A touring exhibition with roots in Saskatchewan is on its way to the Burnaby Art Gallery.
The gallery is presenting Joe Fafard: Retailles as its summer exhibition this year, running from June 24 to Aug. 28. An opening reception will be held Thursday, June 23 from 7 to 9 p.m., with the artist in attendance.
Fafard, whose roots are in rural Saskatchewan, has created both sculptures and works on paper depicting Prairie animals from the farm and field. The works in the exhibition were produced between the 1990s and 2013.
Retailles is French for “scraps” or “trimming,” and the exhibition focuses on Fafard’s exploration of the laser-cut process and his creative renderings of its byproducts – “not only referencing the act of removing the negative from positive space to create form, but also referring to the act of recycling these ‘out-cuts’ to create new works,” as a press release explains.
Fafard, who was named an officer of the Order of Canada in 1981, is most known for his sculptural portraits of neighbours, farm animals, wildlife and famous artists.
The touring exhibition has been organized by the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery and Art Gallery of Swift Current, in partnership with the Burnaby Art Gallery, Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, Strathcona County Art Gallery and Yukon Arts Centre.
The gallery is at 6344 Deer Lake Ave. and it open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is by donation, with a suggested donation of $5.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
The BAG is offering a number of special events in connection with the exhibition.
Among them:
Artist talk and reception: Stop in to the gallery on Saturday, June 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. for a talk by Fafard and reception. It’s free.
Kidz Club Art Night: Seven- to 12-year-olds can enjoy an art night on the theme of animal prints. It’s set for Thursday, June 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and costs $16.
In the BAG Family Sundays: The gallery is hosting two upcoming free family drop-ins. Families get to check out the exhibition and then get into the studio to create their own work. Sessions run from 1 to 4 p.m. on July 10, with a theme of Stamping Around, and Aug. 14, with a theme of Paper Embossing. It’s free and for all ages.
No Horsing Around: This adult-only camp includes a field trip to the Burnaby Horsemen’s Association stables at Burnaby Lake for a sketching session, among other activities. It runs Monday to Friday, Aug. 15 to 19, from 2 to 4 p.m., and costs $75.
For more on any of the above events, see www.burnabyartgallery.ca or call 604-297-4422.
