Burnaby Art Gallery Upcoming Exhibitions:

New BAG exhibition

Burnaby Art Gallery Upcoming Exhibitions:
Arts Alive 2018 & David Ostrem: Why Won’t You Be Art?
BURNABY, BC– The Burnaby Art Gallery (BAG) kicks off its spring season with two new exciting exhibitions launching April 20. Arts Alive 2018, in collaboration with School District 41, celebrates its 36th year with a selection of artworks from eight secondary schools across Burnaby showcasing the emerging talent of young, local artists. Inspired by art history and pop culture, Vancouver artist David Ostrem displays 50 recent photo-collage based works in Why Won’t You Be Art?, an exhibition in association with Capture Photography Festival.

The public is invited to the opening reception for both exhibitions on Thursday, April 19 at 7pm.

Arts Alive 2018: Burnaby Secondary Schools
April 20-June 3, 2018 | Lower Gallery
In collaboration with School District 41

Arts Alive 2018 is an annual showcase of student works held in collaboration with the Burnaby School District. Highlighting works by secondary students, this year’s 36th edition features over 50 artworks from eight schools across the city representing the depth, breadth and extraordinary talents of students in the district. The artworks include a selection of ceramics, paintings, drawings, stone works, sculptures and photography.
Since 1982, the Burnaby Art Gallery has been providing opportunities to young artists in the community. In addition to the exhibition at the gallery, an online exhibition, featuring 225 student artworks, will be available for viewing on the Burnaby Art Gallery website.
David Ostrem: Why Won’t You Be Art?
April 20-June 3, 2018 | Upper Gallery
In association with Capture Photography Festival

Roger Corman’s dark comedy A Bucket of Blood (1959) follows a beatnik who struggles in vain to become an artist. In one scene, he claws at a clay sculpture, yelling “Be a nose! Be a nose!”

This exhibition features 50 recent photo-collage based works by Vancouver artist David Ostrem, who has been making art using photography, painting and printmaking techniques for more than 40 years. For the exhibition Why Won’t You Be Art? Ostrem incorporates art history, literature and pop culture into incisive statements and questions about artistic struggle, human perception, emotion and meaning.

David Ostrem was born in Portland, Oregon in 1945, and immigrated to Canada in 1969. In 1974 he enrolled at the Vancouver School of Art, specializing in photography. His work often juxtaposes photo-based graphics from newspapers, magazines, 1940s comic books, art-history texts, drafting tools, jazz records, old photos, and painting guides for amateurs. Ostrem lives and works in Vancouver.

GALLERY TALKS & TOURS
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 19, 7-9pm | Free, Everyone Welcome
Join us for the opening reception of these two exhibitions at the Burnaby Art Gallery. The evening will feature opening remarks, followed by refreshments
Artist Q & A and Film Screening: Thursday, April 26, 6pm | Free, Everyone Welcome
Join Assistant Curator Jennifer Cane in conversation with artist David Ostrem as they explore the influence of film on his practice. Segments of the films A Bucket of Blood, Blow-Up, and Rose Hobart will be screened throughout the Q&A. Light refreshments and drinks will be available.

Gallery Tour: Sunday, April 29, 2pm | Free, Everyone Welcome
Join our knowledgeable guides for a tour of Arts Alive 2018, focussing on artworks created by Burnaby Secondary School art students.
FAMILY PROGRAMS
In the BAG Family Sundays: Sunday, April 22 & May 20, 1-4pm | Free, drop-in, all ages
Come and make art! Get your minds humming with a visit to the gallery to view the exhibitions on display and then into the studio for family-friendly art projects. On April 22, create comical collages and on May 20 learn about photo abstraction techniques.
Collage Party: Friday, June 1, 5-8pm | Free, drop-in, all ages
Drop in and join us for a unique family-friendly Friday night by exploring David Ostrem’s photo collages and creating your own collages from comic books.

MEDIA CONTACT
Parm Johal, Marketing and Sponsorship Coordinator | 604-297-4857 | parm.johal@burnaby.ca
High-resolution images are available upon request.

Image Credits:

Arts Alive: Ella W., Endangered Animals (detail), 2018, watercolour on paper, grade 8, Burnaby South, Photo: Tai Anderson

David Ostrem: (left) David Ostrem, Why Won’t You Be Art? No. 2 (detail), 2014, digital collage on paper, AP/1, 33.0 x 42.5 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Photo: Blaine Campbell; (right) David Ostrem, Art, Dance, Sorcery, I Can Never Tell the Difference, 2017, digital collage on paper, AP/1, 33.0 x 42.5 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Photo: Blaine Campbell

ABOUT THE BURNABY ART GALLERY
Since 1967, the Burnaby Art Gallery (BAG) has been dedicated to collecting, preserving and presenting a contemporary and historical visual art program by local, national and internationally recognized artists. The BAG acts as a leader in the collection, preservation and exhibition of artists who choose to work on paper–the only public art museum in Canada dedicated to works of art on paper. Through our collection and exhibition practices the BAG endeavours to represent the best and most promising Canadian artists. The BAG cares for and manages over 5,500 works of art in the City of Burnaby’s Permanent Art Collection.
Website: www.burnabyartgallery.ca
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