The Road: Constructing the Alaska Highway

Coates, Ken, et al

Art Gallery of Alberta

What does it mean to be an artist in Alberta, famous for its spectacular Rocky Mountains and infamous for its controversial oil sands? Rather than producing the showy artworks usually associated with the vagaries of a boom economy, the 42 artists selected for this second biennial exhibition do just the opposite - exploring psychology, natural forces, detritus and austerity. Psychology is a dominant topic aligning the work of numerous explorations in both creative methodology and the effect on a viewer, ranging from depiction's of anxiety to futility, heartbreak and devotion to an other. Natural forces reference several of the dramatic natural disasters that occurred over the last few years in Alberta, notably floods, wildfires and drought. Detritus is a theme related to the influences of post-recession art indicative of surviving within a creative climate of wealth and boomtown economic disparity. With a focus on entropic decay and its symbolism, artists are making do with little and finding much in the remains of what is left behind. An aesthetic of austerity emphasizes the beauty and devastation of the post-industrial landscape and a self-depreciating social habitat for artists. This manifests as a unique visual vocabulary employed in both material choices, brute presentation, and applied delivery of artistic experience. The publication's title is drawn from an unused transit platform in downtown Edmonton and serves as a metaphor for the status of contemporary visual culture in Alberta: potential awaiting recognition.

Future Station: 2015 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art

Arts & Photography

Kristy Trinier

History & Criticism

Rough Country: The Strangely Familiar in Mid-20th Century Alberta Art

Mary-Beth Laviolette

Ruth Burns

This unprecedented pairing explores the commonalities and intersections of two major artistic practices. Ron Moppett has been one of Canada's most prolific artists for 50 years and is renowned not only for his vibrant, large-scale paintings, but for his work as a teacher and curator. Damian Moppet has built an international career working in all forms of media, including photography, sculpture, painting, video, and drawing. They are also father and son. This exhibition catalogue looks at practices separated by generation and medium yet conjoined by an ongoing dialogue with the history of art. In their separate ways, both Ron Moppett and Damian Moppett investigate how artists throughout history have tried to resolve problems, such as those related to representation and of abstraction. Drawing inspiration from a variety of historical and cultural styles, Ron Moppett offers a diverse view of pop culture and a glimpse into the dailiness of life. A brilliant colorist, he distills shapes with oil and acrylic paint, creating complex picture puzzles that hold multiple layers of meaning. Damian Moppett employs a variety of media to explore art-historical movements. His self-reflexive engagement with his references highlights similarities that exist between seemingly divergent events and ideas. For him, art history is itself a rich medium in which to work. Featured side by side, their works embody an intriguing dialogue about the artist as both creative subject and site.

Damian Moppett + Ron Moppett (Every Story Has Two Sides)

Patricia Kelly

Nancy Tousley

Jonathan Shaughnessy

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