Exhibitions March 2018
Put some pep in your step with a new batch of visual offerings
An incredibly busy month for the visual arts community, March brings a huge variety of exhibitions, pop-ups, workshops, talks, and much more. So grab your calendar and plan to fill it with these great offerings:
Mini Masters
March 1, 2018, 11:00 – 11:45am
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration essential
Calling Calgary’s newest contemporaries! Join the Esker Foundation on the first Thursday of every month for a hands-on art class. Parents and guardians are invited to bring their little ones, ages two to five, to explore art making in this fun and social program. All are welcome to participate, just dress for mess.
eventbrite.ca
Each Painted Document Exhibition Tour
March 1, 2018, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free
A visual manifest of Mark Dicey’s travels into and out of his workplace, explore recent large works on canvas, mid-sized works on paper, a Swarm, a wall collage of notations, a site-specific installation, and a suite of vitrines housing his dedicated sketch-book-works with the artist himself.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
Duchamp’s Fountain and Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi: What is Art Worth?
March 1, 2018, 3:00 – 4:30pm
Biosciences Building 561, University of Calgary (2500 University Dr. NW)
Free
A lecture by Russell Smith, join the Calgary Institute for the Humanities for a provocative talk on the relationship between art and commerce in the 20th Century. Smith is a freelance journalist and cultural commentator, publishing in The New York Review of Books, The Globe and Mail, Details, Toronto Life, NOW, Flare, Toro, and Sharp.
eventbrite.ca
Crowded Spirit Opening Reception
March 1, 2018, 4:00 – 9:00pm
cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring the works of local artist John Gerrard, Crowded Spirit brings together art, written word, and song. Explore the show at its opening reception.
eventbrite.ca
Free First Thursday Nights
March 1, 2018, 5:00 – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Marking the first Free First Thursday with the immensely popular exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos, start your month off with a bang and head to Glenbow.
facebook.com
Art in the Library
March 1 – 31, 2018
Central Library (616 Macleod Tr. SE)
Free
Head to the library and explore the work of Calgary landscape artist, John Abbott.
abbottfineart.com
Bring the Baby Art Tour
March 2, 2018, 12:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
A relaxed, social tour, bring your baby to Esker Foundation and have tot-friendly fun while discussing the exhibitions.
eventbrite.ca
Unpleasant Design and its Discontents
March 2, 2018, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Unpleasant Design is a design phenomenon that promotes social control through discomfort, pain, and persuasion. It raises the value of urban space by preventing specific use scenarios such as sleeping on a park bench or loitering in a shopping mall. Selena Savić shares some of the stars of unpleasant design and focus on patterns where these silent agents replace the need for supervision and condition behaviour.
eventbrite.ca
TUPONIA
March 2 – 24, 2018
Ruberto Ostberg Gallery (2108 18th St. NW)
Free
Did you know TUPONIA, an acronym for The United Provinces of North America, was short-listed as a potential name for Canada? Bee Kingdom’s Ryan Fairweather and Phil Bandura have imagined what it would be like walking around as Tuponians and turned it into art. A blown glass exhibition themed around northern culture infused with the fantastical, this new body of artwork fantasizes about an alternative land where marshmallows have feelings, Ghost Yetis lead secretive lives in the forest, and where you might even spot the elusive, majestic, Moosacorn.
ruberto-ostberg.com
In The Trees
March 2 – April 14, 2018
VIVIANEART (1114 11th St. SW)
Free
A solo exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Calgary-born artist, Erik Olson, check out the show at its opening reception on March 2.
vivianeart.gallery
DeepBeing.zip: A Performative Lecture with Jeremy Bailey
March 3, 2018, 2:00 – 4:00pm
EMMEDIA Screening Room (2005 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring new media artist Jeremy Bailey, check out this performative lecture that closes the exhibition, The Channelers. The piece demonstrates a new decompression software that anyone can use to transform their most trivial experiences into vast oceans of meditative contemplation.
emmedia.ca
Unpleasant Design Workshop: We Will Make You Do It
March 3, 2018, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
Use persuasive and coercive design techniques to invent designs that target specific social strata or behaviors in public space. The workshop includes an Unpleasant City Tour to identify existing designs and possible new targets.
eventbrite.ca
Uncommon Blends Artist Reception & Talk
March 3, 2018, 2:00 – 4:00pm
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Share your love of coffee, tea, and ceramics and celebrate with Uncommon Blends artists Sam Knopp, Sean Kunz, Noriko Masuda, Mynthia McDaniel, and Juliana Rempel.
facebook.com
Contemporary Kids: Illuminated Art
March 3, 2018, 2:00 – 4:00pm
RGO Treehouse, cSPACE King Edward (4th Floor, 1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free, registration required
Contemporary Calgary’s Contemporary Kids program returns and invites families to learn about modern and contemporary art through a unique and engaging art activity. The afternoon begins with a fun image-filled introduction to light art with a special focus on the artists who inspired the activities—Yayoi Kusama and Keith Sonnier. Children can create their own multidimensional glow-in-the-dark piece as well as a fluorescent tube sculpture.
facebook.com
Reservoir Artist Talk
March 3, 2018, 3:00 – 4:30pm
TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Before Reservoir closes, join TRUCK and The City of Calgary Public Art Program for an artist talk with Peter von Tiesenhausen and Magnus Tiesenhausen.
facebook.com
Bodies of Work: A Portrait & Figurative Exhibition
March 3 – April 14, 2018
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 Street West, Millarville)
Admission by donation
Capturing the essence and complexity of the human form has been a pursuit of countless artists throughout history. Calgary-based artist Aaron Sidorenko has collaborated with the Leighton Art Centre to present an exciting and diverse collection of portrait and figurative works by talented local artists. UPDATE Due to an unusually large snowfall, the opening reception has been postponed. Check out the show at its opening reception from 2:00 to 4:00pm on March 10.
leightoncentre.org
Under Restoration / Obras en Proceso de Restauración
March 5 – 9, 2018
Gallery 621, University of Calgary (6th floor of the Art Parkade, 2500 University Dr. NW)
Free
A collaboration of images and text on paper by students and instructors from The Universidad de las Artes (ISA, formerly known as the Instituto Superior de Arte) in Havana, Cuba, this installation is curated by Debra Dedyluk. Check out the show at its reception, 4:30 to 8:30pm on March 8.
debradedyluk.com
Out for Lunch Tour: Frida Kahlo
March 6, 2018, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5
A guided lunchtime tour of the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos, go on a 45-minute exploration with an opportunity for discussion afterwards.
facebook.com
Lifelong Learners
March 7, 2018, 2:30 – 3:15pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Seniors are invited to join the Esker Foundation for a tour and discussion of the current exhibitions in a relaxed, social environment. Explore new ideas and engage creatively with arts and culture.
eventbrite.ca
Faces of Eve
March 8, 2018, 4:00 – 8:00pm
Loft 112 (112, 535 8th Ave. SE)
Free
A solo exhibition by Stacey Walyuchow, this series illustrates the many faces of managing life while dealing with anxiety and depression and the battles that come with it.
eventbrite.ca
Renée Duval – Devotions
March 8 – April 7, 2018
Herringer Kiss Gallery (709A 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Renée Duval presents a recent series of large paintings that occupy a space between two opposing perceptions. Check out the show at its opening reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm on March 8—the artist will be in attendance.
herringerkissgallery.com
“Esti Mese” Sculptures from a Bedtime Story
March 8 – April 7, 2018
Herringer Kiss Gallery (709A 11th Ave. SW)
Free
A series of felt characters from folk tales, legends, childhood, and motherhood, Eszter Burghardt’s show looks both impressive and whimsical. Check out it out at the opening reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm on March 8.
herringerkissgallery.com
Taygan Crapo
March 8 – April 7, 2018
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Calgary’s Spotlight for the month of March presents the work of Alberta College of Art + Design Glass Student, Taygan Crapo. Check out the show at its artist reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm on March 8, 2018.
facebook.com
Citizen Jane: Battle for the City
March 9, 2018, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
In 1960, Jane Jacobs’s book The Death and Life of Great American Cities sent shockwaves through the architecture and planning worlds. Join the Esker Foundation for a film screening that retraces the battles for the city as personified by Jacobs and Moses. This film sets out to examine the city of today though the lens of one of its greatest champions.
eventbrite.ca
Spring into Art
March 9 & 10, 2018
Strathcona Community Hall (277 Strathcona Dr. SW)
Free
A juried show from the Calgary chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists, join participating artists and bring a cash donation for the Calgary Food Bank to enter your name to win an original painting donated by a chapter member.
fcacalgary.ca
The Group Art Society of Calgary’s 50th Anniversary Show and Sale
March 10, 2018, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Haysboro Community Association (1204 89th Ave. SW)
Free
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, join The Group Art Society of Calgary and enjoy a day of art. Paintings in a variety of mediums, sizes, and prices for all artistic tastes are available and you can meet the artists that created them. Donations for the Calgary Food Bank are gratefully accepted.
facebook.com
Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon
March 10, 2018, 11:00am – 6:00pm
Untitled Art Society (343 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Wikimedia’s gender trouble is well documented. While the reasons for the gender gap are up for debate, the practical effect of this disparity is not. Join Untitled Art Society for a communal updating of Wikipedia entries on subjects related to art and feminism. The day includes tutorials for the beginner Wikipedian, and refreshments and food. Bring your laptop, power cord, and ideas for entries that need updating or creation.
facebook.com
Frida Kahlo: Her Photos Tour
March 10, 2018, 1:00 – 2:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Get additional insight from knowledgeable staff members and join Glenbow for a guided tour of the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos.
facebook.com
Let’s Stay in Touch
March 10, 2018, 7:00 – 11:00pm
TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
A silent-auction fundraiser including postcard-sized artwork donated by local, national, and international artists, join TRUCK as it develops crucial funds for its public programming budget with revenue going directly towards presenting contemporary artists.
truck.ca
The Artist’s Mirror: Self Portraits
March 10, 2018 – January 16, 2019
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
The first in series of exhibitions developed in collaboration with Library and Archives Canada, head to Glenbow to see self-portraits from the two institution’s impressive collections. Curated by Sarah Todd, see pieces that allow their creators a chance to look deeply at themselves.
glenbow.org
People’s Portrait Prize 2018
March 12 – 24, 2018
cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Promoting the genre and showcasing the vast amount of artistic talent that can be found in the Calgary arts community, the People’s Portrait Prize returns for its second year. Free and open to the public, check out the closing reception and award distribution at 6:00pm on March 17.
peoplesportraitprize.com
Weaving and Wine
March 15, 2018, 6:00 – 8:30pm
Indo Designer Rugs (620 17th Ave. SW)
Free, registration required
Presented with Indo Designer Rugs, Contemporary Calgary’s Late Night series returns. Learn about the history and production of the hand knotted rug, its interpretation by contemporary artists and create your own woven piece with traditional materials. There’s even cash bar with complimentary UNA pizza.
facebook.com
Exhibition Tour: Architectures of Control and Resistance
March 15, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join the Esker Foundation and curator Shauna Thompson for a walking tour through Kapwani Kiwanga’s exhibition A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all). The evening allows for a discussion on the institutional legacies of colour, light, and design and how bodies in space might be controlled by or find ways to resist architectural influences.
eventbrite.ca
Art Calgary
March 15 – 17, 2018
cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
A commercial art fair for professional artists, see original artwork by 16 local artists who were juried into the show based on the quality and professionalism of their artwork and applications. The show is a curated, gallery style event where visitors can view the artwork and speak with the artists who create it. The weekend includes a keynote speech by Todd Hirsch, ATB Financial’s Chief Economist on March 16.
artcalgary.ca
Difficult Terrain
March 16 – April 21, 2018
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free
A solo exhibition by Patrick Dunford, Difficult Terrain focuses on the clearcuts of British Columbia where the artist treeplants during the summer, as well as the deserts of Southern California where he resides the rest of the calendar year. The physicality of each place is ever present in his rich surfaces built up and broken down, through constant mark making, scraping, and layering of thick paint. Check it out at the opening reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm on March 16.
jarvishallgallery.com
Line & Colour
March 17 – May 5, 2018
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Bringing together work from Michael Batty and Kristofir Dean, line and colour are two key components in the visual language of abstract art. Batty’s paintings illuminate the importance of negative space against his precise and exact strokes of colour while Dean’s geometric paintings are completely saturated in colour and create optical effects with his use of the line.
newzones.com
Community Day at Glenbow
March 18, 2018, 9:00 – 5:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Presented by Chevron Canada, join Glenbow for a day of celebration. First launched in 2013 as the city recovered from the devastating flood, Community Day was created to offer a small respite during trying times. The response was overwhelming, and this annual tradition was born.
facebook.com
Riverview Artists March Show & Sale
March 19 – 23, 2018, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sunlife Plaza (144 4th Ave. SW)
Free
The 12 artists who make up the Riverview Artists Group invite you to view their latest exhibit of original paintings. Finding inspiration in a wide range of subjects, see a variety of styles and techniques.
riverview-artists.com
Lunch Hour Artist Talks: Dianne Bos
March 21, 2018, 12:15 – 12:45pm
Main Foyer, Central Library (616 Macleod Tr. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Held over the lunch hour this series invites Calgarians working downtown to enjoy their lunch while listening to talks and presentations by local artists. Join Contemporary Calgary for a talk with renowned photographer Dianne Bos as she discusses her most recent exhibition The Sleeping Green: no man’s land 100 years later.
facebook.com
Each Painted Document Performance
March 22, 2018, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free
A (con)textual component to Each Painted Document, an exhibition of recent works by Mark Dicey, see what Calgary-artist Grant Poier has created. A fellow collaborator and long-time observer of Dicey’s intense creative engagements, Poier responds, writing around the work which needs no words attached.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
ACADSA First Night Fundraiser
March 22, 2018, 5:00 – 8:00pm
Alberta College of Art + Design (1407 14th Ave. NW)
$25
Part of the Alberta College of Art + Design Students’ Association Show + Sale, this exclusive, private viewing and sale of over 3,000 original pieces showcases work from each of ACAD’s disciplines of study. Along with local creatives, arts supporters, and light refreshments from National Beer Hall, you can expect advanced access to the pieces as well as conversation with the artists in attendance.
acadsa.ca
Studio NOW
March 22 – May 3, 2018
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free
Whether it’s the kitchen table, a converted room, or a custom-built space, the studio is a private place for artists to explore their craft, passions, and whims. Studio NOW subverts that cycle and offers a peek at what’s happening within those spaces, right now. Featuring work by Lisa Matthias, Lori Lukasewich, Verna Vogel, and Karen Klassen, see the show at its opening reception from 1:00 to 4:00pm on March 24.
christineklassengallery.com
Redefined Geometries: Explorations of Shape and Form
March 23, 2018, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Gallery 505 (505 8th Ave. SW)
Free
Join Calgary Allied Arts Foundation for the opening reception of Redefined Geometries: Explorations of Shape and Form. Gallery 505’s current exhibition includes artwork from Calgary’s Civic Art Collection by artists Gregory Arnold, Honsun Chu, Christian Knudsen, and Mark Mullin.
calgaryalliedartsfoundation.ca
Bee Kingdom Opening Reception Do-Over
March 23, 2018, 6:00 – 9:00pm
Ruberto Ostberg Gallery (2108 18th St. NW)
Free
Earlier this month, an exclusive Bee Kingdom Glass formal reception was scheduled for the Emperor and Empress of TUPONIA. But as things can go in our unpredictable winter homeland, the city experienced a snowstorm that exact evening. So to properly honour the Bee’s new blown-glass exhibition, check out the opening reception do-over from 6:00 to 9:00pm on March 23. The show has also been extended until April 7.
facebook.com
Environmental Psychology: What Buildings Do? Examples from Healthcare and Beyond
March 23, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join the Esker Foundation and David Borkenhagen for a talk that highlights historic examples and contemporary applications of environmental psychology methods in healthcare environments.
eventbrite.ca
La Guaria Morada
March 23 – May 5, 2018
TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Centred around the national flower of Costa Rica, Juan Ortiz-Apuy pays homage to his country of origin in an installation that functions as a metaphor for situations caught in similarly uncertain and precarious conditions. Featuring tropical orchids and an ultrasonic industrial humidifier, dehumidifiers are assembled to form an artificial environment in a perpetual state of negotiation and precarity. See the show at its opening reception at 7:00pm on March 23.
truck.ca
Portable Closets
March 23 – May 11, 2018
Stride Gallery (1006 Macleod Tr. SE)
Free
Kyle Alden Martens’ Portable Closets is a combination of friendly and fetishized sculpture, installation, and performance where the visual meaning is hidden just below the surface—coded but accessible. See the show at its opening reception at 8:00pm on March 23.
facebook.com
ACADSA Spring Show + Sale
March 23 & 24, 2018
Alberta College of Art + Design (1407 14th Ave. NW)
By donation
Check out what Calgary’s emerging artists have created during the school year at the bi-annual Alberta College of Art + Design Students’ Association Show + Sale. View and purchase over 3,000 pieces of handmade works—proceeds from ticket purchases directly support ACAD students with programming.
acadsa.ca
Create Together: Flat Needle Felted Images
March 24, 2018, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 Street West, Millarville)
$20 – $45
Explore the fun process of felting and join Emma Knox, Art & Nature Educator at the Leighton Art Centre, to learn flat needle felting techniques including the correct way to handle a needle and colour blending.
leightoncentre.org
Traditional Rug Hooking
March 24, 2018, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 Street West, Millarville)
$170
Get hooked on this traditional fibre art that frees you to follow your imagination! Originally developed as a way to warm the floors of drafty houses, rug hooking has evolved into a contemporary art form. Join Holly Kingdon and learn the essentials of rug hooking, including what to know about materials, equipment, methods and more.
leightoncentre.org
Frida Kahlo: Her Photos Tour
March 24, 2018, 11:00am – 12:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Get additional insight from knowledgeable staff members and join Glenbow for a guided tour of the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos.
facebook.com
Create Together: 3D Needle Felted Sculptures
March 24, 2018, 1:00 – 4:00pm
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 Street West, Millarville)
$20 – $45
Explore the fun process of felting and join Emma Knox, Art & Nature Educator at the Leighton Art Centre, to learn 3D needle felt sculpting. Participants can learn advanced techniques and create a 3D sculpture of a bird.
leightoncentre.org
Art Flicks: Sondra Meszaros Presents Belle de Jour
March 25, 2018, 2:00 – 4:00pm
Model Citizen (308 17th Ave. SW)
Free, registration recommended
Enjoy a Sunday afternoon with Contemporary Calgary watching films selected by local artists. The first of the spring season features Sondra Meszaros introducing 1967’s Belle de Jour.
facebook.com
Out for Lunch Tour: Frida Kahlo
March 29, 2018, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5
A guided lunchtime tour of the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos, go on a 45-minute exploration with an opportunity for discussion afterwards.
facebook.com
Ongoing Exhibitions
The Channelers
Until March 3, 2018
EMMEDIA Gallery (2005 10th Ave. SW)
Free
A group exhibition curated by Lauren Marsden and Maria Fedorova, and featuring works by Jeremy Bailey, Philip Huang, Lorna Mills, Yoshi Sodeoka, Sydney Southam, and Rodell Warner, don’t miss this physical extension of Decoy Magazine’s ongoing series of digital art commissions, Bcc:. The Channelers showcases six artists who employ everyday digital materials and platforms such as Instagram, animated GIFs, YouTube videos, memes, banner ads, and online archives as channels for artistic expression.
emmedia.ca
The Photographers (A Group Show)
Until March 3, 2018
Herringer Kiss Gallery (709A 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring a collection of photo works by HKG artists, this show highlights the broad range of current contemporary photography. Artists include Laurel Johannesson, Eszter Burghardt, Toni Hafkenscheid, David Burdeny, Tia Halliday Shane Arsenault, and invited guest artist and curator, Mitch Kern.
herringerkissgallery.com
Transformation
Until March 3, 2018
HK INCUBATOR, Herringer Kiss Gallery (709A 11th Ave. SW)
Free
An exhibition of ACAD Photography students curated by Mitch Kern, see work from Carmen Yochim, Brittney Wojcik, Alaska White, Nicholas Tufts, Nicole Straub, Lily Pavle, Quinn Miller, Cristina Merritt, Michelle Lazo, Matthew Kratz, Meghan Ivany, Jessica Huck, Keiran Foster, Haley Eyre, Catherine Deller, and Juliane Curtis.
herringerkissgallery.com
Perception
Until March 3, 2018
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Running concurrently with the Exposure Photography Festival, don’t miss this exciting presentation of Newzones’ process-driven and photo-based artists, curated to showcase the methods that are employed in their creative process.
newzones.com
Reservoir
Until March 3, 2018
Parkade, TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Part of The City of Calgary’s Watershed+ Dynamic Environment Lab, Peter von Tiesenhausen commissioned sound artists Jen Reimer and Magnus Tiesenhausen to record an improvised collaborative work within the Saddleridge reservoir, and cinematographer Dave McGregor to capture the visual space. Drained and dried for scheduled maintenance in the spring of 2017, the immense subterranean chamber had been sealed for 40 years.
truck.ca
Duet
Until March 3, 2018
Main Space, TRUCK Contemporary Art in Calgary (2009 10th Ave. SW)
Free
Created in collaboration with Erin Schwab and Shane Brown, William Robinson’s Duet combines and distorts the Canadian and USA national anthems through compositional re-arrangement and redaction.
truck.ca
Soon All Your Memories Will Be With Me
Until March 10, 2018
Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta College of Art + Design (1407 14th Ave. NW)
Free
A new complex installation by current faculty member Lisa Lipton, this presentation follows a science fiction narrative that explores the nature of human experience in relation to futurist technologies, innovation, virtual communication, and space travel. Written as an homage to Harlan Ellison’s Canadian-produced science fiction series The Starlost, the story follows three characters as they journey through deep space in an attempt to save remaining descendants of human civilization aboard The Ship Ultimo.
ikg.acad.ca
tensions
Until March 10, 2018
Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta College of Art + Design (1407 14th Ave. NW)
Free
The Illingworth Kerr Gallery welcomes back ACAD alumna Amy Malbeuf for her first institutional solo show in Calgary. A Métis visual artist from Rich Lake, Alberta, Malbeuf works in a variety of media, including performance, beadwork, installation, and video. tensions focuses on the artist’s signature use of tarps as an artistic material.
ikg.acad.ca
Paperwork
Until March 10, 2018
Jarvish Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free
A distinctive new series from Mark Dicey, Paperwork portrays the colour, line, and composition which is classically found in his canvases and sketchbooks.
jarvishallgallery.com
Uncommon Blends
Until March 17, 2018
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Through Uncommon Blends, Sam Knopp, Sean Kunz, Noriko Masuda, Mynthia McDaniel, and Juliana Rempel investigate the various routines, rituals, and relationships centred on coffee and tea. An artist reception and talk is scheduled for 2:00 to 4:00pm on March 3.
facebook.com
Kevin Boyle & Rocio Graham
Unitl March 17, 2018
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free
Part of the 2018 Exposure Photography Festival, Christine Klassen Gallery presents two new shows—Kevin Boyle’s Lost Together and Introducing Rocio Graham. A highly anticipated follow up to Boyle’s Alberta debut in 2016, don’t miss this curated selection of his evocative prairie portraits with an emphasis on new work. And CKG welcomes emerging photographer Graham to the gallery with the premiere exhibition of her When I Think of Home series.
christineklassengallery.com
We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow
Until March 29, 2018
The New Gallery (208 Centre St. SE)
Free
Examining the relationship between object and image through an experimental ethnographic approach, Kotama Bouabane’s show takes its title from the Beach Boys 1988 song Kokomo. Describing a lush fictional island off of the Florida Keys, the exhibition similarly explores the construction of tropical non-places—ones that exist only in the North American middle-class imaginary—by using familiar tropes in travel photography.
thenewgallery.org
Fall Fell Felt
Until March 29, 2018
Untitled Art Society (343 11th Ave. SW)
Free
A bridesmaid in a flowing silk dress descends a set of steps, misses her footing, and takes a spill. Anna Hawkins’s most recent project dissects, remixes, and re-enacts the popular online genre “girl fails” in an exploration of schadenfreude, voyeurism, and empathy.
facebook.com
Water
Until March 29, 2018
Crowfoot Public Library (8665 Nose Hill Dr. NW)
Free
The Alberta Society of Artists called out to all Alberta artists to respond to the theme and you can see a selection of travelling exhibitions featured at the Crowfoot Public Library.
albertasocietyofartists.com
Each Painted Document
Until April 7, 2018
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free
A visual manifest of Mark Dicey’s travels into and out of his workplace, this show features recent large works on canvas, mid-sized works on paper, a Swarm, a wall collage of notations, a site-specific installation, and a suite of vitrines housing his dedicated sketch-book-works.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
Absurd Walls
Until April 7, 2018
Alberta Printmakers Gallery (4025 4th St. SE)
Free
Within the exploration of failure and lowbrow artwork, Jacqueline Leigh Huskisson’s Absurd Walls studies repetition.
albertaprintmakers.com
Journey of a Lifetime
Until April 22, 2018
Gasoline Alley Museum, Heritage Park (1900 Heritage Dr. SW)
With admission
A piece of history is returning to Heritage Park this January. Presented by BMO Financial Group, Journey of a Lifetime shares the stories of the people, places, and journey involved in the largest wave of immigration in Canadian history.
heritagepark.ca
Paradise for an in-between time
Until April 29, 2018
Project Space, Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Known for creating multi-layered resin paintings, DaveandJenn’s sculptures play with light, shadows, and reflections. Their latest piece brings viewers back to the forest, a landscape often depicted in their earlier work, and can be found in the Esker Foundation’s Project Space.
eskerfoundation.com
The Future Looked Bright: Art Deco in Everyday Life
Until April 29, 2018
Lougheed House (707 13th Ave. SW)
$6.50 – $8.50
Transporting Calgarians back to the 20s and 30s when the exciting Art Deco style swept the world, see over 40 domestic items from an era when industrialization created a sense of optimism and history’s first affordably mass-produced consumer goods. All of the exhibit’s items are generously on loan from local collectors.
lougheedhouse.com
A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all)
Unitl May 6, 2018
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free
In this new body of work, Kapwani Kiwanga delves into disciplinary architecture and deconstructs the physical and psychological qualities of different built environments including schools, prisons, hospitals, and mental health facilities. Organized and circulated by The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto, don’t miss this very cool show.
eskerfoundation.com
Eye of the Needle
Until May 13, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Looking at how needle and thread, the shiny bead and sequin, the porcupine quill and tuft of moose hair have all been used to create objects of incredible beauty, explore works found in Glenbow’s historical textile and fashion collection.
glenbow.org
Frida Kahlo: Her Photos
Until May 20, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
An exhibition by Frida Kahlo Museum – Casa Azul/Diego Rivera Museum; Banco de Mexico Fiduciario en el Fideicomiso Museos Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, Glenbow brings the first Canadian showing of Frida Kahlo: Her Photos to Calgary. The show has travelled to 12 cities in seven countries, received more than half a million visitors, and is a treasure trove of images previously locked away in the Kahlo estate archives for more than 50 years.
glenbow.org
The Black Gold Tapestry
Until May 21, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Organized by Glenbow, make sure you explore Sandra Sawatzky’s hand-embroidered illustrative tapestry that tells the story of how oil has impacted human civilizations around the world. The Black Gold Tapestry took nine years to complete with Sawatzky spending an average of eight to ten hours a day—every day—on the project either researching, drawing, planning, or embroidering.
glenbow.org
Intertwined
Until June 15, 2018
ATB Stephen Avenue (102 8th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring the work of fibre students from the Alberta College of Art + Design’s School of Craft + Emerging Media, the artists combined their interest in surface design and silkscreen printing on fabric to craft 13 pieces inspired by Alberta.
acad.ca
Have a visual arts event that’s not listed above? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.