Each December, Dalhousie offers students, staff, faculty and alumni a chance to showcase their artistic side during an annual exhibit at the Dalhousie Art Gallery.
This year marked the 65th annual edition of the Dalhousie Art Gallery Student Staff, Faculty and Alumni Exhibition, which was curated as usual by art gallery director, Peter Dykhuis.
"We allow whatever comes through the doors," says Dykhuis, commenting on the openness of the exhibition to all. Individuals from the University of King's College are also welcome to submit works.
In his opening remarks, Dal President Richard Florizone said, “It’s a wonderful way to showcase some of the diverse talents here at Dalhousie and King’s College. The art gallery has been an important part of Dal’s past, present, and future.”
This year, the art gallery collaborated with students of Shauntay Grant’s course on the creative process to create some original pieces. The students used techniques from various styles, traditions, and cultures to engaged the visual, aural and tactile senses.
One particularly outstanding piece was created by Michael Freckelton (pictured below left), a second-year physics major. The work, His Music for Installation I, serves as the ambient music for the exhibition.
“You don’t necessarily have to listen to it,” he says, “but should you choose to listen, you would be rewarded”.
Katherine MacGillivray, a staff member of the art gallery, presented a provocative, untitled mixed-media piece that featured a list of all the extinct birds in the world.
“When I initially saw the list, I could not believe it,” she says, “I had to do something about it.”
Katherine’s work challenges the viewers to engage the effects of climate change from a unique point of view: the eyes of the extinct birds.
“Birds are very smart,” she says, “and I know that it would take a lot to kill a bird.”
Ultimately, the exhibition celebrates the beauty of the creative mind and spirit.
The exhibition is open until December 21st at the Dalhousie Art Gallery, located in the basement of the Dalhousie Arts Centre. The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free
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