Sept–October 2007 - Preview

Wim BlomIAN TAN GALLERY, VANCOUVER BC – Through Sep 20The paintings of South-African born artist Will Blomshare numerous stylistic and aesthetic qualities ofimages by Canadian artists Alex Colville andChristopher Pratt. Like these well-known Maritimepainters, Blom’s work has a timeless and idealizedquality, with the same precise organization andexecution.Unlike Colville and Pratt, Blom focuses on theenvironment rather than the narrative. There is an air ofserenity, as though time is suspended. The cold flatsurfaces of architectural molding, the exactitude of floortiles, the calculated glimpses of rooms beyond -- allcontribute to a disquieting hyper-realism. Witheverything unessential removed and the emphasis onpreviewwww.iantangallery.comWim Blom, Blue Lamp (2006), oil on canvas [Ian TanGallery, Vancouver BC, through Sep 20]underyling geometry, the ordinary environments in the paintings take on an archetypal presence.Will Blom earned his early degrees in Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by studies at theUniversity of Edinburgh, University of Perugia, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and SanMiguel de Allende. His work is in numerous corporate and private collections in Canada, France,Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa,Spain, Switzerland and the United States, as well as the National Gallery of Canada and the SouthAfrican National Gallery. Mia JohnsonJacek Rudnicki, Daniele Lemieux,Kiff Holland, “Thresholds and Stills”.Herringer Kiss Gallery101, 1111-11 Ave SW✆(403)228-4889www.herringerkissgallery.comtues-fri 11am-5:30pm sat 11am-5pm Sep 8–Oct 6 Reinhard Skoracki,“Sit-uations”, Calgary sculptorSkoracki’s tabletop and wall mountedbronze sculptures represent topicalissues with a sense of humour inthe Rabelaisian tradition; Oct 13-Nov10 Ben Van Netten, Victoria painterVan Netten seeks to capturemoments that go unnoticed by ourconscious mind, by working theimage until not easily identifiable, butstill feels familiar.Loch Gallery1516- 4th St SW ✆(403)209-8542www.lochgallery.comtues-sat 10am-6pm Established in1972, the gallery specializes in buildingcollections of quality Canadian,American, British and European paintingsand sculpture by representing agroup of professional contemporary10 PREVIEWartists in addition to 19th and 20thcentury artwork of historic interest;Sep-Oct Contact the gallery for exhibitioninformation.The New GalleryUnit B27, 200 Barclay Parade SW,Eau Claire Market✆(403)233-2399www.thenewgallery.orgtues-sat 11am-5pm Admission is freeSep 7-Oct 6 Michael Lewis, “Witnessthe Culmination”, series of paintingsthat explore utopian communities, unifiedgroups of people that have retreatedfrom society to form worlds of theirown conception; Oct 12-Nov 10 JonSasaki, “Moving the Goal Posts” is amulti-media exhibition with a strongsuggestion of skepticism towardthemes of development, transformationand emergence, whether appliedto art practice itself, or taken in abroader sense.NEWZONES Gallery ofContemporary Art730 -11th Ave SW ✆(403)266-1972www.newzones.comtues-sat 10:30am-5:30pm Sep 15-Oct 20 Mike Patten, “Mondrian’sGarden”, reflects on the medium ofpainting itself, its intrinsic limits andthe dual possibility it offers to bothrepresent the world we evolve in asrealistic and as an abstraction; Oct27-Nov 24 David Robinson, sculpturesthat can be both intimate andmonumental, demonstrating a greatcommand of media and skill as a figurativeartist.Paul Kuhn Gallery724- 11th Ave SW✆(403)263-1162www.paulkuhngallery.comtues-sat 10am-5:30pm and by apptSep 15-Oct 13 Geoffrey Hunter,“Everybody Knows”, exhibit of paintings;Oct 19-Nov 10 Mark Mullin,“New York Suite”, exhibit of printsand drawings.Skew Gallery1615 10th Ave SW ✆(403-244-4445info@skewgallery.comtues-sat 10am-5pm or by appt Sep 6-Oct 6 Kim Dorland, “Over the Fence”;Oct 11-Nov 17 Brian Flynn, newworks.