Works from the Cross the Ocean exhibition are seen at the at Yuill Family Gallery at Medalta.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Medalta’s Yuill Family Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition that brings viewers into a surprisingly tactile and immersive world.
The two artists, Yulin Wang and Poul Nielsen, both longtime Medicine Hat residents, have exhibited together multiple times over the years, including in China, the United States and here in Canada, making the collection title of “Cross the Ocean” somewhat literal.
Likewise, says curator Deborah Forbes, the two artist’s works are oceans apart, with Nielsen’s atmospheric pastel landscapes and Wang’s oil paintings focused on ceramic pieces. Both artists however, offer a surprising level of immersion, feeling as if you could step into the scene or pick up the ceramic pieces straight out of the painting.
“This is our second time showing in Medalta, the first was 10 years ago,” said Wang. “We had a show, Close to the Ocean Shore, in Nanjing, and now we have this one here. Poul and I have been exhibiting together for years now.”
Wang’s part of the show, “Bogu,” roughly translates to “expansive antiquity.” Capturing both contemporary figurative works and portraits of historical ceramic pieces from Qing Dynasty China.
Nielsen’s work, “Atmospheric Probabilities,” is inspired by the unique colourways of the prairies, as well as the “exceptional colour of the indigenous Blackfoot,” says Nielsen, calling the works an expressive response to the environment.
The show itself runs at Medalta from now until Nov. 8, giving residents plenty of time to see the 32-piece showing, with 16 pieces from each artist.
