Amazing Calgary Art Experience

Last week my friend, Catherine, suggested we visit a gallery in Inglewood  to see an art exhibit. (Of course this would be followed by lunch in one of the interesting restaurants found in the area.) We saw a wonderful photography exhibit titled “Splendid Isolation”, featuring the work of  Olga Chagaoutdinova, Miruna Dragan, Orest Semchishen and George Webber. This show is sponsored by an incredible gallery, the Esker Foundation located in the Atlantic Avenue Art Block. This 15,000 square foot gallery space is a truly fantastic addition to the Calgary art scene. I wasn’t able to take photos of the exhibit, but I must share some photos of the building. There is a stunning metal sculpture in the foyer of the building, and the frosted glass stairs are part of a functional work of art.

One of the most interesting details in the gallery is the boardroom. It is located in a loft area and looks like a giant white nest. Metal strips are wrapped and woven to form an oval-shaped enclosure. Catherine and I went up the stairs to explore and we were not disappointed. I loved the feeling of being in such an airy enclosure. The custom designed board table is beautiful. The lighting is exquisite. I felt like I was in a giant Christmas ornament.

Just to make my point, I’ve included a photo of a Christmas ornament made by my friend, artist John Garrett of Albuquerque, New Mexico. John’s ornament is constructed of painted sheets of aluminum which are cut into strips and woven into spheres. I have several of them and they are among my favorite decorations. This one hangs in my studio year round because I can’t bear to put it away. The gallery boardroom is a much larger scale with heavy metal bands, but really it’s the same thing but bigger.

I would strongly recommend a visit to this amazing gallery to anyone living in or visiting Calgary. Admittance is free and parking is paid if you park in the parkade under the building. Can you beat that?