14 April - 27 April, 2020 (*extended dates*)
Curatorial Statement
Animals have played important roles throughout humanity; whether we live with a pet or two, or notice a few furry and feathered friends outside out windows, we cannot deny the connected multi-species community that we live in. Animals and humans alike rely on each other. Sometimes we feed them, sometimes they feed us. As always, the relationships between human and animal are not always pleasant, and can often be one sided.
In this exhibition however, I encourage viewers to focus on the positive interactions between us and our animal friends. To reflect on ancient and current relations; from livestock, cultural and religious guides, war companions, and of course, pets. I also encourage to consider taking some more time to really appreciate our little friends outside (or inside) and notice their unique traits. Like how excitedly other dogs greet each other, how cute a squirrel looks when it washes its face, or the curious head tilt of sparrow noticing a potential snack.
Exhibited Works
Pets are just like family. Local Ottawa artists Franciscus van Boxtel expertly catches the little quirks and personalities of out little furry friends. The artist uses photographs sent in by clients to capture the essence of their pets through acrylic paints. But he doesn't paint just dogs! Cats, people, flowers and...parrots (!) are all subjects van Boxtel has intricately honoured through his paintings. Painting professionally since 2003, van Boxtel's work can be found in collections from Canada, the USA, Europe and Australia, as well as publications such as 'Companion Parrot Quarterly'.
Tucked away in a shop though the maze-like streets of Amsterdam is a sweet little family-owned shop and museum, called the Mouse Mansion. Children's author Karina Schaapman with her four children, creates intricate miniatures, dioramas and scenes to add to her books, in lieu of creating illustrations.
Now, the shop and museum is a hub for young and old, curious passers-by or hardcore diorama makers. The shop provides materials to make your own little mouse mansions or unique additions to your doll houses (even a muffin tray modelled after vintage navy blue and white speckled graniteware!).
To learn the 'story behind these stories, follow this link.
According to Anishinaabe artist Mark Anthony Jacobson (on the back of the postcard), "this painting reflects the spirit of unity within our past, present and future. Together as one, the whale and eagle represent the ability and desire to maintain that vision." Originally from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Jacobson paints in a distinctly Woodlands Style of painting (made famous by another Anishinaabe artist, the great Norval Morrisseau). Currently residing and working in British Columbia, the artists makes cross-cultural connections between the painting style of his homeland, and subjects that are traditional to West Coast territories.
This postcard was sent by a friend visiting Vancouver, BC and purchased at a gift shop, but the artist's website (provided below) showcases his larger body of work.
The Summer 2019 exhibition at the Silesian Museum in Katowice Poland featured an exhibition titled "Bliskie, lecz z dalekiego świata. Historia udomowienia ssaków" (Close but From a Far-Away World. The History of Domestication of Mammals), curated by Renata Abłamowicz, which looked at the long history of animal and human co-working; from the domestication of wolves 40,000 years ago to the migration routes of various European animals.
Out of 5,500 species, we as humans have only been able to domesticate 19, all of which were represented in the exhibition through animal skeletons, items made from their bones, leather or fur, but also religious and cultural items (such as the figure on the left) that highlighted the complex relationship between human and domesticated animal.
Through such exhibitions, we can really see how fundamental all animals, especially the domesticated ones, have been to us throughout civilization, and hopefully, help us appreciate them more in our daily lives.
Love them or hate them, raccoons are little urban rascals that surely make living in the city a little more exciting. Part of their Canadiana Series of postcards, Kid Icarus printing really knows how to encapsulate both the super famous and lesser known icons of Canada and its cities. Playing with the running joke that you can tell who is a local Torontonian based o if they pronounce the 't' or not, this postcard manages to play the role of both localized souvenir, and humorous memento.
According to the late and greatly celebrated Kwakwaka’wakw artist and Chief, Beau Dick (on the back of the postcard), "the raven is a symbol of creation for my people". The specific image and use of materials represented on the postcard is reminiscent of Northwest Coast button blankets, which feature red flanneled appliqué of traditionally stylized subjects (often animals related to family crests but can also feature human figures), and featuring accents of abalone or dentalium.
Dick was also a highly skilled carver, and has been exhibited in countless shows and written about in many publications, such as documenta 14 and Canadian Art.
Late Austrian painter, sculptor, curator, critic and designer Oswald Oberhuber, who passed away this year in January, was a well known professor and cultural icon in the Austrian arts scene. In 2016, a survey of 150 of his works were exhibited at the Belvedere 21 Museum of Contemporary in Vienna, Austria, curated by Luisa Ziaja and Alfred Weidinger.
In this postcard, Austrian Prince Eugene, who was a celebrated military commander and served up to three Habsburg rulers. The Belvedere palace was the Princes' 'modest' garden home, where he could display his collections of artifacts and artworks, but also, house his extensive menagerie of animals and rare plants. The Prince loved nature, and took great care of his many peacocks, swans, cranes, common spoonbills, fallow deer, chamois, monkeys, Tripolitan and Turkish sheep, lynxes, a lion, ostriches, guinea fowls, and various other animals. It is fitting then, to depict the Prince in such a playful and colourful manner atop his noble steed.
Using just pencil and canvas, Ottawa artist Escalmel (now Montreal-based) creates a playful and pensive work that mixes pop culture icons, animals and cartoons. As part of his solo show at La Petite Mort entitled "Underpopulated" (2013) curated by Guy Berube, the surreal collages uncanny; both familiar and strange, human and animal, real and imaginary.
High art, pop culture, fairy tales and subconscious thoughts all mesh together in Escalmel's whimsical drawings.
Institutions Attached To The Works
Centretown Veterinary Hospital (Franciscus van Boxtel)
Franciscus Studio (Franciscus van Boxtel)
The Mouse Mansion (Sam and Julia by Karina Schaapman)
Mark Anthony Jacobson Catalogue Raisonné (Mark Anthony Jacobson)
Gift + Print Studio (Kid Icarus)
Native Northwest (Beau Dick)
Belvedere 21 (Oswald Oberhuber)
La Petite Mort Gallery (François Escalmel)
Associated Programming
What's an art exhibition without some fun programming?
For this show, there are three scheduled events/activities:
1. colouring page competition
2. urban safari checklist
3. animal-shaped bread recipes! (because lets face it, almost everyone is baking bread nowadays)
Colouring Page (by Scatter Bee)
Go to https://gumroad.com/scatterbee?fbclid=IwAR3Jd_1cG75KwK7-bZZact6MXfVMNf4CBa7X3s7v0d8uDVjUaj4eoB85UWg to download high res versions of the colouring pages (there's even one that fits the neighbourhood window decoration theme this week - dolphins and fish!)
Urban Safari Checklist
How many of these little guys can you spot outside your window or on your walks? Bonus points for spotting different dogs and cats!
Wild Bread!
Buzzfeed has compiled a list of animal-shaped breads that are also kid friendly to make! So whether you are a beginner and a kid at heart, or need an activity to occupy your little ones (or you are a master baker and just want to make cute teddy bear buns), check out their articles and follow the recipe that speaks most to you!
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