By Taylor Johnson (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: April 4, 2012
Spring is in the air! That means three things to a university student: better start studying for finals, time to remember the definition of “the great outdoors” and graduation! This last week the Visual Arts’ Eklektisch show displayed the creative works of eight diploma graduates at the Kariton Gallery in Abbotsford. “Eklektisch?” No, it is most definitely not an English word and not a spelling mistake either, but rather German for “eclectic.” Eclectic by dictionary definition means to be made up of the best, picking out what you like about something—in this case art—and composing something else with those elements. After seeing the show, this title seems quite appropriate.
Eklektisch displayed a wide variety of contemporary-style art, such as Brianna Toebosch’s Baptism: Water, Spirit, Blood—three side-by-side images of an unknown colourful substance against a white background—and Karalee Storness-Bliss’ Self-Portrait, which played around with shapes, with one side of the piece a realistic rendition of a smiling brunette, while on the other side was the same brunette but flattened and enlarged.
Other quite unique work included Anita Lewis’s audio video combination Slick n’ Sleazy, Gross n’ Greasy, a series of photographs of a blond girl devouring a giant burger practically the size of her head, as well as Reanne A. Novak’s Distressed Worker, a collection of things we can all relate to, such as a work uniform and name tag, a lamp (without a lamp shade), and a blanket. However, Novak gives these items a sense of chaos and sudden disaster, kind of like that feeling when you realize you’ve slept in and have 10 minutes to be at work.
For those of you who, like me, have no artistic abilities, Lillian Neufeld’s Sketchbook Entries allows its viewers into the mind of an artist. Designer labels, celebrities, pencil/pen sketches, and brightly-coloured images of people and places were sprawled up and across the white wall. Like Neufeld’s piece, Megan Joyce’s One Sky, One World was also a work we artistically-challenged types could sit back and appreciate the talent behind; it was a large bird made up of what looked like maps cut into all different sized feathers – pieces which I am sure took an extremely long time to create!
In more traditional mediums, there were realistic portraits as well as a copper-etched rendition of the human brain by Angela Schettle. Schettle’s Dr.!! consisted of a copper-on-plaster portrait followed by an explanation of the human brain’s purpose to “control information flow.” Close by was a traditional Chinese mask by Meagan Joyce entitled Chinese Dragon Half Mask #1, which stood out vividly against a white wall. Its purple and green colors gave it an ancient and historic look among the more modern style art.
There was certainly something for all palettes at the Eklektisch Visual Arts show. A variety of art, from the more contemporary to the more traditional, all was elaborately set out on display; it was Eklektisch indeed. Congratulations to the diploma grads and best of luck wherever your talents take you!
Worried you missed out? Until April 17, the Eklektsich Visual Arts Grad show will be held at the Kariton Gallery on Ware St.
