when i think of the land

23 May 2009 – 20 September 2009

Delta night mask – homage a Kelly Clark, 1984

Delta night mask – homage a Kelly Clark, 1984

When I think of the land, I think of place, of community, of our relationship and responsibility to it and to each other. How does the landscape affects our lives, how do we determine land use, and what is our sense of place in a multi-centered society?

What is certain is the power of the land to inspire and the continued interest of artists in representing it. Although depictions of the land are most commonly identified with landscape painting, the genre can be more broadly described as place-oriented art, a definition which encompasses a variety of mediums.

As an artist, I, too, have been drawn to the land, although I have often been troubled as to how to represent it. I believe this has to do with the loaded history of landscape painting. A genre of painting dominated by European conventions, landscape painting has been used in North America to influence public opinion and, in particular, to define, inspire and justify western expansion and colonial policies.

As recognition and awareness around these issues grows, there has been a shift, not only in how we relate to the land, but also in how artists are choosing to represent it. This permanent collection exhibition explores how artists have chosen to work with the theme of landscape in ways that differ from “traditional” landscape painting. These non-conventional portrayals of landscape include works by artists such as Don Proch, Richard Gorenko, Doris Larson and Lorne Beug. These artists are not rigidly bound by history or tradition in their expressions of landscape, but rather take their inspiration from a range of sources: from the mapping of geography through science and technology to deeply personal connections with land and place.

Artists represented in this exhibition include: Christopher Finn, Diane Pugen, Don Proch, Doris Larson, Gordon Smith, Jerry Grey, Lorna Russell, Lorne Beug, Marsha DeLouchery, Richard Gorenko, and William Lobchuk.

By Michelle LaVallee, Assistant Curator, MacKenzie Art Gallery

Image Credit:

Don Proch
Delta night mask – homage a Kelly Clark, 1984
silver point, graphite, acrylic lacquer, fiberglass, steel, fibre optics
84.5 x 36 x 42 cm
Collection of the MacKenzie Art Gallery, purchased with the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program and with funds from the James Kurtz Memorial Foundation

Organized by the MacKenzie Art Gallery with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the City of Regina Arts Commission.