The PAVED Arts gallery in Saskatoon is celebrating not one, but two historic milestones this year, as the art space features seven artists with a connection to the gallery over its 50 years of existence.
In 1973, the Photographers Gallery was born, before merging with the Video Verite in 2003 to form the gallery we see today.
Tthe 20/50 Double Anniversary Exhibition is a new exhibit to celebrate the entire history of the gallery, but also the anniversary of the two pieces coming together to form one gallery.
Paved Arts artistic director David Lariviere, said it’s a way to look back on half a decade of art.
“I think it’s an important time of reflection, to take stock,” Lariviere said. “For (us at) PAVED Arts, that means reflecting on the kinds of contributions that we’ve made to the cultural fabric of this place.”
The exhibit consists of seven artists, all from different stages of the gallery’s history. Each using different mediums ranging from sound, video and photos that represent each artist’s unique form of storytelling.
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Works by Steve Bates, Terry Billings, Lisa Birke, Linda Duvall, Ellen Moffat, Sandra Semchuk and Adrian Stimson are all included.
“It’s very important when we live in a world where so much of our information ecosystem comes through a pipeline, that we still have these different avenues to tell our own stories,” Lariviere said.
Lariviere said continuing to showcase art will hopefully inspire conversations between both older and newer generations.
“At the same time we try and activate that emerging artist community that’s always coming up behind, we need to create this space where there is communication between generations so that knowledge can be passed,” Lariviere said.
Lariviere said we are all living in a difficult time with a sense of struggle in our communities but believes art gives people the power to express themselves and to remind us of the positive forces in our lives.
One of the pieces he believes best showcases this, is one with only two words on it: Love Back
“Bring love back is just a simple expression, but it’s still one that we need to remind ourselves in these difficult times,” he said.
PAVED Arts is located at 424 20th St. W. More information is available at pavedarts.ca.
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