CBU Art Gallery

The Cape Breton University Art Gallery now has a blog! See what's going on at Cape Breton's only university art gallery. Updated weekly

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

was it really so long ago?

Hello,
I can't believe my last post was so long ago! Things have certainly been busy at the Art Gallery since Cape Breton Scenes opened June 23.
Saul has been working on the inventory non-stop and finished last Thursday... yay! Kevin has been accompanying Saul on his treks through the university digitally documenting the permanent collection and is now working on the material held in storage. With so many objects in the permanent collection, we aren't sure everything will be documented by the end of August but we've got a great start on the digitization project.
(<-- here's Saul working on the inventory in the School of Education, Health & Wellness. Thanks Kevin for taking all the behind-the-scenes shots and movies!)


This is a particularly interesting shot of Kevin and Saul, looking very intent (if not a little creepy). I'm told there was a camera problem and they were trying to figure out how to fix it. I prefer to think of it as they were conducting a very thorough condition report examination. Ah well...

In other news... last night the Art Gallery had the pleasure of opening its first exhibiton in the newly inaugurated Kavanagh Room (so named after the late Steve Kavanagh) in the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion at the Sydney Ports Corporation Marine Terminal. I would have posted this on the blog sooner, but it was an invitation-only event (as far as I knew) and the turn-around for this loan was rather quick. I'm hoping that many of you Art Gallery fans will be able to take a peek at the eight pieces on display in Selections from the Cape Breton University Art Gallery's Permanent Collection. I feel (although I am obviously biased as the exhibition's curator) that the chosen works (by Michel Tremblay, Darryl Hughto, James Coignard, and Andrew Benyei):

"demonstrate a connection to the primal concern of energy - be it elemental or psychological - which is then communicated with explosive colour and shifting planes of visual dimension. We are dependant on water and the elements for our vitality; in this building, the force of the ocean in particular and the energy it brings forth in the human mind-body is palpable. These pieces communicate a respect for and understanding of such symbiotic, energetic relationships and present opportunities to foster further energetic development and interconnectedness if one takes the time to really look at and feel the works."

I felt the energy of Mr. Kavanagh had to be communicated and respected in this space and that the energetic relationship of this man to his environment should be reflected in the Room named after him. This exhibition will be hanging until August 11, 2007. After that, the Art Gallery intends to place a second exhibition in the Kavanagh Room, making this an annual event.

Upcoming events at the Art Gallery include a CBVRSB inservice for visual art teachers September 7th; the opening of Cutting, Scratching, Pushing, Pulling: Prints from the Permanent Collection and the ArtReach Art Bank collection of prints will occur September 8th. The ArtReach program is a partnership between the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the NS Department of Education and the prints in this exhibition were donated to AGNS by the Canada Council Art Bank and feature artists who worked in the 1970's. Workshops will be offered to teachers and their students, as well as the general public by AGNS interpreter Enrique Ferreol; dates are being scheduled now and will be announced in the blog and on print materials very shortly. Please keep checking the blog for updates!

The summer may be winding down, the days getting shorter, the nights getting cooler and [a sigh and a single tear] the opporunities for lounging at the beach passing, but the Art Gallery will be here with it's fall programming to offer you solace! Kenny Boone and Lesley Hinton-Chandler are up after CSPP and the ArtReach Art Bank Print Show, and the Art Gallery will be throwing a Gala November 3rd! Yes, it's a go... stay tuned for more details. Oh heck, don't get too sad... it's only August 8th, but make sure you come over to the Art Gallery to see Cape Breton Scenes before it ends September 1st. Bring me a birthday gift too, if you're so inclined [cough...September 4th... cough]. In the meantime, don't forget the sunscreen.

Suzanne

www.capebretonu.ca

www.capebretonu.ca/artgallery

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