Checked out the opening of the Duncan de Kergommeaux and Eric Sze Lang Chan exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery last night.
While I am a huge fan of the OAG and their programming ( I did my first internship there as a malleable young graduate and continued working at the gallery for a few months there after), this show was not a highlight for me.
Chan’s work usually strikes a chord with me. I love his obscene use of color. His graphics make me think of a dreamy utopia; contrasting progression, be it technological or urban structures with the fluidity of dreams and certain organic elements.
And de Kergommeaux is an artist who’s career has spanned the last 5 decades. His work tends to focus on process, perspective and abstraction. And while I think he is certainly a formative Canadian painter, there seemed to be a disconnect between the two artists showing their work together.
Yes, they are technically two different shows, with two different artist statements and two different themes within their work. However, when two shows open on the same day within the same space (especially a space like the OAG), I don’t think the viewer can help but want to find the link between them. At least I do. One has to ask themselves why the curator would choose these two artists and place them side by side. What’s the point?
The disconnect between the exhibits prevented me from grasping the full extent of each show individually. It felt like both artists, who’s individual work as I know it is full and has depth, only scratched the surface in this exhibit.
I definitely recommend checking out the show regardless, if only to prove me wrong. If anyone has a different prespective or can make the link for me, I’d love to hear! daretounravel@hotmail.com
Now on to the important stuff, this is what I wore:
dress:nokomis denim bolero:preloved belt|shoes|bracelet:vintage purse:bravebrownbag
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