August Exhibitions
Cap off the summer with Calgary’s visual arts programming
Get to know Calgary’s awesome visual arts community this summer as August brings the heat. With a mix of ongoing exhibitions, pop-up gatherings, and special events, there’s plenty to see and do.
Here’s what we’re checking out this month:
Alex Janvier: Out for Lunch Tours
August 1, 2018, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free – $5
Explore 65 years of art making over the course of your lunch hour in this bite-sized tour of the beautiful and important exhibition, Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master.
facebook.com
Art in the Park
August 1 – 23, 2018
cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
$15 per child
A family program that runs Wednesdays and Thursdays this August, create in the great outdoors and be inspired with engaging art projects. Families are invited to drop-in and make art together or drop-off older children and explore the unique art hub. Check out the event’s Facebook page for dates and times.
facebook.com
HK Summer 18 Group Show
August 1 – September 1, 2018
Herringer Kiss Gallery (709 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring a rotation of gallery artists grouped by colour and themes, see works by Fiona Ackerman, Curtis Cutshaw, Dennis Ekstedt, Renee Duval, Marjan Eggermont, Bill Laing, Harry Kiyooka, Joe Fleming, Jason Frizzell, Laurel Johannesson, and Mark Ollinger.
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Mini Masters
August 2, 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
Free First Thursday Night
August 2, 2018, 5:00 – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free
The perfect chance to explore Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master, don’t miss this month’s Free First Thursday Night at Glenbow. The museum is committed to expanding the reach and impact of art and culture in our community, and this monthly offering is a great way to do that!
facebook.com
Bring the Baby Art Tour
August 3, 2018, 12:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
A relaxed, social tour, bring your baby to the Esker Foundation and have tot-friendly fun while discussing the exhibitions.
eventbrite.ca
A Small Painting Show
August 7 – September 8, 2018
VIVIANEART (1114 11th St. SW)
Free
A selection of new works by Scott Everingham, Shawn Evans, and Serena Beaulieu, swing by VIVIANEART to see three artists successfully creating strong paintings on a small-scale.
vivianeart.gallery
Speaking Truth to Materials: Revisiting the Workshop, from Bauhaus to Womanhouse
August 10, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join Dr. Erin Silver for a talk that uses the contemporary practices of Vanessa Brown and Anna Torma as springboards for tracing genealogies of early-20th century avant-garde workshops to the feminist studio workshop initiatives of the 1970s.
eventbrite.ca
Alex Janvier: Saturday Tours
August 11, 2018, 11:00am – 12:15pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
Spend your Saturday with Glenbow and enjoy a guided tour for everyone who wants to know more about Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master.
facebook.com
Appliqué Bunting
August 11, 2018, 1:00 – 5:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
Although bunting is often seen as decoration, Caitlin Thompson discusses the history of appliqué and how the international textile trade has influenced this resourceful technique. Create your own triangular “tammy” flag, embellished with appliqué and embroidery stitches learned in the workshop. All materials are provided, but participants are encouraged to bring textiles and scraps of fabric to be incorporated into their flag.
eventbrite.ca
Art in the Garden
August 11 & 12, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Art in the Garden (3443 Kerry Park Rd. SW)
Free
Enjoy a day in the garden with this ninth annual event featuring framed and unframed paintings in many mediums and styles, art cards, matted prints, and stained glass. Artists in attendance include Rosemary Bennett, Fran Sayles, Linda Lalonde, Shelagh Tranter, and Gloria Chow. Donations for the Calgary Food Bank are gratefully accepted.
facebook.com
If Bees Are Few
August 11 – September 23, 2018
Tower Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Pay-What-You-Can
A celebration of apis mellifera, the European Honeybee, see work from four Vancouver Island artists—Gordon James, Kathryn Manry, Lisa Riehl, and Marsha Ross. The exhibition explores the wonder and the plight of these complex and remarkable social insects, and you can explore it at the opening reception from 2:00 to 4:00pm on August 11.
leightoncentre.org
Exhibition Tour: The Magic of Material
August 17, 2018, 6:00 – 7:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join Naomi Potter for this tour exploring the fantastic and magical worlds of Vanessa Brown and Anna Torma. Rich in symbolic imagery, both artists reclaim and activate craft traditions by challenging the historical stereotypes of certain materials or skills.
eventbrite.ca
Craft-Along Workshop
August 17, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
Looking at some of the ways to take craft skills to the next level of artistic expression, enjoy an exhibition tour of Anna Torma: Book of Abandoned Details then join STASH’s Veronica Murphy for a craft-along and casual discussion about pushing your crafting boundaries in your own work.
eventbrite.ca
100 Portraits: Artbybaha Show & Sale
August 18, 2018 10:00am – 1:00pm
Mamdani Opera Centre (1315 7th Ave. SW)
Free
See 100 portraits and other artworks made by Heather Baharally using a 3Dpen—you can even try your hand at it yourself while enjoying brunch bites.
facebook.com
WALKIES! Dog Walk & Art Show Fundraiser
August 19, 2018, 11:00am – 4:00pm
Hillhurst/Sunnyside Greenspace Field (14th St. & 5th Ave. NW)
$5
A fundraiser for Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue, join Caprices Fine Arts for an afternoon filled with local artists, pet vendors, and dog lovers. Register to take your four-legged friend for a $10 mini-walk around the soccer field and collect tickets to participate in the raffle.
facebook.com
Master Class for Families
August 19, 2018, 1:00 – 2:30pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
Join the Esker Foundation for an afternoon of family fun at the gallery and delve into new mediums with art projects that relate to the current exhibitions. Don’t miss this educational, energetic, hands-on program for kids ages five to 10 (an adult is required to stay for the duration of the workshop).
eventbrite.ca
Two Cultural Perspectives, One Albertan Landscape Closing Reception
August 22, 2018, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Studio C, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Travelling around Alberta over a period of two weeks, and within the exact same physical conditions, Mark Vazquez Mackay and Enrique Guillen Saenz will each produce six plein air oil paintings. An intimate conversation between the two artists, see the finished results at the closing reception.
facebook.com
Materiality: 2018 Residency Exhibition
August 23, 2018, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Alberta College of Art + Design (1407 14th Ave. NW)
Free
Hosted by Contextural Fibre Arts Cooperative and the Alberta College of Art + Design, swing by to explore the work created during this summer-long residency.
facebook.com
eNOugh
August 23 – 25, 2018
Artpoint Gallery & Studios (1139 11th St. SE)
Free
Featuring the works of 11 international artists spanning North and South America, eNOugh looks at violence against women and the strength of women. Curated by Tahira Karim and Sandra Murillo, artists include experimental animators, sculptors, teachers, painters, and illustrators. Kicking off in Calgary, the show is set to travel to Lima, Peru in 2019 followed by Paris and Berlin in 2020.
facebook.com
Camadas
August 24 – September 7, 2018
Small Space Gallery (102, 424 10th St. NW)
Free
Layer after layer, details that resonate, Jane Finley’s Camadas can be found at the adorable and surprising Small Space Gallery. Inspired by the walls in the streets of Porto, Portugal, Finley adds her own physical and conceptual layers using mixed media painting. Swing by and check out its opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00pm on August 24.
facebook.com
Viva! Exhibition & Fundraiser for Equinox Vigil
August 24 – September 8, 2018
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free
An exhibition and sale in support of Equinox Vigil, check out several stunning mirrors that have been individually painted, embellished, or redesigned by 30 local artists. Special events include an opening night reception from 6:00 to 8:00pm on August 24, an artist talk with Edmonton Photographer Candace Makowichuk at 2:00pm on August 25, and a wrap-up party from 7:30 to 9:00pm on September 8.
facebook.com
Set the Table
August 25 – November 3, 2018
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Featuring tableware by Kalika Bowlby and table linens by Natalie Gerber, this show celebrates the act of setting the table and enjoying a meal. And make sure you swing by for a number of special events for Alberta Culture Days including an artist talk and exhibition reception on September 29.
facebook.com
Bus Tour to the Canadian Museum of Making
August 26, 2018, 1:00 – 5:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
Join the Esker Foundation for an intimate and rare tour of the Canadian Museum of Making. This museum features a collection of machinery and tools that were built and used from 1750 to 1920 in Canada, Britain, and the United States, as well as an extensive African metalwork collection.
eventbrite.ca
What if we were alive
August 29 – November 3, 2018
Untitled Art Society (343 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Co-presented with M:ST Performative Art Festival, this group show exploring the What If features the work of Bridget Moser, oualie frost, Allison Hrabluik, and Salote Tawale. Swing by the opening reception and performance by Bridget Moser from 3:00 to 6:00pm on September 22.
uascalgary.org
Neil Zeller’s Fifth Annual Photowalk
August 30, 2018, 6:00 – 9:00pm
Meet at the South end of the George C King Bridge
Free
A social event for everyone, join Neil Zeller for a very short talk and enjoy the company of like-minded, passionate, positive people while exploring the bridge and St. Patrick’s Island. Be on the lookout for special guests and giveaways.
facebook.com
BUMP Festival
August 30 – September 1, 2018
Throughout the Beltline
Free
With several new murals popping up, join the Beltline Urban Murals Project as it caps another successful year with a three-day festival. This year’s mural artists include Fluke (A’shop), Daleast, Illana Pichon, Natalie Nehlawi, Kalum Teke Dan, Kevin Ledo, Jill Stanton, Katie Green, Rhy Farrell & Shane Aresenault, Nasarimba, Nicole Wolf, and Tyler Lemermeyer.
yycbump.ca
Ongoing Exhibitions
Ambient Photo
Until August 4, 2018
The New Gallery (208 Centre St. SE)
Free
Luther Konadu unpacks collective identity and the black body in this exhibition that utilizes self-portraiture to examine truth telling through image.
thenewgallery.org
Threaded Through Paint
Until August 5, 2018
Tower Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Pay-What-You-Can
In her debut solo exhibition, Calgary watercolourist Brittney Tough celebrates the mundane through glowing and meticulously rendered paintings of textiles. Fascinated by capturing fleeting moments of exaggerated light, colour, and pattern, her contemporary approach to watercolour has created a body a work that is vibrant, photorealistic, and brimming with nostalgia.
leightoncentre.org
Land-People-Movement
Until August 10, 2018
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free
Curated by Christine Sowiak and organized by Nickle Galleries, this exhibition includes selections from the gallery’s collections and explores ways of looking at the outside world that help us move through it.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
WRECK CITY Residency + Exhibition
Until August 12, 2018
Multiple locations
Free
Its first ever multi-venue exhibition spanning from Marda Loop to Downtown Calgary, this iteration of WRECK CITY is located across four independent sites in Southwest Calgary. Over five weeks, 21 artists from across North America have been creating new site-specific artworks through installation, sculptures, urban intervention, performance action, deconstruction, mark-making, and other experimental styles.
wreckcity.ca
PROCESS; thinking through
Until August 18, 2018
Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary, cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Avenue. SW)
Free
A behind the scenes look at the creative process of fine craft, this exhibition features the work of 17 Alberta Craft Council members and comes to Calgary after a successful stint in the Edmonton gallery.
albertacraft.ab.ca
CHROMA: Summer Group Exhibition
Until August 18, 2018
Christine Klassen Gallery (200, 321 50th Ave. SE)
Free
From lush floral bursts on mylar to textured abstractions on canvas, conceptual photography to synesthetic experiences, don’t miss this annual group show celebrating colour and the diversity of the artists represented by the gallery.
christineklassengallery.com
G’ddy Up!
Until August 25, 2018
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11th Ave. SW)
Free
Just in time for the Calgary Stampede, see works by artists who seek to explore the contemporary cowboy culture as well as those who implement aspects of this culture in formal exploration through painting, photography, and sculpture. Featured artists include Joe Andoe, Dianne Bos, Sophie DeFrancesca, Kevin Sonmor, and Samantha Walrod.
newzones.com
Sunscreen
Until August 25, 2018
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11th Ave. SW)
Free
The return of its annual summer group exhibition, swing by Newzones this summer to take in this constantly rotating show. Sure to delight the senses, make a habit of stopping by the gallery as the artwork rotates each week.
newzones.com
Suzette Knudsen
Until August 25, 2018
cSPACE King Edward (1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
Visit the Alberta Craft Gallery to see the work of ceramic artist Suzette Knudsen.
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REASSURANCE…
Until August 31, 2018
Sheldon Chumir Health Centre (1213 4th St. SW)
Free
As a public artwork Recognition…Validation…Reassurance… takes the form of a social practice art project. Created by community participants for community benefit, the content addresses mental wellness, and is devised and led by artist Dick Averns. Reassurance… is based on the premise that mental health is about self-expression but is often invisible. Presented along a city block in the downtown core, this 24/7 installation features nearly 200 artworks generated through free community workshops. Also be on the lookout for works displayed on Calgary Transit buses, CTrains, and platforms.
calgary.ca
Local, Emerging Art Exhibit
Until September 2018
Inti Designs Studio & Gallery (1289 Highfield Crescent SE)
Free
A place where art and industry intersect, swing by the Inti Designs Studio & Gallery and explore this exhibit featuring a variety of art expressions including metal work, skull painting, mixed media, photography, and furniture.
intidesigns-studio.com
Promenade
Until September 1, 2018
Jarvis Hall Gallery (333B 36th Ave. SE)
Free
Its summer group exhibition, this exhibition features a collection of work by artists new and old to the gallery roster. Artists include Robin Arseneault, Martin Bennett, Susan Clarahan, Mark Dicey, Marianne Gerlinger, Janine Hall, Tyler Los-Jones, Rachel MacFarlane, Billy McCarroll, Sondra Meszaros, Jeff Nachtigall, Bill Rodgers, Marigold Santos, Jen Somerville, Corri-Lynn Tetz, Larissa Tiggelers, Dan Whiting, and John Will.
jarvishallgallery.com
The Witching Hour
Until September 2, 2018
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Vanessa Brown works in the space between strength and fragility through an alchemical fusing of steel, pigment, and glass. Bringing together new installations and recent works, ranging in scale from grand to intimate, this exhibition is a proposal in material, colour, light, and sound.
eskerfoundation.com
Book of Abandoned Details
Until September 2, 2018
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Featuring new and major works produced over the past five years, Anna Torma uses drawing, collaging, painting, dyeing, free-hand quilting, patchwork, applique, felting, and embroidery to create a fantastic world.
eskerfoundation.com
What is Money?
Until September 3, 2018
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (410 University Ct. NW)
Free
Curated by Marina Fischer with assistance from Justine Buchler, don’t miss the newest exhibition of ethnographic objects from the Nickle’s numismatic collection. Showcasing diverse forms of money used across the globe through time, the exhibition explores a range in cultural understandings of money, its value in society, and asks, what is money?
nickle.ucalgary.ca
No Clear Line
Until September 8, 2018
Okotoks Art Gallery (53 N Railway St., Okotoks)
Free
Hit the road this summer and explore No Clear Line at the Okotoks Art Gallery. Combining Paul Rasporich’s love of art with his passion for fishing, this exhibit features paintings of fishermen on local rivers.
okotoksculture.ca
Time is a Flat Circle
Until September 8, 2018
Okotoks Art Gallery (53 N Railway St., Okotoks)
Free
Ryan Smitham’s work addresses physical phenomena such as decomposition and erosion, as well as human-caused issues like violent conflict and the depletion of natural resources.
okotoksculture.ca
Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master
Until September 9, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
A major retrospective organized by the National Gallery of Canada, this stunning exhibition spans the entirety of Alex Janvier’s 65-plus year career and features more than 150 artworks showing the evolution of Janvier’s unique vision. Rooted in the geocultural landscape of his northern Alberta home, Janvier’s works on paper, canvas, and linen combine Dene iconography with Western abstract art styles and techniques.
glenbow.org
Gwenessa Lam: What Magic
Until September 9, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
An ongoing series of exhibitions focused on new work by significant Alberta artists, the sixth exhibition in One New Work features Gwenessa Lam, an assistant professor of painting at the Alberta College of Art + Design. Curated by Nancy Tousley, What Magic consists of an installation of etchings and texts, an artist’s book and a video projection.
glenbow.org
Bison bison bison
Until September 23, 2018
Main Gallery, Leighton Art Centre (282027 144th St. West, Millarville)
Pay-What-You-Can
Celebrating the continuing existence of the mighty Plains Bison in Alberta, Leighton Art Centre presents Bison bison bison. Experience the perspectives of 16 local artists as they portray this impressive creature in many styles and in pieces large and small. Works for sale includes paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculpture.
leightoncentre.org
Formed by Sand
Until September 30, 2018
Lougheed House (707 13th Ave. SW)
With admission
Inside Alberta’s famous Victorian sandstone mansion, two-dozen artists explore and interpret the impact of sandstone and oil on Calgary, answering how much of our history and circumstance is a result of our geology. Works include print, video, collage, painting, text, mixed media, sculpture, and more.
lougheedhouse.com
Sealing the Homunculus
Until October 19, 2018
ATB Stephen Avenue (102 8th Ave. SW)
Free
In response to the ubiquitous indoor gardens and transitory lobby spaces often found in Calgary’s office towers, artists Brett Bonk, May G N, and Sean Taal created an ironic oasis in a waiting room in downtown Calgary. Presented by the Alberta College of Art + Design, ATB, and Sled Island, swing by and explore a space that is inundated with a series of challenges in navigation.
acad.ca
Recent Acquisitions 2017
Until December 9, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
With admission
An opportunity to show how Glenbow’s collection is growing and evolving, each of these objects or artworks holds a story. Stop by the museum to explore pieces that include Kananginak Pootoogook’s Young Arctic Owl, Dorothy Henzell Willis’ Joseph Plaskett in Paris, and many more.
glenbow.org
The Artist’s Mirror: Self Portraits
Until 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 institutions’ impressive collections. Curated by Sarah Todd, see pieces that allow their creators a chance to look deeply at themselves.
glenbow.org
Have a visual arts event that’s not listed above? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
