Happy September! Seems like a long time since I was sitting at my own desk, since I took the editor’s chair for the summer and then just returned from two weeks’ vacation.
But I’m back at the arts and entertainment desk now and looking forward to hearing from you. Be sure to let me know what your arts group is up to for the fall – you can email me at [email protected], or find me on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
In the meantime, here’s what’s crossed my desk in the last few days:
SFU teams up with Burnaby Art Gallery
Burnaby Art Gallery and the SFU Art Gallery are joining forces for a joint exhibition featuring the work of Canadian artist Alex Morrison.
Alex Morrison: Phantoms of a Utopian Will/Like Most Follies, More Than a Joke and More Than a Whimruns until Nov. 8 at Burnaby Art Gallery and until Dec. 11 at SFU.
The tandem exhibitions include two newly commissioned projects, as well as works selected by the artists from the two institutions’ collections.
“Morrison’s practice investigates built environments and their often counter-cultural inhabitation,” a write-up about the exhibitions explains.
“His analysis of architectural styles, the historical context of their construction and the evolution of their use over time informs his research on the two sites of SFU Gallery and the BAG. In doing so Morrison troubles not only historical and social narratives but also the aesthetics of cultural identification.”
There will be a drop-in tour at Burnaby Art Gallery, 6344 Deer Lake Ave., on Saturday, Oct. 4 – tours are offered from 2 to 4 p.m. on the half-hour.
Check out more about the exhibitions online at www.burnabyartgallery.ca.
Libraries host art exhibitions
Have you checked out the latest art exhibitions at Burnaby Public Library branches yet?
The Burnaby Art Gallery has two ongoing exhibitions at library branches: Selections from the Image Bank Postcard Show at Bob Prittie branch, and Maps and Mapping at McGill branch.
Selections from the Image Bank Postcard Show draws from a selection of postcards from the holdings of the City of Burnaby’s permanent art collection. They date back to 1971, when, at the forefront of the mail art movement in Canada, Michael Morrison andVincent Trasovinvited artists to send in postcards for the Image Bank Postcard Show, curated by Alvin Balkind at UBC’s Fine Arts Gallery.
“The Image Bank was made up of a network of participating artists who exchanged ideas and information by mail with the intention of creating a collaborative, process-based project that might foster a shared creative consciousness,” a press release explains.
A boxed edition of 80 original artist postcards was printed to accompany the show. The Burnaby exhibition includes postcards by Ray Johnson, General Idea, Dana Atchley, Gary Lee Novaand others. It’s at the Bob Prittie library branch (6100 Willingdon Ave.) until Oct. 4.
Meanwhile, at the McGill branch (4595 Albert St.), visitors can check out Maps and Mapping, ongoing until Oct. 5.
The exhibition includes work by artists who are current or former residents of the Lower Mainland, all of whom have utilized maps in the making of their works. It includes work by Les McKinnon, Anna Wong, Daniel Laskarin, Marianna Schmidt, Jason McLeanand more.
Check out www.burnabyartgallery.ca.
Film screening set
Love film? You’ll want to stop by the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts on Sunday, Sept 27 for a Culture Days event.
Sharing Our Stories: Digital Short Films by Burnaby Seniors runs from 1 to 5 p.m.
The presentation includes short digital films created by local seniors, many of whom had never used a computer nor written a story before this project.
Drop by the Shadbolt Centre at 6450 Deer Lake Ave. to check it all out.
