Hope Fellowship’s Tricia and twenty other graduating artists from York University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program are presenting their recent paintings in a current exhibition at the Twist Gallery in Toronto. The exhibit is called “Merge” and demonstrates “their mutual exploration of contemporary motivations in painting today, such as neo-minimalism, environmental issues, neo-expressionism and figurative work.”
Marja and I attended the opening reception on Friday, March 7 and were immediately impressed with the gallery, a 5,000 square foot loft supported by massive beams. As we walked up the stairs, the first paintings to catch our eyes were four works by Patricia, arranged geometrically like diamonds on a wall. The primary colours of two of the paintings were blue and white, close-ups of icebergs and melting ocean. The third was a close up of an oil spill and the fourth painting, capping the installation, featured a crimson Canadian flag oozing black oil from a tap. A shocking, powerful image!
Several hundred people attended the opening, but Patricia took us under wing and gave us a personal tour. Beginning with her own art, she explained her paintings, emphasizing our Christian responsibility for the environment. In an earlier conversation at church she had expressed the hope that I would soon preach about stewardship for the creation. In this exhibit, she expressed visually what she had already told me personally: God’s beautiful creation is in trouble and we need to be better caretakers.
We viewed the rest of the paintings and, thanks to Patricia, gained valuable insight into the thinking of each skillful artist. I was struck particularly by a work of art consisting of five pieces, each highlighting a small part of a larger spectrum, like a camera lens focusing on a small part of a bigger view. The message was clear: when we limit ourselves to only one part of a larger whole, we miss so much. The painting made me picture children in the back seat of the family van, each focused on a computer screen, oblivious to the interesting landscape flashing by.
The exhibit, located at 1100 Queen Street West in Toronto, is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., until March 29. Well done, Patricia! Congratulations to this entire group of contemporary artists.
- Pastor Peter
Marja and I attended the opening reception on Friday, March 7 and were immediately impressed with the gallery, a 5,000 square foot loft supported by massive beams. As we walked up the stairs, the first paintings to catch our eyes were four works by Patricia, arranged geometrically like diamonds on a wall. The primary colours of two of the paintings were blue and white, close-ups of icebergs and melting ocean. The third was a close up of an oil spill and the fourth painting, capping the installation, featured a crimson Canadian flag oozing black oil from a tap. A shocking, powerful image!
Several hundred people attended the opening, but Patricia took us under wing and gave us a personal tour. Beginning with her own art, she explained her paintings, emphasizing our Christian responsibility for the environment. In an earlier conversation at church she had expressed the hope that I would soon preach about stewardship for the creation. In this exhibit, she expressed visually what she had already told me personally: God’s beautiful creation is in trouble and we need to be better caretakers.
We viewed the rest of the paintings and, thanks to Patricia, gained valuable insight into the thinking of each skillful artist. I was struck particularly by a work of art consisting of five pieces, each highlighting a small part of a larger spectrum, like a camera lens focusing on a small part of a bigger view. The message was clear: when we limit ourselves to only one part of a larger whole, we miss so much. The painting made me picture children in the back seat of the family van, each focused on a computer screen, oblivious to the interesting landscape flashing by.
The exhibit, located at 1100 Queen Street West in Toronto, is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., until March 29. Well done, Patricia! Congratulations to this entire group of contemporary artists.
- Pastor Peter
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