The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre's latest exhibit features a wide range of both whimsical and thought-provoking pieces. Four artists are featured in the exhibit which opened on July 18 and runs until August 25.
A Titty in the Mountains:
The Selkirk Range of the Columbia Mountains encircles and encapsulates the mountain town, and this can be seen in artwork displayed in shops around town. It's no wonder, they are breathtaking. They also draw in tourists and locals alike who tackle their steep inclines in various sports. But, what if there was another side to the mountains? What if there was a whimsical side to the mountains?
This playful take on mountains, life and feminism is displayed in Birte Spreuer's exhibit, "A Titty in the Mountains." Spreuer studied art and design at the Hochschule f眉r Bildende K眉nste Saar in Germany. She lived in Amsterdam, Cologne, and Sarregemuines before settling in Revelstoke. Her time living in European cities has influenced her art, as well as her time being surrounded by mountains in Revelstoke.
Spreuer describes her works as focusing on love, joy, and sensuality, influenced by feminism and community. Her exhibit is narrated with her words, "One day, a titty came to the mountains, bubbling over with joy and love. She welcomes you to follow her journey through the mountain landscape at the Revelstoke Visual Art Center. In titties we trust."
Simply the Bliss:
Some children learn that they shouldn't play with scissors, but for French artist, Florence Janiaud, the tool captivated them with artistic potential at the age of three, during a play date with a friend at preschool. Later, at age six, she transformed her mother's beloved tablecloth with decorative fringe. What followed next was a lifelong fascination with designing with scissors.
In her 20s, Janiaud became a hairstylist in France, and later moved to Quebec and studied at the School of Design and Set in Decoration in Montreal. Following her studies, she returned to hairstyling and opened a salon, "Bla Bla Coup" in Montreal. The space was more than a salon and also served as a creative hub for artists.
In 2015, Janiaud trekked across Canada and landed in Vancouver. Inspired by the mountains, she began using more pastels in her work. This inspiration and new art form have led her to mesh both pastels and her signature scissor work in this exhibition.
In her artist statement, Janiaud explained that "the exhibition began to take shape while meditating. The roundness of the paintings allows us to dive into them. Each panel become a world, a new vision of our beautiful Earth. We can reach different levels of meditation, touched by all the colours and texture."
Nicole Lau
Nicole Lau's exhibition was inspired by her grandmother, a Hakka woman from Hong Kong. Lau gravitated to her grandmother's narrative and the resilient narrative of Hakka women for their strength and artistic prowess as they were known for their intricate weaving. Lau described their weaving as 鈥榣iangmao鈥� and 鈥榝ai tai鈥� which was worn by Hakka women as they worked alongside men in construction, roadwork, excavation, mining, and farming.
"I weave about the intergenerational tale and power of the Hakka women who survived and empowered themselves despite being in a powerless society," said Lau
Lau describes the liangmao as a flat, woven Hakka bamboo hat with a cloth rim, and the 鈥榝ai tai鈥� is a woven patterned band that functions to secure a head cloth on the liangmao.
"My hand-made take on tradition employs slow, laborious movements of twisting, stretching, and threading sharp and challenging industrial materials to create beautiful woven installations. As a woman of more than one culture, I weave bridges and connections to understand my parents鈥� pre-immigrant trauma with an optimism towards new horizons," said Lau
Lau is a Chinese Canadian multidisciplinary artist with Hakka heritage. She is based in Vancouver and received the Research and Creation Award and Professional Development Award through the Canadian Council for the Arts.
Travel Tracks:
Travel Track features three artists: Isabelle Gagn茅, Ugo Monticone, and Marc Sauvageau. The immersive exhibit is inspired by journeys across the globe, represented by 22 different artworks.
The different artworks are inspired by 22 countries, which are also featured in Monticone's book which served as inspiration for this exhibit. Monticone spent 20 years travelling the globe and writing about his adventures.
Gagn茅 (Miss Pixels) created augmented reality animation for each of the countries using archives from Monticone's book. The artwork is also accompanied by a sound design created by Sauvagneau. Sauvagneau is a multidisciplinary artist and winner of the Passion Prize at the Laurentides鈥� Grand Cultural Awards and the Gaston-Miron Prize.
Their work delves into the concept of memory and adventure as their artist statement explains it is "an interactive journey, the exhibition immerses visitors in the world of travel and allows them to discover new horizons while reflecting on how we create and preserve our memories."
