Magic/Realism: Curatorial Essay
By Elizabeth Shefrin and Bernadine Fox
Magic realism, first developed in the 1940’s, is a genre in which mythical or imaginary elements are incorporated into every day narratives. It has been used for discussion around both art and film. Magic/Realism, the theme for this exhibit, has come out of our desire to examine this dichotomy. How do these forces work together to influence issues that concern us? We live in a world where wars, environmental decline, greed, oppression and inequality are commonplace. If we call these the “bad” things about the world, what are the “good”? Where do we find the wonderful, the awe-inspiring, or the magical? Does “magic” turn around what some could perceive as a pretty grim world? And if it does, is it our hopes and fantasies or our strengths and determination that make the difference?
As the jury examined the submissions from across BC for the Magic/Realism show, we not only looked for work that provided intersections between magic, realism, and disability but also demonstrated how some individuals with disabilities have developed insights around creating change in the face of adversity that may provide a different perspective to able-bodied folks. Each of the twelve artists in the show offers a unique visual contribution to this discourse. But not just in their art. Their artist statements augment their work in important ways. We hope that you will take the time to read them.
Several of the artists incorporate mythical elements in their work. Rose Williams’ mermaid symbolizes her existence between two worlds: the mermaid pulls her down, while her other self reaches upward. Cat L’Hirondelle’s metal wings assert her resilience in the face of disability. They represent freedom of movement and may be seen as homage to a wheelchair that, while symbolizing limitations to the able-bodied world, offers certain freedoms for her. Wendy Elizabeth Cook’s forest scene represents the fairytale woods where she would love to walk if she could. As aging complicates his disability, Geoff McMurchy uses the magic of found materials to create a service gryphon to aid him in his daily life.
Ruth Major and Neville Grey have coincidentally both chosen to superimpose images on the human brain. Ruth combines warm scenes from her childhood with MRI scans of her MS-affected brain. Neville delicately depicts the imagery of the uneasiness of his dream state using a painting of his skull as the setting.
Olga Kalamkarova creates a literal representation of the line between the real and the magical, with faces emerging out of fantasy landscapes. W.N. Pope has depicted his father playing the guitar, highlighting his role as a musician while minimizing his disability. Leef Evans offers us the magic of the shapes and colour dancing in his work. He states, “The tangible act of painting is like a rite, a rosary of brushstrokes and other applications, an almost-sacred meditation on the colour and form in front of me. And when a painting is done there is a small measure of peace afforded me, a peace that is unavailable to me in almost anything else I do.” Similarly, Lawrence Wong talks about the happiness he experiences while creating his vibrant and perfectly-balanced paintings. For Leef and Lawrence, the magic of paint transforms emotions into manageable, magical bits.
Justina and Persimmon both make use of irony in their exploration. Justina Vanovcan’s unlikely nude figures, posed at bus stops, wear nothing but their disability transit passes and challenge society to acknowledge the stigma of disability. Persimmon Blackbridge has taken Barbie doll parts and, disturbingly, juxtaposed them with limbs, beautifully carved from wood. She questions why disability is seen as other as opposed to normal: “the figures are dancing or flying ... not because we have transcended our pain, or in any final way freed ourselves from the monster's jaws or the fracturing around us, but because we have strength, grace and wonder, inseparable from our pain, confusion and oppression.”
Any curatorial tour is limited by the use of words to describe a visual feast. An exploration of this Magic/Realism exhibit, requires you to pay attention to the feelings that the art may elicit, the imaginary planes to where you are transported, and the new thoughts that might wander into your brain. In doing so, you will allow these twelve artists to inspire you to notice how magic and realism may intersect in your life, too.
Magic realism, first developed in the 1940’s, is a genre in which mythical or imaginary elements are incorporated into every day narratives. It has been used for discussion around both art and film. Magic/Realism, the theme for this exhibit, has come out of our desire to examine this dichotomy. How do these forces work together to influence issues that concern us? We live in a world where wars, environmental decline, greed, oppression and inequality are commonplace. If we call these the “bad” things about the world, what are the “good”? Where do we find the wonderful, the awe-inspiring, or the magical? Does “magic” turn around what some could perceive as a pretty grim world? And if it does, is it our hopes and fantasies or our strengths and determination that make the difference?
As the jury examined the submissions from across BC for the Magic/Realism show, we not only looked for work that provided intersections between magic, realism, and disability but also demonstrated how some individuals with disabilities have developed insights around creating change in the face of adversity that may provide a different perspective to able-bodied folks. Each of the twelve artists in the show offers a unique visual contribution to this discourse. But not just in their art. Their artist statements augment their work in important ways. We hope that you will take the time to read them.
Several of the artists incorporate mythical elements in their work. Rose Williams’ mermaid symbolizes her existence between two worlds: the mermaid pulls her down, while her other self reaches upward. Cat L’Hirondelle’s metal wings assert her resilience in the face of disability. They represent freedom of movement and may be seen as homage to a wheelchair that, while symbolizing limitations to the able-bodied world, offers certain freedoms for her. Wendy Elizabeth Cook’s forest scene represents the fairytale woods where she would love to walk if she could. As aging complicates his disability, Geoff McMurchy uses the magic of found materials to create a service gryphon to aid him in his daily life.
Ruth Major and Neville Grey have coincidentally both chosen to superimpose images on the human brain. Ruth combines warm scenes from her childhood with MRI scans of her MS-affected brain. Neville delicately depicts the imagery of the uneasiness of his dream state using a painting of his skull as the setting.
Olga Kalamkarova creates a literal representation of the line between the real and the magical, with faces emerging out of fantasy landscapes. W.N. Pope has depicted his father playing the guitar, highlighting his role as a musician while minimizing his disability. Leef Evans offers us the magic of the shapes and colour dancing in his work. He states, “The tangible act of painting is like a rite, a rosary of brushstrokes and other applications, an almost-sacred meditation on the colour and form in front of me. And when a painting is done there is a small measure of peace afforded me, a peace that is unavailable to me in almost anything else I do.” Similarly, Lawrence Wong talks about the happiness he experiences while creating his vibrant and perfectly-balanced paintings. For Leef and Lawrence, the magic of paint transforms emotions into manageable, magical bits.
Justina and Persimmon both make use of irony in their exploration. Justina Vanovcan’s unlikely nude figures, posed at bus stops, wear nothing but their disability transit passes and challenge society to acknowledge the stigma of disability. Persimmon Blackbridge has taken Barbie doll parts and, disturbingly, juxtaposed them with limbs, beautifully carved from wood. She questions why disability is seen as other as opposed to normal: “the figures are dancing or flying ... not because we have transcended our pain, or in any final way freed ourselves from the monster's jaws or the fracturing around us, but because we have strength, grace and wonder, inseparable from our pain, confusion and oppression.”
Any curatorial tour is limited by the use of words to describe a visual feast. An exploration of this Magic/Realism exhibit, requires you to pay attention to the feelings that the art may elicit, the imaginary planes to where you are transported, and the new thoughts that might wander into your brain. In doing so, you will allow these twelve artists to inspire you to notice how magic and realism may intersect in your life, too.
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