THE TREE: FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SOCIAL

Emily Carr // Lawren Harris // Arthur Lismer // Sybil Andrews // Jack Shadbolt // Ian Wallace // Rodney Graham // Liz Magor // Lorraine Gilbert // Pedro Reyes // Patricia Deadman // Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun

Central Gallery
June 7 to September 6, 2009

In early 20th century images of trees and forests by Group of Seven painters and Emily Carr, a claim on the rugged territory of the ‘new land’ is expressed by bold stylistic breaks from British painting traditions, breaks that articulated then current ideas about the new Canadian nation. Since then Canadian and international artists have considered and critiqued forces, such as nationalistic and corporate ideologies, that shape interpretations and representations of nature, including the notion of the landscape. The Tree exhibition presents artworks in which images of the tree, representing the natural world, the sublime and the spiritual, are meant to inspire awe and reverence for the power of nature. It also includes works that explore human impulses to tame or exploit the forest, or to use the forest as a stage setting or a place of refuge. The artworks in the exhibition employ a wide variety of approaches and media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and video.