A wander through the Victorian-era Spencer Mansion of the Art Gallery will inevitably lead you to an encounter with Iain Baxter&’s Still Life made from vacuum formed plastic and painted with bright turquoise acrylic. Made in 1965, this sculpture is among a series of vacuum formed plastic pieces that Baxter& was well-known for. Born Iain Baxter […]
This Fall, the AGGV Studio has lined up a multitude of weekly classes and workshops for art enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. We asked the Studio instructors one pertinent question: “Why is art-making meaningful to you?” Here are their responses… April Caverhill: Although I know that a life well lived is defined by how […]
Join us as we explore issues related to the vast and mighty topic that is WATER. Water as a resource; water as a conduit of trade, exchange, and colonization; water and climate change. The AGGV’s upcoming Water Work Space exhibition functions much like a Research and Development Department – part workshop, part exhibition space.
By Audrey Wang, AGGV Volunteer I hope the viewer will leave the exhibition with an understanding of how the idea of place is subjective and culturally constructed; and to consider the role that artists have played in shaping and informing these attitudes. The exhibition looks at Nootka as a case study and traces an arc […]
By Audrey Wang, AGGV Volunteer Established and emerging artists from the Greater Victoria area are featured in Close To Home, an exhibition that has drawn many visitors for its depth and breadth of representation. Genres and styles across cultures make for thought-provoking displays, and among them, the photographic works on show are perhaps some of […]
As Barry Till recently announced his retirement as the Curator of Asian Arts, AGGV staff had some burning questions about his 36-year tenure at the Gallery and his travels throughout Asia. Here’s the nitty gritty: 1) Why art – what led you down this path? BT: My first choice for a career would have been to […]
Audrey Wang, AGGV Volunteer In Christian iconography, the apple symbolizes Original Sin, the fall of man and temptation. In Chinese culture, the word for apple, “ping guo”, is a homophone for the word “ping”, meaning peace or tranquility, so an apple symbolizes a wish for peace. Apples also feature prominently in Greek myths. Fruits and […]
Conceptual Art The term ‘concept art’ came into use in the early 1960s and became defined as an art movement around the late 60s. Conceptual art is a transformative art form whereby the idea (or concept) behind the work takes precedence over the actual finished artwork itself. By challenging art as an individual expression, conceptual […]
1. What is snuff? Snuff is powdered tobacco, used in China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) for medicinal purposes. 2. Snuff bottles are small, designed to fit into the palm of the hand, and easily carried on your person. 3. Chinese snuff bottles are made in a multitude of materials. These include porcelain, glass, metal, […]
By Audrey Wang, AGGV Volunteer August in the Gallery kicked off with a well-attended Curator’s Tour led by Haema Sivanesan, curator of Karen Tam: With wings like clouds hung from the sky. Welcoming the large group into the entrance of the exhibition, Haema described the work of artist Karen Tam as the re-creation of the […]
