Submitted by Kootenay Gallery of Art
The 2021 exhibition season at the Kootenay Gallery of Art opens with shows that contain contrasts that may inspire and challenge the viewers. The season offers many community favourites, such as Young Visions, as well as a roster of both local and national artists.
Starting off the season, the East Gallery will feature work by Castlegar resident Angèle Karosi. SubTerrane is “a visual exploration of consciousness and intuitive creation,” according to the artist. Karosi has created several large scale canvasses using charcoal, ink and acrylic that immerse the viewer into a world that feels both familiar and unfamiliar.
Karosi states, “These experiences may inspire a sense of discovery and excitement, like walking around a new city, or feelings of isolation and discomfort, like being caught at dusk on a dark path disappearing into the forest.”
In the West Gallery, Inuvialuk artist Maureen Gruben pairs her traditional culture with contemporary consumer culture. Gruben has stitched a wide array of items into translucent, papery segments of beluga whale intestine, which she dried herself according to a traditional process that has now fallen into disuse.
The work, entitled Consumed, contrasts not only the traditional and contemporary but asks us to look at the very nature of consumer items, such as disposable plastics that end up in the fragile Arctic ecosystem. Which of these might we find repulsive and why?
These two visually-striking shows will be exhibited from March 5 until April 17. Because of COVID guidelines, there will be no formal opening for either show. Masks are mandatory and everyone is asked to stay at a safe distance from other visitors. Watch for an artist interview with Angèle Karosi that will be posted on the Kootenay Gallery website and on Facebook and Instagram at a later date.
The Kootenay Gallery is located at 120 Heritage Way, Castlegar. The Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members or by donation.
