The changing exhibitions of Touchstones Nelson offer a diversity of topics and themes that reflect the broad interests and capabilities of people living in the region. From contemporary art and pop culture, to fine craft and design, to local architectural and human history, Touchstones Nelson exhibitions connect to this area’s creative energy and rich heritage.
Current ExhibitionsGallery A Gallery B
|
|
Exhibition News and Guidelines |
Gallery A
Two Views: Photographs by Ansel Adams and Leonard Frank
November 26, 2011 to February 5, 2012
Image:
Ansel Adams,
Calisthenics,
Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943
Courtesy of Library of Congress
TWO COUNTRIES - TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS
Two profoundly different views of a terrible time in history . . .
On loan to Touchstones Nelson from the Japanese Canadian National Museum in Burnaby, BC, this compelling collection of photographs presents two views of internment and incarceration in the early 1940s. Through them, we have an opportunity to reflect on the nature of forced separation and uprooting and the effects that it has on its victims. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, both the Canadian and American governments forced the relocation of citizens of Japanese ancestry from the coastal regions. Nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans and 22,000 Japanese Canadians were affected. This extreme response was the culmination of years of anti-Asian racism in western North America.
The experiences in the US and Canada had many similarities, and also many
differences. Ansel Adams took a personal and intimate approach to illustrate the
vitality and fortitude of the people. In contrast, Leonard Frank’s photographs are
a clinical documentation of the government process. Regardless of the approach,
these photographs clearly illustrate the suspension of civil rights in both countries.
After the war, community members spent years fighting for redress and building
educational awareness. In 1988, both the US Congress and Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney apologized on behalf of their nations for the injustices suffered by
persons of Japanese descent.
Gallery B
The White Line: Wood Engraving Prints from the Studio and Collection of Gene Leavitt
November 19, 2011 to January 29, 2012
They just keep getting bigger, Wood Engraving, 2010
In contrast to much of the digital imagery that surrounds us today, the relief printmaking process of wood engraving is typically a low-tech, high-precision endeavour. Invented in the 18th century, primarily for book illustration, wood engraving is a refinement of the ancient relief technique of the woodcut resulting in a far richer tonal range and greater detail.
Local artist and teacher Gene Leavitt has long been interested in creating and collecting relief and wood engraving prints. The White Line will feature prints from his impressive personal collection, as well as those he has created himself. It promises to be an exciting opportunity to gain insight into this process, and see the amazing range of style and expression that is possible within its boundries.