McMichael Canadian Art Collection transforms its Northwest Coast gallery
into a showcase for Haida artist Robert Davidson (Eagle of the Dawn)
February 25, 2006
For immediate release
Kleinburg, ON … Opening at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on March 4, Robert Davidson: The Abstract Edge showcases the contemporary work of one of one of Canada’s most important Haida artists. Mr. Davidson, guud san glans (Eagle of the Dawn), is a painter, a sculpture, a printmaker, and a jewellery designer of international renown.
Organized by Karen Duffek, Curator of Art at the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Canada, the Abstract Edge is the sixty-year-old artist’s first solo exhibition in a decade. The touring exhibition comes to the McMichael directly from the National Gallery in Ottawa – this is its only appearance in the Greater Toronto Area.
Robert Davidson: The Abstract Edge is being presented in a gallery that the McMichael usually reserves for the display of works from its Northwest Coast collection. Davidson’s art is on display under the watchful eye of two historic British Columbia totem poles that greet visitors as they enter this breathtaking gallery space.
The exhibition features contemporary works in which Davidson explores concepts of Haida abstraction. There are 30 works in the show, including paintings on canvas, paper, deerskin drums; sculptures, low-relief carvings in cedar; and three new aluminum sculptures. The exhibition also displays several 19th-century northern Northwest Coast artifacts, including three painted bentwood feast dishes, and a canoe steering paddle. The historical works inspired Davidson’s inquiry into Haida concepts of abstraction, which is the primary focus of The Abstract Edge.
Davidson’s efforts to expand and transform his understanding of Haida art and philosophy are illustrated through his engagement with abstraction, with reclaiming cultural knowledge, and with developing a personal iconography in his art. A catalogue of his writings and works accompanies this exhibition.
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Culture. The McMichael is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to presenting touring exhibitions, its permanent collection comprises more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists.
For images of the show or for further information:
Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: (905) 893-1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: (416) 489-5868
Cell: (416) 801-3101
s1weir@aol.com or sweir5492@rogers.com
