Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Clint Neufeld's 'Powertrains and Peacocks' opens at Art Gallery of Greater Victoria



Canadian artist Clint Neufeld's exploration of beauty in the design and craftsmanship of everyday objects will be exhibited in Powertrains and Peacocks, opening next week in the Art Gallery Of Greater Victoria's LAB Gallery. The LAB is a contemporary experimental space designed for presenting challenging and dynamic projects within the AGGV.

Neufeld's exhibition demonstrates the artist's engagement in the structure of the objects he uses, plus the history and context implied by the materials used to make them. Sounds like heady stuff, but it's all very accessible. His skill as a sculptor is represented with Sad Seahorse (pictured above), a ceramic replica of a wilted Seahorse boat engine glazed in the color of celadon china. Instead of being presented on a pedestal, Sad Seahorse is draped over an antique floral upholstered settee -- an unusual juxtaposition of elegant repose and an unexpected object from the sea.

Also in the exhibition is a new series of light boxes utilizing clean, contemporary aesthetics in the structure of their frames. They conatin silhouette-like portraits of three opulent subjects: the peacock, the Trans-Am and the chandelier.

Saskatchewan based artist Clint Neufeld has exhibited across Canada. His art is currently featured in Oh Canada, the largest survey of contemporary Canadian art produced outside Canada at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. The exhibition runs through April 1, 2013. Neufeld attended the University of Manitoba and received his BFA at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He completed his MFA at Concordia University in Montreal in 2006.

There will be a public opening and artist talk on Thursday, August 16 at 7:30 PM. Powertrains and Peacocks runs August 17-October 28, 2012.

Photo courtesy of TheRecord, Kitchener, Ontario

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