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| Peter Dykhuis at ±«Óătv Art Gallery with Alex Livingston's Water and Land Paintings. (Danny Abriel Photo) |
Whether or not they make their living on the water, Nova Scotiansâ relationships with the ocean are nothing if not complex.
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy, the ±«Óătv Art Gallery is opening a new exhibit, Safe Passages and Welcome Harbours, which contemplates some of these relationships.
Made up of pieces from the Art Galleryâs 1300 strong permanent collection, the exhibit is split into four different themes: âHarbors and Safe Shores,â âShips and the Sea,â âLand, Water and Sky,â and âContemporary Viewsâ. Each approaches the topic in a slightly different way, ranging from landscape pieces with little human presence, to scenes portraying the bustling industry and infrastructure surrounding the ocean.
âWhenever an exhibition like this is put together, itâs always a conversation between the individual works,â says Peter Dykhuis, curator of the ±«Óătv Art Gallery. âEverything is brought together to speak well about each other.â
The show encompasses many different forms of artwork from many different eras, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and mixed media.
And while thematically the pieces differ â some displaying a sort of idealism, while others are more bleak â they all tell a story about the nature of life by the ocean, from the pragmatism required to eke out a life in the oft- harsh conditions, to the romanticism experienced by travelers from away.
The best part of shows like this, says Mr. Dykhuis, is that they bring together pieces that might not have ordinarily been put together. He points to pieces in the âContemporary Viewsâ section, one called Middling by Wayne Boucher, painted in 1995, and the other called Wave, painted by Jack Bush in 1969.
âIf this were a show about Canadian art history, theyâd be in different parts of the museum,â he says. âWe get to see work put together for the first time that will probably never be put together again.â
âThis is a conversation between a Boucher and a Bush that would never happen normally,â he adds. âAnd thatâs the fun of these exhibitions.â
Safe Passages and Welcome Harbours is open now at ±«Óătv Art Gallery and runs until July 4th.