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Artists' Odysseys:
The Arctic |
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May
21, 2006 to October 21, 2006 |
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Frederick Horsman Varley Art
Gallery
216 Main Street,
Unionville, ON L3R 2H1, 905-477-9511 |
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The idea of the Arctic with its majestic
northern images has been a magnetic visual experience
and a daring adventure for generations of southern artists,
their trip became an emotional journey, a kind of spiritual
cleansing and a true odyssey for the artist. |
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In search for the emotional journey
the Varley Gallery is featuring Artist Odysses: The
Arctic which anchors on Fred Varley’s historic
trip to the High Arctic on the legendary Nascopie ship
in 1938. The audience will be invited to follow up in
the artists’ footsteps. The exhibition is being
curated by Katerina Atanassova. |
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Like his colleagues A. Y. Jackson and
Lawren Harris who travelled to the Canadian North earlier,
Varley felt that his Nordic journey is a true revelation.
He was entranced by the Arctic in all its magic and
colour. The excitement Varley felt during his three
month journey projects through his paintings and numerous
letters written at that time. The artic light and freshness
were especially close to his spirit. Among his works
included in the exhibition is Summer in the Arctic,
which is probably the most successful work produced
as a result of that journey and transferred onto a larger
canvas.
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In the 1980's artists such as Doris
McCarthy, Allan Collier and Tony Onley found their individual
journeys to the High Arctic immensely stimulating and
inspiring. They were thrilled with the light and the
brilliant colours of water and sky, the translucent
shapes of the icebergs and the primordial power of the
surroundings. |
Twelve contemporary Inuit
artist works will be incorporated into the exhibition
with assistance from independent curator Carol Heppenstall.
An open call for entry invited contemporary Canadian
artists to submit works to a jury which selected 20
works to complete the artists’ odysseys. The exhibition
is also in celebration of the 100th anniversary from
the North West Passage. |
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The full Varley Gallery
will be used to allow for this strong installation of
Canadian art and the interpretative stories and contextual
material. There will be a publication to accompany the
exhibition.
To learn more about the Varley Art Gallery, please
click
here
Above paintings by Arctic
Quest artists Val Russell (top) and Paul Gauthier, selected
by jury for this exhibit, Artists' Odysseys: The Arctic |
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