North Island College kicks off its winter 2019 Artist Talk Series on Thursday, Jan. 24 with Canadian artist Barb Hunt, renown for her textiles, fibre and art installations.
“We’re honoured to have Barb Hunt join us for our new Artist Talk season,” said series co-ordinator and fine art and design department chair Sara Vipond. “Her work has been recognized across Canada and internationally.”
Hunt has been featured in solo and group exhibitions. She has received several Canada Council grants and has held artist residencies in Canada, Paris and Ireland.
Her practice integrates installation and textiles to examine the construction of gender, violence, domesticity, everyday life rituals and, more recently, the natural environment.
An example of Hunt’s approach is antipersonnel, created during her Paris residency after she visited an annual land mine protest. She was inspired to knit replicas of antipersonnel landmines in pink yarn.
“Bandages for soldiers were once hand-knitted and women still knit socks for soldiers overseas and for the homeless,” Hunt explains in a portfolio summary. “Knitting represents care, protection and healing. I use these associations to contradict the abuse of power and the use of violence by transforming a destructive object into one that can do no harm.”
In addition to her solo and group exhibitions, Hunt taught visual art at Western University, Queen’s University and the Memorial University of Newfoundland, where she received the President’s Award for Outstanding Research.
Hunt speaks from 6-7 p.m. at the Stan Hagen Theatre at NIC’s Comox Valley campus. Admission is free and everyone is invited.
The series fosters students and professional artists in the community through an engaging line-up of speakers. In 2019, scheduled artists include Paul Walde (Feb. 7), Anne J. Steves (March 7) and Michael Yahgulanaas (March 22).
For more information on NIC’s Artist Talk Series, visit www.nic.bc.ca/fine-art-design
The 2019 Artist Talk Series is possible thanks to community gifts and corporate sponsorship, including key support from lead sponsor RBC Dominion Securities. If you are interested in supporting future Artist Talk events, please call 250-334-5085 or visit https://foundation.nic.bc.ca/what-can-i-do/sponsorship
