How much of one’s identity is shaped by where one lives? This is the question that inspired two curators at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to create the beautiful and thought-provoking photography exhibition, In Another Place, And Here, opening on Jan. 24.
AGGV curators Michelle Jacques and Toby Lawrence are bringing together the work of eight local, national and international artists to examine the relationships between self and place.
“The complex histories and activities that uphold the strong connections to land and sea present in the lives and collective consciousness of Vancouver Islanders resonate within the global conversation, and are foundational to the selection of photographs in this exhibition,” Lawrence said.
The exhibition is inspired by the novel In Another Place, Not Here, written in 1986 by Canadian author Dionne Brand.
Each chosen artist’s photography offers a unique way of looking at the human relationship to the environment to create a focused conversation that encourages the viewer to think about Vancouver Island’s coastal location and the complexities that underlie relationships to the surrounding beauty.
“Whether using an approach that is elusive, fantastical, mundane or analytical, the artists in this exhibition make photographs that describe the land and the self in ways that ask us to understand that the places we live are defined by a multitude of narratives and histories,” said AGGV chief curator, Michelle Jacques. “They encourage us to see our surroundings from fresh perspectives, and to imagine completely new worlds.”
In Another Place, And Here, and runs until May 31. Artists include Sooke-based photographer Troy Moth (Canada), Nadia Huggins (St. Vincent & the Grenadines), O’Neil Lawrence (Jamaica), Mike Andrew McLean (Canada), Meryl McMaster (Canada), , Dawit L. Petros (Eritrea/Canada/US), Krista Belle Stewart (Canada) and Li Xinmo (China).
The exhibition runs until May 31. For more information visit aggv.ca or call 250-384-4171.
