Freyja Catton: The Apathecary &
Ilan Domnich: Entomologia et Natura
Nov 9 - Dec 7, 2024
Installation Room
Cabinets of Curiosities are collections of objects and artifacts displayed to evoke curiosity and wonder. Rather than formal cataloguing and organizing used by museums or archival collections, collections in curio cabinets are informally curated entirely on the personal whims of the collector. Historically these bizarre collections were used to indicate the wealth and power of the owner, but some collections were used as educational tools for experts in the field.
In this particular Wunderkammer, local artists Freyja Catton and Ilan Domnich assemble collections of etymology and entomology. Catton's bottles demonstrate explorations of cultural language and medicine, while Domnich’s shadow boxes explore the natural beauty of insects and flora. Both projects use vintage sciences as artistic inspiration, and both projects include assemblages of repurposed and found materials.
Freyja Catton’s installation is a whimsical and existential series of glass bottles and drawings with negative emotions on the labels. In production over the course of a decade, The Apathecary series is inspired by label designs from the vintage “snake oil” elixirs from 1850-1920, the bottle scene in Alice In Wonderland, gallows humour, and the concept of laughter as medicine. Humour plays a crucial role in diffusing tension and encouraging community and support across social demographics.
The concept for this entymologic collection emerged with the wordplay between apothecary and apathy. The bottles vary in size and shape, and the wordplay between labels and the absence of physical material inside makes it ambiguous whether the bottles are intended to preserve “bottled emotions”, or to provide the remedy.
Ilan Domnich’s installation features insects preserved in shadowbox frames surrounded by a wondrous diversity of organic materials in a series titled Entomologia et Natura.
As an entomologist, Domnich aims to display insects in a way that draws in viewers to look closer at these unique creatures. Those that may feel repelled by insects may learn to appreciate the small animals that have huge impacts on ecosystems. The insects are sustainably sourced and rehydrated before being pinned and dried in pleasing poses, and adorned with materials from nature to accent their beauty. Viewers may recognize many of the natural materials that embellish these frames as they were collected from the river valley. The array of colours and shapes seen in these insects may seem fantastical to some, and are echoed in the diversity of plant life surrounding them.
Whether one sees something new or sees something familiar in a new light, the curiosities presented in The Apathecary and Entomologia et Natura aim to inspire viewers with what nature and culture have to offer us.
Tamara Deedman, Jordan Pearson, Lindsay Knox: Reliquaries
Nov 9 - Dec 7, 2024
Main Gallery
Through the creative use of painting, drawing, print-media, and soft sculpture, we examine how objects; collected or abandoned, are vessels for narratives contrived by their collector. We are examining these “reliquaries” and how they embody adoration, memory, trauma, intentions, grief and comfort. We intend to circulate notions of slow attention, care and processing through our own personal archives that we have individually deemed important. We intend to circulate notions of healing and processing through the act of collection - simultaneously priceless treasures and hoarded trash.
Knox views the female body as a sacred reliquary, embodying both personal and collective narratives. The wedding gown, often crafted from delicate silk, serves as a key material in constructing cocoon, drawing connections to metamorphosis from multiple perspectives. This symbolism allows her to examine the complexities of womanhood, including societal expectations and experiences of loss.
She regards the reliquary as muse and the foundation of these artworks.. Her sculptures become tangible expressions of transformation and grief, inviting viewers to engage with their textures and meanings. Each piece constructs a narrative that links the personal to the universal, encouraging reflection on the transient nature of existence. Her work aims to convey the resilience and vulnerability that characterize the human experience. She aims to evoke a response that transcends language, creating a dialogue that explores the spaces between life and death, where individual experiences resonate on a broader level and the ephemeral is captured in enduring forms.
Pearson sees objects from nature as vessels for contemplation, adoration and moments of wonder or stillness. She enjoys collecting found nature items and dead specimens to paint from life with. Her butterflies in particular are a repeated reliquary. They allow her to hold space for her to reflect the intricacies of life and the delicate balance we live within.
Through print-media, Deedman investigates how inherited objects hold the physical and emotional weight of human connection, memory, grief, and trauma. She regards these objects as reliquaries, tattered and not, as physical markers of past relationships, and markers of intergenerational coping mechanisms. Through empathetic drawings and manipulated scans of inherited possessions and family archives, she conveys how traumas and survival mechanisms become embedded in our material worlds. Through this work she negotiates what it means to be responsible for masses of economically, socially and culturally worthless objects that were once emotionally priceless to her father. Although they do not seem significant to others, Deedman has a hard time letting these reliquaries go. Through printmaking she uses (and provides others) the same mechanisms her family used to cope with mental illness, trauma, and loss. She retains and holds sacred the pieces she has made while surrendering the rest to the personal collections of others.
Misty Ring: Our Collective Stories: A Shared Reflection By The Sky
April 6 - 27, 2024
In 2020, I embarked on a transformative artistic endeavor, dedicating myself to creating a watercolour painting daily. It is a homage to Alberta's extraordinary skyline, capturing its dramatic beauty and ever-changing allure. Little did I know that the arrival of COVID-19 in March would infuse my work with an entirely new significance, forever altering its meaning.
Amidst the uncertainty and challenges of the pandemic, my paintings became a poignant reminder of the importance of mental wellness and self-care. Serving as a gentle nudge to venture outdoors, breathe in the fresh air, and find solace in the expansive sky. Regardless of our physical separation, the sky binds us together, reminding us we are never truly alone in our struggles.
The project carries multiple layers of meaning. To those unfamiliar with Alberta, it is an open invitation to explore our skies and discover the extraordinary beauty that graces our province year-round. It transcends superficial narratives and invites visitors to witness and immerse themselves in the vibrant tapestry of Alberta landscapes.
For fellow Albertans, this collection serves as a celebration of our remarkable home. In times that have tested our strength, it ignites a spark of hope and resilience. It reminds us to look upward, appreciate simple joys, and find solace in the unbreakable bonds we share as a community. We support one another, lend a helping hand in times of need, and share life's moments, regardless of our challenges.
Each painting seamlessly transitions into the next, offering a sense of calm and an opportunity for introspection. A visual sanctuary that invites viewers to pause, reflect, and find peace amidst the brushstrokes. Embark on this artistic journey together, explore the depths of our emotions, celebrate the resilient spirit of Albert, and discover the profound connections within our shared skies.
It is those connections that this exhibit focuses on. While we all individually have our unique experiences and stories, we also are connected invisibly through unseen stories or from a collective experience such as COVID-19. Because our stories of 2020 are more interwoven than a typical year would be, and my 2020 Skyscape Collection organically took on that added meaning, I want to transfer that to a book I was already planning on creating.
A book that is a cherished symbol of connection and is an important anthropological documentation of our collective experience. Whether that experience is good, bad, unique, devastating, or an unexpected silver lining, all stories are meaningful experiences and connections to share.
The goal is that no matter who you are or where you are in life, you can go through this book, and there
will be at least one story that you identify with and resonate with within you. Like the skies, this book should bring us together in the knowledge that we are not as alone as we sometimes feel.
#OurCollectiveStories
Silent and Present
Nov 4 - Dec 9, 2023
In a complementary collection of artworks, seven artists from Alberta express various ways of perceiving silence. This showcase of abstract works delivers a broad spectrum of styles from expressionist to minimalistic, some of which push boundaries or visual traditions.
In a world challenged by ongoing global issues, we are reminded of some features that distinguish human consciousness from that of nature; two of which are communication through art and speech. Silent and Present is Asal Andarzipour’s new curation, hosted by the Bleeding Heart Art Space in Edmonton.
Featuring artwork by Rachel Hepler, Darren Kooyman, Carla Lam, Riddhi Patel, Deann Stein Hasinoff, Ania Telfer, and Unity.
Bushra Yousaf:
Why Where When Who What: Unveiling Dimensions of Identity, Place, and Contemporary Art
Sept 23 - Oct 21, 2023
Why Where When Who What is a unique showcase by Bushra Yousaf that intertwines thought-provoking contemporary paintings, sculpture, and a mesmerizing drone video traversing the Edmonton landscape. Together, these works seek to unravel the intricate tapestry of human existence and the spaces we inhabit while celebrating the transformative power of modern artistic expression.
Stephanie Medford: Filaments
May 27 - June 24, 2023
Artist Statement: What connects us to the earth, to each other, to ourselves? Are these connections, these filaments, being strengthened or are they slowly being severed? These works, each a distinct form of drawing, are an attempt to restore and strengthen my ties to the land, to my community, and to my own sense of self.
Drawn in is a performance piece and drawing exhibition, originally shown at the Works in 2019, that explores the process of uncovering, layer by layer, the invisible code that I live by. Sitting on the sturdy foundation of a handmade shaving horse, I use a drawknife to shave thin layers of wood and then use a pen to sketch on each shaving a record of what I have discovered in that layer. The shavings pile up, covered in drawings, in clues, in understanding. The acts of carving and drawing complete different components of the same meditative process: relaxing into the present moment and facing the struggles that arise.
Tree Portraits were originally a collection of 100 ink drawings of front lawn trees in my neighborhood of Ottewell. I drew each tree on location, which meant hours spent every week exposed to heat, wind, and cold, and frequently approached by suspicious, confused, or curious neighbors. It was an opportunity to mindfully observe and fully experience both the trees and the neighborhood that has grown up around them. The drawings were then exhibited on my front lawn in the fall of 2020, after many months of isolation brought about by Covid-19. I invited neighbors to gather, to experience my mindful observations, and to share their stories about the trees and the neighborhood.
Ania Telfer: Glimpses of the Divine Springtime
April 15 - May 6, 2023
Inspired by the Baha’i Faith, which teaches that all art is worship, these bold and colourful paintings invite the viewer to experience a feeling of wonder and catch a glimpse of the spiritual world which interweaves with our material one.
Noemi de Bruijn: What We Left Behind
October 22 - November 26, 2022
Artist Statement: I am interested in the ever changing relationship with the home. I had the opportunity to meet refugees in Spain and hear their stories. Contrasting those experiences with my own has informed how I view my role as an immigrant, a woman, living through the Covid pandemic and as a first time mother. The house can become both a means of safety but also entrapment. The home is what we search for but also what we left behind.
"old friends, new walls" inaugural exhibition
May 14 - 28, 2022
Several artists from Bleeding Heart’s past are teaming up for a group exhibition - the first in Bleeding Heart's new location!
Featuring artwork by Breanna Barrington, Cynthia Fuhrer, Marina Hulzenga, Stephanie Jonsson, Hilary Mussell, Tamires Para, and Deltra Powney, as well as a new mural by Borys Tarasenko.
We invite our neighbours, new & old, to this Open House exhibit that showcases who we are and celebrates the 10-years-and-counting story of the Bleeding Heart movement.
Friday May 13, 7 PM - 10 PM: Happy Heartwarming! Gala featuring live music, drinks, snacks, and a first look at the exhibition: Old Friends, New Walls.