Sept–October 2007 - Preview

previewwww.bellevuearts.orgA Tapestry of Memories: The Art of Dinh Q. LêDinh Q. Lê, Crossing Paths (The Headless Buddha (1997), C-print and linen tape [Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue WA, Sep 1-Dec 30]BELLEVUE ARTS MUSEUM, BELLEVUE WA – Sep 1-Dec 30 Los Angeles artist Dinh Q. Lê is knownfor the large-scale woven photomontages featured in his first major survey, A Tapestry of Memories:The Art of Dinh Q at the Bellevue Art Museum. The exhibit encompasses works acquired by bothprivate and museum collections over the past 20 years, and includes two multichannel videoinstallations and two white-on-white embroideries in addition to his signature woven C-prints.Lê was born in Vietnam and his family immigrated to Los Angeles during his childhood. As aresult, his cultural and societal perspective fuses elements of both his Eastern and Westernexperiences. His images combine personal family photos, American pop culture icons andrepresentations that resonate with the tensions of the Vietnam War. Through an intense platingtechnique, Lê physically weaves together strips of photographic prints. His finished pieces arepoetic, cross-cultural tapestries, as much about craftsmanship as concept. Through this process hedissects and reorders preconceived histories and fabricates a potent new allegory in his works.Much of Lê’s imagery is focused on conceptions about the Vietnam War. He uses the reality ofphotojournalism as well as borrowed and digitally enhanced still shots from popular Hollywoodmovies like Apocalypse Now. Recontextualizing his subjects, Lê immaculately blends elements oftruth and fiction. His multilayered imagery brings forth a sophisticated milieu that is unique to hisdual Vietnamese and American identities. Allyn CantorPHOTO BY RICHARD NICOL, COLLECTION OF SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTERMEDICINE HAT★ Cultural Centre Gallery299 College Dr SE ✆(403)529-3806sushel@medicinehat.camon-fri 9am-8pm sat sun holidays10am-5pm Sep 3-28 Maureen Newton,“When I Grow Up I Want To Be AFamous Artist Like Emily Carr”, aseries of oil on panel paintings;Yolande Vilaquette, “With the WestCoast In My Mind”, ceramic-basedsculptural works; Oct 3-28 OpenRange, an exhibition of westernthemedartwork in varied media by 75-100 artists from Saskatchewan andAlberta.★ Esplanade Art Gallery401 First St SE✆(403)502-8786www.esplanade.camon-fri 10am-5pm sat, sun and holidays12-5pm Thru Sep 2 Lyndal Osborne,16 PREVIEWErik Edson, Rod Strickland, “LandscapeStories”, mixed media installations; CarolMoen, “From Mystic to Monkey”, paintings,drawings and assemblages; Sep15-Nov 4 Martin Bennett, “The ShadedConcept”, new oil paintings based onphotographs taken in Rome, London,Toronto and Medicine Hat fuse figurativeimagery and abstraction; Going West:Selections from the Collection of theAlberta Foundation for the Arts,. fromdrawings on paper, prints and paintings inoil and acrylic, to sculpture and folk art,this show celebrates the history, people,landscape and vibrancy of the west.BRITISHCOLUMBIABURNABY★ Burnaby Art Gallery6344 Deer Lake Ave ✆604-205-7332www.burnabyartgallery.catues-fri 10am-4:30pm sat-sun 12-5pm Admission is free Thru Sep 2Selections from Burnaby ArtGallery’s Print Biennale (1961-1986); Sep 11-Oct 21 Doug Biden“Visceral Allegories”, feature 75 printsand multi-media works on paper thatcentre on political activism, the humanbody, social commentary, the influenceof the media and people’s reactionsto it.Burnaby Arts Council6584 Deer Lake Ave ✆604-298-7322www.burnabyartscouncil.orgtues-fri 11am-4pm sat-sun 1-4pmAdmission is free Aug 25–Sep 16Paula Moreau, acrylic and oil; SepGalleries and museums with a ★are open until 8 pm on the FirstThursday of every month.