alberta artists exploring the themes, iconography, materials and visual styles of popular culture
Main Gallery and Helen Christou Gallery | Opening Reception, 4 p.m., Jan. 15

Jan. 16 | Culture Vulture Saturday
Button-Making with Trap/Door Artist Run Centre
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., U of L Main Gallery

Jan. 20 | Faculty of Education Job Fair | School board representatives visit campus | 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Atrium

Logan pulls inspiration from Norse mythology

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:19:31 +0000

Darcy Logan's newest installation, Knowing/Gnawing, in the Helen Christou Gallery, presents his most recent paintings alongside a selection of works from the U of L collection, which provide context and inspiration for his art practice.

"The works are by Canadian artists including Alan Harding MacKay, Rebecca Anweiler, Renee Van Halm, William MacDonnell and Jerome Witvleit," says Logan, who earned his Bachelor of Fine arts in Art at the U of L in 2002 and is the curator at the Bowman Arts Centre.

"I wanted the exhibition to be about bodies of artistic work."

In addition to paintings, Logan also included a set of nine altered encyclopedias, which were made specifically for this exhibition, to work conjointly with the MacKay books as a way to 'read' the exhibition.

"It was important to have this reading mediated not by traditional didactics, but by altered books as re-contextualized bodies of knowledge," says Logan. "My current body of work, entitled Know/Gnaw/Naglfar, uses myth as a metaphor to explore the nature of knowledge and ideas.

"In Scandinavian mythology, the Naglfar is a ship being constructed in the underworld and the name is Old Norse for "nail ferry," which speaks to the rivets that hold the planks together, and a description of its mythic purpose."

It seems the building materials for this ship are the fingernails and toenails of the dead, the detritus of the body.

"When enough discordant people have died and the necessary amount of raw material gathered, the ship will be completed, freed from its moorings, and carry the forces of chaos to ensure the end of the world," he says. "This story provoked a string of associations for me, and gave me pause to reflect on how knowledge and ideologies are defined and constructed, and, ultimately, the consequences that follow in their wake. These are often disastrous, and result from the excesses of philosophical and ideological certainty, or the dangerous limits of knowledge."

In keeping with the myth, Logan's works contain human fingernails and toenails, embedded in the paint.

"My works are as much assemblages as they are paintings," he says. "I use layers of encrusted earth, resins and rusting agents to create the finished pieces. I often carve into the drying mud, leaving parts depressed and others in high relief. I am interested in compositional tension and attempt to explore and exploit normally incongruous elements on the canvas."

These elements can be the tensions between the thick, matte appearance of the mud and the thin reflective quality of resin, the tension between illusionist representation and passages of implied abstract space, or the tension between the modern and primitive nature of the materials.

Knowing/Gnawing is in the Helen Christou Gallery until Jan. 3, 2010.

Stebbins helped shape art culture

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:28:31 +0000

When Joan Stebbins (BFA '79), former curator for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG), graduated from high school in the small town of Palmer, Alaska, she embarked on a post-secondary journey that, with a little help from Cupid, would alter dramatically the course of her life.

"I started at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alaska with plans to major in English. After one semester I left school to get married and a year later we had our first son," recalls Stebbins. "While my husband completed his education, I stayed home with our two boys, but there was no doubt that I would one day go back to school; it was just a question of when it worked for everybody."

In 1967, Stebbins moved with her family to Lethbridge where her husband, Dr. Lucius Stebbins, would become one of the founding faculty members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was so small then that the faculty was like a family. Everybody knew everybody. We did not have family nearby and we were in an adopted country, so it was very nice," recalls Stebbins.

By 1975, Stebbins felt the time was right for her to return to school. She enrolled in the only available night class at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that interested her, Japanese art history.

"I got hooked on art. It was wonderful. I would have done a degree in art history but there were not enough courses available at that time; I did a degree in studio art in printmaking," says Stebbins.
"Going back to school was very fulfilling for me but having a career come out of it – that was not planned. My professors brought such a rich range of experience and strength to their teaching; it happened I was well equipped for my career as a curator. I am very grateful for that."

After graduating in 1979 with a bachelor of fine arts with great distinction, Stebbins applied for a part-time position at the SAAG.

"The Southern Alberta Art Gallery has always had a symbiotic relationship with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Art students are familiar with the Gallery through their professors. I had always gone to the Gallery and been interested in their programs, so I applied for the job when the position as front desk person came up," says Stebbins.

Gradually, Stebbins' responsibilities at the gallery increased. She helped with exhibitions, worked with artists, and curated several local historical exhibitions on her own. In 1982, she became the assistant curator. She was promoted to director/curator in 1985. For the next 15 years, Stebbins worked in liaison with the board of directors to manage gallery resources and programs. She initiated an education program and an artist in residency program. Under her direction both budget and staff size increased and the gallery gained a reputation as one of Canada's leading contemporary institutions.

"I think our successful national reputation comes from the exhibition program. As
director/curator, I chose a national program and did a lot of grant writing to the Canada Council for the Arts and other sources to bring in artists that stood out across our country," says Stebbins. "By 1999, my job title was split because the Gallery had grown and there was just too much to do. Until my retirement in 2008, I acted as curator because that is what I love to do – working with the artists."

Although her career was unplanned, it has turned out to be an extraordinarily rich and rewarding journey for Stebbins. She has traveled extensively, attended major art events throughout Europe, Canada and the United States, worked with very talented artists and continues today to be an important part of the flourishing art community in Lethbridge.

GET THE FACTS

• Stebbins is Curator Emerita at the SAAG and continues to work on selected special projects.

• She was a guest lecturer in Introductory Art at the U of L from 1985 to 1991.

• Stebbins is a member of numerous professional associations, juries, and committees including the U of L Art Acquisitions Committee and the Hnatyshyn Foundation.

• In 2007 Stebbins was named a member of the Order of Canada, while in 2009 she received an honorary doctor of fine arts from the U of L; earned the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist award; and was given the a Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, RCA Medal for her work on countless artist exhibition publications.

U of L collection part of Glenbow exhibit

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:19:49 +0000

The major strength of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection is its diversity, housing works that not only represent a wide range of geographic locations, but also the full spectrum of media, artistic movements, genres and approaches.

Due to this variety, the collection is often utilized by leading Canadian art galleries and curators as a resource for a wide range of exhibition programming. A summer exhibition (June 20 to Sept. 20) at Calgary's Glenbow Museum, entitled Vistas: Artists on the Canadian Pacific Railway, features six works from the U of L Art Collection, by esteemed Canadian artists Frederic Bell-Smith, Forshaw Day, Robert Gagen, Marmaduke Matthews and Lucius O'Brien.

The exhibition focuses on these and 15 other artists who travelled west via the railway in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to capture images of the prairies and the mountains, and how their art production helped shape Canada's emerging national identity.

This curatorial journey, created by guest curator Roger Boulet, features over 130 art works and photographs from Glenbow's collections and from public and private collections in Canada and the United States – many not seen for decades. Images expressing the CPR's vision of a new Canada are featured in this sweeping exhibition. It's a stunning body of artwork, the first to reveal the Canadian West as a desirable, majestic and awe-inspiring destination.

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U of L collection part of Glenbow exhibit

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