Victoria, British Columbia.- The Art Gallery of Greater Victora (AGGV) is showing “Emily Carr: On the Edge of Nowhere”, an ongoing exhibition that highlights the museum’s extensive collection of work by the artist. Although Emily Carr described herself as an “isolated little old woman on the edge of nowhere” her work has an appeal that is universal in its expressive messages. This exhibition has made the AGGV the premiere destination on Vancouver Island to visit and learn about Emily Carr through her paintings. On the Edge of Nowhere will include an historical survey of Carr’s artistic career, featuring pieces in all the media and styles she explored and perfected. It will also focus on Carr’s influences and inspirations, such as European modern art, members of the Group of Seven artists, First Nations artists, Carr’s spirituality, and her interest in developing an art that speaks of her personal experience and her connection to the West Coast landscape.
Emily Carr grew up in a strict household in Victoria, B.C., where her English parents had settled. Orphaned in her early teens, she managed to convince her guardians to let her study art in San Francisco at the California School of Design. During her later studies in England and France she began to develop a distinctive style of painting that produced bold and colourful canvases that would eventually make her a Canadian icon. But Emily Carr’s journey of self-discovery was a painful one. Unable to support herself through her art, she focused on managing an apartment house in Victoria for 15 years. It wasn’t until 1927 that Emily Carr came to the attention of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, and was welcomed by the Group of Seven painters when she exhibited some of her work. Renewed by the contact with these talented artists, Emily Carr began to paint vivid pictures of the natural world and West Coast native peoples. It was only near the end of her life that Emily Carr began to be recognized as an exceptional painter as well as a writer. Her first book, Klee Wyck, won a Governor General’s Award. Her paintings now hang in galleries across Canada and the fascinating life of Emily Carr is celebrated in a multitude of books and films. An impressive bronze statue of Emily Carr, created by sculptor Barbara Paterson, was unveiled in Victoria on October 13, 2010.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is a public art museum dedicated to the celebration of art. When it first opened in 1951, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria exhibited art in the historic 1889 mansion that is now adjacent to its seven modern galleries. With almost 17,000 works of art, the Art Gallery has the largest public collection in BC and is a vibrant and active part of Victoria’s artist community. Designed by William Ridgeway Wilson, the Spencer Mansion was built in 1889. The property originally stretched from Fort Street to Rockland Avenue and incorporated formal gardens, two tennis courts, stables and a coach house. The crowning feature, the belvedere, commands an inspiring view of the ocean. The Mansion was donated in 1951 by Miss Sarah Spencer to become the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. In the summer of 2004, the heritage mansion was repainted to reflect the original Queen Anne style colours. The exhibition gallery spaces were originally added on to the Spencer Mansion between 1955 and 1978. From 2001 to 2003, the seven galleries have been extensively renovated and outfitted with state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air conditioning giving the Art Gallery one of the best climate control systems in Canada. These changes allow the Art Gallery to host prestigious touring exhibitions and bring a higher calibre of artwork to Vancouver Island. Substantial aesthetic improvements have been made to the front entrance, corridors and Gallery Shop.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria prides itself on presenting a diverse assortment of exhibitions including showcases of own Canadian, historical and world-class Asian collection, as well as creating, commissioning and hosting important contemporary exhibitions. Both the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council recognized the Art Gallery for its outstanding presentations in recent years. On permanent display is the work of British Columbia’s foremost historical artist Emily Carr. An exhibition including paintings, excerpts from her books and archival images offers an insightful look at this inspiring local artist who captured the BC landscape and the lives of its First Nations peoples in paint. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is home to one of Canada’s most important Asian art collections, second only to the Royal Ontario Museum. The collection of amber and ivory carvings is one of the largest and most exquisite in North America. The Gallery’s collection has grown under the careful watch of internationally recognized Asian Curator, Barry Till. Several impressive objects d’art are on permanent exhibition including a grand Chinese Bell, cast in 1641 during the Ming dynasty that was presented to the City of Victoria in 1903. A popular attraction, it hung in Beacon Hill Park until 1989, when it came to the Art Gallery to ensure its long-time preservation. The Gallery’s Asian Garden boasts the only authentic Japanese Shinto Shrine in North America. It is a fine example of the architecture of a Meiji period Shinto Shrine, now perfectly situated among bamboo and Japanese maples. Visit the museum’s website at … http://aggv.ca/