Exhibitions February 2018
Head to your favourite galleries this month for new shows and events
February might be a short month but Calgary’s visual arts community has you covered. From the 2018 Exposure Photography Festival to new shows at Glenbow and the Esker Foundation, there’s tons to see and do. So head to your favourites and don’t miss these great offerings.
I Spy
February 1, 2018, 4:00 – 9:00pm
Loft 112 (535 8th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Part of the Exposure Photography Festival, join FosterMAK and see work from five local photographers—Funeh Aliu, Lori Maloney, Nancy MacEachern, Lisa Murphy-Lamb, and Lily Wong.
eventbrite.ca
Each Painted Document Opening Reception
February 1, 2018, 5:00 – 8:00pm
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 at the opening reception.
nickle.ucalgary.ca
Free First Thursday Nights
February 1, 2018, 5:00 – 9:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free
Start February off right with a free evening at Glenbow and explore The Black Gold Tapestry and Eye of the Needle as well as the museum’s permanent exhibitions.
facebook.com
Behind the Scenes Tour: Indigenous Studies Textiles
February 1 & 2, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$12 – $15
Join Glenbow’s Indigenous Studies Curator Joanne Schmidt for a look at a wide range of textiles from the museum’s Indigenous Studies collection.
glenbow.org
The Artist’s Lens
February 1 – 24, 2018
Artpoint Gallery & Studios Society (1139 Adelaide St. SE)
Free
Part of the Exposure Photography Festival, join the Alberta Society of Artists as it features work from Jack Blair, Gerry Dotto, Peter Glendale, Karin Richter, Lorene Runham, Deborah Lougheed Sinclair, Ray Swirsky, and Edith VanderKloot. Check out the show at its opening reception from 5:00 to 9:00pm on February 1 and hear guest speaker Ann Mansolino at 7:30pm.
albertasocietyofartists.com
The Natural Landscape
February 1 – 28, 2018
Hemmingway Room, The Commons (1204 20th Ave. SE)
Free
Just in time for Exposure Photography Festival, DADE relaunches its gallery exhibitions in collaboration with the Commons Calgary. Photographers Bob Johnson and Steve Speer approach landscape photography from quite different perspectives, but with the same intent—to present images composed with care and intimacy, and the ability to draw the viewer in. Explore the show at its opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00pm on February 1.
exposurephotofestival.com
We Dream in Glitches
February 1 – 28, 2018
Nur Box Theatre, cSPACE King Edward (2nd Floor, 1721 29th Ave. SW)
Free
An excerpt of the screening program We Dream in Glitches that premiered during EMMEDIA’s PARTICLE + WAVE Festival, here’s your chance to see five unique media art creations including Alice Saey’s Happy and Taryn Ward’s Soar.
emmedia.ca
Soon All Your Memories Will Be With Me
February 1 – 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 a 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. Don’t miss this new commission and associated performances, an opening reception takes place from 5:00 to 9:00pm on February 1.
ikg.acad.ca
tensions
February 1 – 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, and you can get special insight into the exhibition at 6:00pm on February 1 with a gallery tour.
ikg.acad.ca
The Future Looked Bright: Art Deco in Everyday Life
February 1 – 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
Launch Party
February 2, 2018, 7:30 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
By donation
Head to Glenbow and celebrate the opening of Frida Kahlo: Her Photos and the latest edition of the One New Work series featuring John Will. A stellar art party, the evening features live music by Feel Alright, DJ Myke Atkinson, and a cash bar.
facebook.com
The Channelers
February 2 – 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:. Showcasing 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, check out the show at its opening reception from 7:00 to 10:00pm on February 2, 2018.
emmedia.ca
Kick Off Bash & Opening Reception
February 3, 2018, 10:00am – 9:00pm
Eau Claire Market (200 Barclay Parade SW)
Free
Celebrate the start of 2018’s Exposure Photography Festival and explore three shows—the Open Call exhibition, the Emerging Photographers Showcase, and a solo exhibition by the 2017 showcase winner, Blake Chorley. The day also includes a walking tour of The FENCE.
facebook.com
Artist Talk Kapwani Kiwanga
February 3, 2018, 1:00 – 2:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join Kapwani Kiwanga as she shares the research and interests behind her exhibition A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all). Kiwanga’s work is often rooted in a period of research before bringing these concepts into the studio where they transform into various mediums.
eventbrite.ca
In Conversation: Hilda Trujillo
February 3, 2018, 2:00 – 3:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$10 – $12
Join Hilda Trujillo, director of Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico City, as she shares her unique insights on the life and legacy of Frida Kahlo and the collection of personal photos that make up Glenbow’s new feature exhibition Frida Kahlo: Her Photos.
facebook.com
The Photographers (A Group Show)
February 3 – 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
February 3 – 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
February 3 – 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
Kevin Boyle & Rocio Graham
February 3 – 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. Explore both shows at the opening reception from 1:00 to 4:00pm on February 3.
christineklassengallery.com
A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all)
February 3 – 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, see the show at its opening reception from 6:00 to 10:00pm on February 2.
eskerfoundation.com
Frida Kahlo: Her Photos
February 3 – 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
Curator’s Talk Nabila Abdel Nabi
February 4, 2018, 1:00 – 2:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join The Power Plant’s Assistant Curator, Nabila Abdel Nabi, as she discusses A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all). The talk explores how Kapwani Kiwanga deconstructs the physical and psychological qualities of different built environments including schools, prisons, hospitals, and mental health facilities.
eventbrite.ca
Water
February 4 – 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
Threaducation: Crazy Quilt Patchwork
February 7, 2018, 7:00 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$35 – $40
Take textile art into your own hands with this series of workshops led by Calgary artist Caitin Thompson and friends with the first looking at texture, shape, and surface in a free-form environment.
facebook.com
Behind the Scenes Tour: Indigenous Studies Textiles
February 8 & 9, 2018
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$12 – $15
Join Glenbow’s Indigenous Studies Curator Joanne Schmidt for a look at a wide range of textiles from the museum’s Indigenous Studies collection. Due to popular demand, two more tours have been added.
glenbow.org
Speaker Series: Beauty in Ageing by Mary Whale
February 9, 2018, 2:00 – 3:30pm
Shawnessy Library (333 Shawville Blvd. SE)
Free
Presented by Alberta Society of Artist member Mary Whale, hear her revised western perspective of beauty in ageing.
albertasocietyofartists.com
Paperwork
February 9 – 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. See the show at its opening reception from 5:00 to 8:00pm on February 9.
jarvishallgallery.com
Happenings #11
February 12, 2018, 6:00 – 9:00pm
Arts Commons (205 8th Ave. SE)
Free
Celebrate all the great creations at the next Happenings—an art party that is free and open to all ages. Head to Arts Commons for a Monday night of hands-on activities, live performances, and so much more.
facebook.com
Intertwined
February 12 – 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
Threaducation: Appliqué Flag Banners
February 14, 2018, 7:00 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$35 – $40
Take textile art into your own hands with this series of workshops led by Calgary artist Caitin Thompson and friends. Each evening focuses on one technique with the second allowing you to make a special appliqué banner.
facebook.com
Artist Talk: Art, Science, History, and Hearsay
February 15, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
The world of Calgary-based artists DaveandJenn, Jennifer Saleik, and David Foy, merges history with hearsay, mythology with the everyday, and bronze with plastic. Learn about their process and how their joint practice has evolved over the years from making highly detailed resin paintings to include intricate multi-medium sculptures and, most recently, installation work.
eventbrite.ca
Threaducation: Embroidermation
February 21, 2018, 7:00 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$35 – $40
Next up in this series of workshops led by Calgary artist Caitin Thompson and friends is an introduction to the feedback cycles of embroidery and animation.
facebook.com
Riverview Artists February Show & Sale
February 21 – 23, 2018, 9:00am – 4:00pm
+15 Level, TransCanada Place (450 1st St. SW)
Free
Find original artwork by 12 local artists at this upcoming art show and sale. Varying in style and technique, each piece reflects the unique creativity and inspiration of each artist.
riverview-artists.com
Exhibition Tour: Research as Resistance
February 22, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration recommended
Join Elizabeth Diggon, the Esker Foundation’s lead researcher, for an informal tour that traces the threads of research and the connections to Alberta histories and institutions in Kapwani Kiwanga’s A wall is just a wall (and nothing more at all).
eventbrite.ca
Artist Talk in the Union Cemetery Chapel
February 23, 2018, 6:00 – 7:00pm
Chapel, Union Cemetery (Entrance at Spiller Rd. SE)
Free, RSVP required
Join Candace Makowichuk as she discusses her current project as the Artist in Residence with the City of Edmonton Cemeteries. Working with historical photographic processes, learn about her exploration of the seven municipal cemeteries and one traditional burial ground.
equinoxvigil.ca
Lux & Umbra (Light & Shadow)
February 23 & 24, 2018
Chapel, Union Cemetery (Entrance at Spiller Rd. SE)
Free, RSVP required
Celebrating the roots of photography in its purest form using a historic bellows sheet film camera and 19th century printing processes, don’t miss this exhibit of Candace Makowichuk’s work in a concert setting. Presented with the support of The City of Calgary Public Art Program, Makowichuk was invited to Calgary by Sharon Stevens, the Founder and Curator of Equinox Vigil, and features live music from the Timepoint Ensemble.
equinoxvigil.ca
We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow
February 23 – 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, the exhibition 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. Check it out at the opening reception at 8:00pm on February 23.
thenewgallery.org
Absurd Walls
February 23 – 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. Get insight from the artist herself at the reception and artist talk taking place from 7:00 to 9:00pm on February 23.
albertaprintmakers.com
Young Masters
February 24, 2018, 10:30am
Masters Gallery (2115 4th St. SW)
Free
Perfect for elementary school-aged children, join Masters Gallery for a fun and informative age-appropriate talk by Masters Gallery President, Ryan Green, as well as art-related activities and treats.
mastersgallery.com
Lantern Making Workshop in the Union Cemetery Chapel
February 24, 2018, 1:00 – 4:30pm
Chapel, Union Cemetery (Entrance at Spiller Rd. SE)
$20
Combining traditional and modern methods, learn how to create a unique paper lantern using imagery from the Union Cemetery. All materials are provided but bring a digital camera or a phone that has a camera.
equinoxvigil.ca
Small Cuts: Cut-Paper Animation Workshop
February 24, 2018, 1:00 – 5:00pm
Esker Foundation (1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free, registration required
DaveandJenn lead participants through a short introduction into the history and creation of cut-paper animations at this upcoming workshop. The day also includes insights about their own artistic process and the inspirations that went into their site-specific work, Paradise for an in-between time.
eventbrite.ca
Theme Interior Publication Launch & Exhibition
February 24, 2018, 6:00 – 10:00pm
Shelf Life Books (1302 4th St. SW)
Free
With the launch of a new issue, join SEITIES for a night of analog photography at Shelf Life Books.
facebook.com
Crowded Spirit
February 24 – March 9, 2018
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 from 4:00 to 9:00pm on March 1.
eventbrite.ca
Threaducation: Beadwork with Judy Anderson
February 27, 2018, 7:00 – 10:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
$35 – $40
For its final edition in a series of workshops led by Calgary artist Caitin Thompson and friends, Theaducation looks at several different beading stitches with award-winning artist Judy Anderson.
facebook.com
Out for Lunch Tour: Frida Kahlo
February 28, 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
Recognition
Until February 2, 2018
AB 621, University of Calgary (2500 University Dr. NW)
Free
Featuring more than 100 artworks created through social practice community workshops as part of Dick Averns’ public art project, this popup exhibition is presented in conjunction with Bell Let’s Talk Day.
facebook.com
After Weather
Unitl February 2, 2018
Stride Gallery (1006 Macleod Tr. SE)
Free
A series of images, sculptures, and videos, Justin Waddell and Rick Silva explore weather as both source material and metaphor, and is part of the 2018 Exposure Photography Festival.
stride.ab.ca
Dup-boug-a-dad
Until February 10, 2018
The New Gallery (208 Centre St. SE)
Free
Aislinn Thomas translates one individual’s experience of cheerleading and song through video and vibration. An interdisciplinary artist whose practice includes video, performance, installation, and text-based work, Thomas’ work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
facebook.com
Launchpad @ DIALOG
Until February 14, 2018
DIALOG (300, 134 11th Ave. SE)
Free
Hosted by DIALOG, this popup show features works from Indefinite Arts Centre artists that will be travelling to exhibitions in Hong Kong and Seoul later in the year.
indefinitearts.com
Winter Garden
Until February 24, 2018
VIVIANEART (1114 11th St. SW)
Free
Part of the 2018 Exposure Photography Festival, VIVIANEART presents this group exhibition organized by acclaimed Calgary-based curator, Katherine Ylitalo. Informed by her knowledgeable support of the arts, Ylitalo has selected recent works by five Western Canadian artists who incorporate photography as part of their practice.
vivianeart.gallery
Vistas, Visions & Viewpoints
Until February 24, 2018
Leighton Art Centre (282027 144 Street West, Millarville)
Admission by donation
Celebrating the time-honoured Leighton tradition of landscape painting, Vistas, Visions & Viewpoints features work of five local artists utilizing a variety of styles to investigate, experiment and execute works representing the beauty of our natural surroundings. Featuring Kathy Adamo, Judy Perrin, Virgini Senden, Frances Vettergreen, and Lorraine Whellams, each artist presents work from their unique lens.
leightoncentre.org
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Have a visual arts event that’s not listed above? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
