What are some of the perks of having the best nationally ranked gallery, a.k.a. The Art Gallery of Ontario steps away from the subway, and conveniently within reach of our last class? To start, the freedom to tour the permanent collections is definitely something to take advantage of. But the coolest part of the gallery experience would have to be, no doubt the ability to see limited-time only exhibitions. Therefore I was pleased to turn a long weekend into a creative and artistic experience by visiting the newly opened Alex Colville exhibition.
Who is Alex Colville? Although the name might not be familiar to some, I am sure that at one point you, collegiate have come across his work. A renowned Canadian painter and a graduate of Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Alex Colville paints the human condition. As he says, nothing and nowhere is ordinary and he seeks to depict and give extraordinary narratives to what we might perceive as mundane. Alex Colville’s Horse and Train (1954) is probably one of his more recognizable paintings. This painting and several others by the artist can be found in The Shining (1980), masterpiece of horror by famed director Stanley Kubrick. Therefore, upon learning this intriguing relationship with pop culture hidden within the artist’s work, I was more than eager to experience more of his other work.
As teased by some of the A.G.O. advertisements posters, some major pieces in the exhibitions included allusions to other popular cultural pieces. The first installation piece and painting that greeted me was To Prince Edward Island (1965), accompanied by a clip of the movie, Moonrise Kingdom (2012) on loop. Although the two pieces were created decades apart, the atmosphere and feel of the individual art work were eerily similar. Then as I took my first steps into the exhibition, I realized that this initial piece had officially set the tone for the rest of the exhibition.
Through the process of absorbing the different pieces in the gallery, sketches, and background information included. I can accurately say that much of Colville’s work was heavily influenced by his life experience as a war artist during WWII, as well as his values in life. What Colville held dear was his love for his home; the beautiful landscapes of New Brunswick, his family, and animals. But as my sight took in the pleasant pastels, and softness of Colville’s brushstrokes, I also realized that there is always a sense of tension lingering about in all of the artworks. Perhaps it’s an residual expression of the traumatic sights experienced by Colville during WWII. As a war artist, Colville did his best to accurately document the desolation of war, and the horrific aftermath of the concentration camp he saw.
Aside from the mounting tension building up ominously in the background of Colville’s work, the artist also goes a long way to create a narrative beyond the visuals. The stories told in Colville’s paintings extend beyond the canvas. Masking behind the appearance of kitsch landscape works, the indvidual pieces leads the viewers to the narrative’s climax before abruptly ending. By doing so, Colville forces the frustrated viewers to speculate the ending to a rather suspenseful tale. The contextual elements of painting contain two opposing forces. A dueling dynamic between cruel, and ominous suggestions, contrasted with softly painted figures. This juxtaposition becomes, for me one of the most interesting aspects of his work.
The Alex Colville exhibition is here at the A.G.O. until January 5th. I suggest everyone, and anyone who is remotely interested in the fine arts to visit. This is perhaps a once in a life time chance to experience Colville, in his completeness. In my opinion, the amazing AGO curating team has effectively organized the exhibition in a way that doesn’t deter first-time gallery goers. The exhibition was visually intriguing, comprehensive, and organized as it highlighted Colville’s life by its different sections. The experience started on a high note by showing his initial start as a war artist, to the last touching portion of the exhibition; paying tribute to his loving wife of 70 years. Through his many artworks, Colville has captured at once the banality and unique individual experience of the human condition. It’s no wonder that Alex Colville is one of the most celebrated Canadian artists to date.
Image Sources (as they appear):
http://alexcolville.ca/gallery/alex_colville_1954_horse_and_train/
http://alexcolville.ca/gallery/alex_colville_1967_pacific/