All in Visual and Media Arts
The journey between debuting as an artist and progressing towards professional practice is rarely a smooth one. Wrought with not only the difficulties of cultivating skills and connections, but also having to break into the art scene in a major city is daunting. That’s where the RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program (EVAP) at Arts Commons steps in.
Unveiling her exhibition A Rose for Remembrance / Una Rosa Para Recordar in the Ledge Gallery at Arts Commons this month, Claudia Chagoya is deeply interested in gender dynamics and how they impact culture and belonging. In her piece, she examines how ingrained, misogynistic assumptions is the root to much of the violence against women, and shares her hope that we can strive for a safer, more inclusive tomorrow.
This pandemic brought accessibility conversations into abled homes and work spaces. Appointments over the phone, working from home, the loneliness of being stuck and alone.
I found myself hopeful that this "new normal" would continue after everything opened again. But this province is reopening before it is safe again, and already I find myself behind and outside of performance communities again.
There's a nip in the air and the leaves are turning golden, what better time to check out Calgary's gallery exhibitions?
We've put together a list of five exhibitions that will give you a taste of the incredible talent than our city has to offer - but don't take our word for it!
Samuel Obadero’s exhibit FÈSÒJAIYÉ, celebrates local artists and tells the stories of the creators that make up Calgary’s vibrant arts community. Inspired by his own imposter syndrome as an artist, Samuel channels his past feelings of doubt in his art to create stunning portraits that appreciate and recognize the role of artists in society. FÈSÒJAIYÉ, a digital and film photographic exhibition, can be viewed at the Lightbox Studio at Arts Commons or explored virtually.
After giving birth to her son Migizi in July of 2020 via emergency c-section, Autumn Whiteway (“Night Signing Woman”) was bound to her hospital bed for four and a half days. While recovering from the surgery, the Saulteaux/Métis artist and curator conceptualized her exhibit Indigenous Motherhood and Matriarchy, a three-part series that features artworks which explore motherhood and matriarchy through an Indigenous lens.
As we prepare to welcome you back through the doors of Arts Commons, we thought we’d check in with our staff artists, our Artists of Arts Commons, who practice art in their personal time – whether it’s an active hobby or even a secondary career. We’ve been excited to be able to share a wide range of artistic pursuits with you, from painting to dancing, to felting and script writing. In part six of this series, we introduce you to a photographer, a digital artist, and a sculptor.
The Ledge Gallery at Arts Commons is the current home of Nurgül Rodriguez’ exhibition In the Vessel of my Skin, which delves into the coexistence of body and soul and the conflict that can arise from both sharing space––a concept born and exemplified to her during the pandemic. Immigration, gender disparity, and the desire to belong in a new country are all touched upon in a multitude of ways, each expressed using carefully molded porcelain.
