A trace is a mark left by the passage of a person, animal or thing on the physical environment. Often it is barely perceivable and temporary, soon being removed by time and nature. Sometimes it persists for longer, permanently altering the landscape. This exhibition is an attempt to record, or make visible, that trace for posterity and to comment upon the impact that humanity has on the environment.
Trace: Reflections on Landscape features the art of Eveline Kolijn, Leslie Sweder and Colin Smith. Eveline Kolijn is a versatile printmaker who references the effects of mechanization and industrialization upon the landscape of northern Alberta and elsewhere. She is also keenly interested in the underlying patterns and processes of nature. Leslie Sweder uses improvisational drawing to translate urban commotion based on auditory and visual sensations into beautiful and whimsical line drawings. Colin Smith makes luxurious photographs using a camera obscura technique. The dilapidated structures in his Abandoned Landscape series eloquently address the passage of time and traces of human activity consumed by nature. Each artist seems to share an interest in recording or commenting on a human footprint within specific landscapes.
On display at the Turner Valley School: December 17 – January 21
Trace: Reflections on Landscape is a touring exhibition developed by the Alberta Society of Artists for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program. This exhibition is currently circulating throughout the southwest/central parts of Alberta. The AFA Travelling Exhibition Program is financially supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.