Including the first ever major Canadian presentation of pieces by Vivian Maier
The Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH) is excited to present five new exhibitions and related programs that explore and encourage discussion on a range of
dynamic topics. Highlights include the first ever Canadian exhibition of over 100 black-and-white and colour photographs by Vivian Maier; a thought-provoking address of the longstanding exclusion of women artists from historical and contemporary art; an examination of the deep roots of culture and creativity in Hamilton as expressed though works of eight local artists; photographic story-telling of everyday life on James Street North in the 1980s, and the third installment of The Living Room which inspires visitors to reflect and express their own views through a series of interactive media.
“This season, through a series of exhibitions exploring photography, media, sculpture, installation, and regional history, the AGH highlights the lens through which artists engage the world. A singular, and often eccentric lens, the works bring forth new ideas, making new discoveries about places and people.” – AGH President & CEO Shelley Falconer.
Vivian Maier: Street Photographer
On view June 16, 2018 – January 6, 2019
Dubbed the “secret nanny-photographer” by the media, Vivian Maier (1926-2009) always had a Rolleiflex camera around her neck, yet zealously hid the resulting photographs from others. Her work—including more than 2,000 rolls of film, 3,000 prints, and more than 100,000 negatives—remained unknown until her street and travel photography was discovered at a Chicago auction house in 2007, when the contents of
one of her storage lockers was sold off to cover delinquent payments.
Her black-and-white photographs—mostly from the 1950s and 1960s—are striking images of the architecture and street life of Chicago and New York. She rarely took more than one frame of each image and concentrated on capturing children, women, the elderly, and street people. The breadth of Maier’s work also reveals a series of striking self-portraits as well as prints from her travels to Egypt, Bangkok, Italy, the American Southwest, and other locations.
Vivian Maier: Street Photographer includes over 100 black-and-white and colour photographs and 8-mm films shot by Maier. The Art Gallery of Hamilton is the first Canadian gallery to present the exhibition.
Hamilton Now: Subject
On view June 22 – November 18, 2018
Hamilton Now: Subject is the first of two exhibitions inspired by the deep roots of culture and creativity in Hamilton and the recent influx of so many more artists to the city. The exhibition features the work of eight local artists and takes up the key aspects of who we are and how we manifest ourselves in an increasingly fractured world. Building on the popular appeal of the 2014 exhibition Painting Hamilton as a highly dynamic show that featured the breadth of practices of Hamilton emerging and established artists, Hamilton Now: Subject brings together works in a wide variety of media, including video, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media.
As the individual artists address their own questions around identity, they reflect on contemporary ways of representing oneself and explore questions of autobiography. Psychological and spiritual perception, generational identity, gender, queer identities and race politics all
come together for an absorbing and nuanced expression of the art scene in Hamilton today.
Hamilton Now: Subject exhibiting artists include: Nedda Baba and Amber Müller St. Thomas, Kiera Boult, Lesley Loksi Chan, James Street North: Vintage Photographs by Cees and Annerie van Gemerden
On view June 16, 2018 – January 6, 2019
Cees and Annerie van Gemerden arrived in Hamilton in the early 1980s and settled in the James Street North area; they still call the neighbourhood home. At the time, they found a deeply engaged art scene and quickly established themselves within its tight-knit artistic community. The city experienced an economic downturn in the years following their arrival (one that has only recently begun to reverse itself), and James Street North is once again the creative heart of the city.
Highlighting the formative series On and Around James Street (1984-85), this exhibition of over twenty photographs by the van Gemerdens offers unique and timely views of familiar places in the neighbourhood—some of which have changed, some of which remain. The images feature residents and merchants along James Street North, a historically diverse cultural neighbourhood, well-known for its grassroots artist-run culture.
Curated by Melissa Bennett and Tobi Bruce
The Living Room: STREETWATCH
On view June 22 – November 11, 2018
Sharing a theme with Vivian Maier: Street Photographer and James Street North: Vintage Photographs by Cees and Annerie van Gemerden, STREETWATCH is an interactive exploration of street photography through a variety of historic and contemporary mediums. Photo essays include an historic survey of downtown Hamilton circa 1950-1970 from Jack Whorwood, a day-in the life of Supercrawl by George Qua-Enoo, and a sample of the observational works generated by Titi Postma’s ongoing,
possibly never-ending chronicle of the city. These images will be presented alongside an evolving, crowdsourced photo wall, interactive slide table, and collections of historic photographic ephemera.
Curated by Tor Lukasik-Foss
Speaking for Herself
On view now – March 17, 2019
The longstanding exclusion of women artists from art history, exhibitions, collections, the art market and commercial gallery representation is not a debatable issue, it’s a fact. When exhibitions consist of only the work of men—the norm in gallery and museum exhibitions and collections—they are not identified as such because they don’t have to be. We don’t see titles like Men Artists from the Collection. In an effort to bring the work of women artists back into the conversation, Speaking for Herself mines the AGH collection to bring together significant work by significant artists who identify as women.
The exhibition explores our holdings—historical, modern and contemporary—in a range of material practices including painting, photography, sculpture, and installation. The project features the achievements of both known or recognized artists while introducing
those lesser known into the discussion. These conversations between historical and contemporary artists of diverse cultural backgrounds explore a broad range of themes including the body, identity and private versus public selves.
In the spirit and momentum of this empowering historical moment for women around the world, we are very proud to present an exhibition that foregrounds the artistic voices of so many intelligent, perceptive, witty, strong, and creative women.
Curated by Tobi Bruce
Official Opening Reception: June 21 from 6 pm – 10 pm. Free admission. All welcome. Artists will be in attendance.
Agenda:
6:00 pm – AGH Members Tour
7:00 pm – Public Opening
7:30 pm – Remarks
8:00 pm – Live Performance by Canadian Winter
9:00 pm – Outdoor film screening of Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World
