Eye on the Esplanade: So, what are we looking at?

By Medicine Hat News on October 20, 2017.

Since October 2015, local artist and educator Deborah Forbes has been leading an innovative art series open to everyone at the Esplanade called “So, what am I looking at?” The title is meant to imply not only what interests Deborah in particular (which is a very wide spectrum of art), but a very good question to ask when we look at art of any description. In fact, after decades of looking at art from sculpture to watercolours, contemporary installation to video, and oil paintings to weavings, I still find that pondering this basic question can lead to unexpected revelations.

What it really means is that the first step to understanding anything is to look at it with fresh, attentive eyes and as few preconceptions as possible.

Deborah has led series participants through engaging explorations in art history from Europe, the Middle East and North America; focused on three of the most important modern women artists of the Americas (Frida Kahlo, Emily Carr and Georgia O’Keefe); and taken an in-depth look at the history of nudes in Western art (or, what we can learn from people with no clothes) — no, seriously, think about Michelangelo and da Vinci, Renoir and Cezanne!

This fall, Deborah will embark upon a new adventure, through the wilds of contemporary art in the good company of three Canadian artists. Here’s what she replied when asked: And why should we care?

“Many people hear the words contemporary art and run screaming home to watch a movie! It smacks of asking viewers to work very hard to find deeply buried, challenging meanings, and to then speak in pretentious tones about them. It really takes such a very few ‘looking tools,’ however, to be able engage with contemporary work as a way to ponder our lives in the universe.”

And the three Canadian contemporary artists are:

Brian Jungen: This popular artist from the west coast uses his Indigenous background to confront and explore consumerism in powerful and playful ways. He makes materials such as running shoes and plastic chairs into striking and often very large works that stylistically connect with west coast aboriginal art.

Peter von Tiesenhausen: His land in northern Alberta is his medium and often his gallery. He uses his work, whether bronze sculpture in a gallery or an outdoor installation of wood and grass, to explore identity, geography, the human footprint on the planet, and notions of ‘progress.’

Liz Magor: Originally from Winnipeg and now based in Vancouver, Liz is interested in history, memory, identity and survival. Her highly detailed, realistic casts of everyday objects from our home and work lives, as well as from the natural world, create open-ended works that question reality.

No prior experience in any art-like area is necessary to enjoy this series, although any is welcome. Every session will include a lecture, short video, participatory fun with art reproductions — and spontaneous discussion! Please join Deborah on Oct. 26, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. by registering in person at the Esplanade or by visiting http://www.tixx.ca by Oct. 23.

Joanne Marion is director/curator of Art at the Esplanade.

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