Artist Jane Hook speaks in front of her series Full Circle: Evolving Family Studies
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 21, 2014, 2 p.m.
Canadian Sculpture Centre
This is the first year for the Canadian Sculpture Centre to participate in Pride.
The pieces of [sh]OUT are from four previous shows by Hook, which fit into the themes Full Circle: Evolving Family Studies, Mother Earth, Once Upon an I Con, and WANNABEs: Portraits of An Imagined History. It is a great pleasure to discover Hook’s various sculptures and the stories behind them. While each theme differs from one another, they connect by their assessment of the iconic.
Artist Jane Hook with WANNABEs
It is recognized quickly when exploring the exhibition that Hook has quite a sense of humour. Each work brought a smile to my face whether it was the hilariously delightful WANNABEs or the simple truths that resonate behind her eco pieces. As the artist herself said in her speech at the gallery opening, “the pieces are at once very simple in their meaning but if you know more about them they are very complex.” I certainly found this held true for every piece. There is depth in each piece that makes them so much more than just attractive to the eye.
Jane Hook, Big Baby
Jane Hook, Viewpoints @ 360
Hook analyzes common concepts in our society and presents them in three-dimensional form, which asks the viewer to examine them from a new viewpoint. The artist’s extensive schooling in psychology and social work emanates from her sculptures.
Jane Hook, Venus de Here and Now
Jane Hook, Brigitte Always Wanted to Be a Superhero
The opening reception also felt like a gathering of friends. The WANNABEs and Full Circle sculptures are based on real people in Hook’s life and she knows them intimately. Some of them were in attendance at the opening and it seemed as if they were celebrities in the crowd.
Models for WANNABEs in front of their sculptures: Dr. A. M. Superman, Angela/the Virgin Mary, and Randall/Zorro
The Canadian Sculpture Centre provides a perfect space to showcase Hook’s various pieces. If you are out enjoying the sunshine and fun activities that World Pride brings this week it is also a must to stop by this exhibition. Hook is the perfect artist to be represented during this celebration; her incredible warmth and intelligence transfers flawlessly to her art and thus to the viewer.
Text and photo: Carter Brown
*Exhibition information: June 18 – July 11, 2014, Canadian Sculpture Centre, 500 Church Street. Gallery hours: Tue – Fri: 12 – 6, Sat: 11 – 4 p.m. Extended hours for World Pride 2014.