Opening reception: August 1, 2013, 6 – 9 p.m.
De Luca Fine Art | Gallery
Installation view. Photo: Walter Willems
On the hot Thursday afternoon, ignoring the heat, a crowd gathered in De Luca Gallery for the Opening Reception of two exhibitions. The two shows are very different in style. THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE in the main gallery four multi-disciplinary artists, Janet Bellotto, Barb Hunt, Faith La Rocque and Camilla Singh works are on display.
Photo: Alice Tallman
“They are indomitable and tenacious artists with wondrous minds, on a mission to leave an impact that will have us mortals trembling” predicts the press release. Indeed the exhibit is very interesting with installations, photo based works, video, sculpture and graphic works showing side by side. De Luca showed most of the artists before, so it is a little bit like a summer group show but a unique one.
Artists Janet Bellotto, Faith La Rocque and Camilla Singh. Photo: Alice Tallman
Water flows through Janet Bellotto’s work: oceans and waves, submersion and reflections, in-between states that are fluid and aqueous. The artist’s body flows slowly in water among jellyfish in the video The slow decline. Her other, photo based pieces take us inside of our dreams and visions (The Force Within).
Janet Bellotto, The Slow Decline, digital video, duration 7:10 min., edition 1 of 3 dimensions variable, 2013. Courtesy of De Luca Gallery
Artist Janet Bellotto with her works The Force Within and Transcribing the Impermeable Wall. Photo: Alice Tallman
Barb Hunt creates larger than life metal dresses for the iron maiden. Her drawing Study for Leaf Dress brings organic element into the monumental composition where a dress design becomes a life-tree at the same time.
Barb Hunt, Study for Leaf Dress, drawing. Courtesy of De Luca Gallery
Faith La Rocque with her large installation of heavy looking sacks aims to “establishes active environments that allow for critical awareness, sensory experience and physiological engagement.”
Artist Faith La Rocque and her installation. Photo: Alice Tallman
Singh started a band called MORTIFIED in 2012 with Jenn Goodwin. Using references such as heavy metal music, military drumming, choreographic approaches to the drum kits and the sonic possibilities of pom poms creates sonic experiences through movement with an emphasis on rhythm.
Artsist Camilla Singh with her work Uh yeah it matters. (Vic Firth Signature Sticks – Flo Mounier, Cryptopsy), bronze, 16 x 6 inches, 2013. Photo: Alice Tallman
Her graphical series of writing reminds us of Arabic art where the depiction of the human body is forbidden so everything is said through worlds and beautiful calligraphy. There are not easy to decipher the English words here but their decorative beauty enriches their verbal meaning.
Camilla Singh, Secret VIII, graphite on paper, 26 x 34 inches, 2011. Courtesy of De Luca Gallery.
The other exhibition BARNS in the low level of the gallery displays the Hungarian born Jonathan Bolyki’s landscapes from rural Ontario. The artist started to paint again only two years ago and the amount and quality of work he created in this short time is amazing.
Artist Jonathan Bolyki. Photo: Alice Tallman
Bolyki paints “fantastic” landscapes. Under immense skies, the clouds are just passing by or a scary storm is fast approaching. The subject is a Barn, usually abandoned as to remind us of time passing by and nature claiming things back. The sky is mostly empty, often a vast white surface guiding our focus to the dark building, creating a dramatic effect. Bolyki was interviewed by Omni TV at the Opening Reception.
The guest, trying to escape the heat, enjoyed a good discussion and some refreshment in the garden behind the gallery.
The shows are open August 1 -31, 2013, at De Luca Fine Art | Gallery, 217 Avenue Road. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 12 – 6 p.m.