Maurits Cornelis may not be the most recognizable name in art, but the drawings, woodcuts and lithographs of M.C. Escher now on view at the Glenbow Museum remain some of the most distinctive images circulating in the collective memory of myriad audiences. More than fifty of his works are currently featured in a touring show organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta via their increasingly prominent memorandum of understanding to exhibit works in collaboration with the National Gallery of Canada. As the show's title suggests, The Mathemagician highlights Escher's exploitation of geometry, perspective, and relativity: visual riddles and conceptual conundrums abound. But for any of you that had a poster of Waterfall on your bedroom wall, be prepared to meet the more modest size of the original imagery. Certainly, I was impressed with Escher's fascinating and fastidious renderings, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel challenged with how to fully appreciate each work, when confronted with dozens of images vying for space in the same gallery.
Made in Calgary: The 1970s, installation view
More impressive perhaps is the parallel programming underway that enables the crowds coming for Escher to also take in a new Glenbow commission by Kent Monkman, and the second in the series Made in Canada, this iteration being the 1970s, curated by Ron Moppett. The latter is another good example of circulating work from broader collections, with many of the holdings coming from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts extensive acquisitions. Monkman's Big Four is a response to his experience of the Calgary Stampede, and a departure from his better-known paintings (his solo show here in 2010 also had a major installation). Be sure to check out the four automobiles, videos, and life-size dioramas for a take that's different than Escher's approach to flipping reality on its head
Glenbow Museum: https://www.glenbow.org/
M.C. Escher: The Mathemagician runs until August 18.
Made in Calgary: The 1970s runs until August 11.
Kent Monkman: The Big Four runs until August 18.
Dick Averns is an interdisciplinary artist and writer whose exhibitions and performances have been presented internationally. He teaches at the Alberta College of Art + Design, and his writing has appeared in Canadian Art, Front, On Site Review, and many catalogues. He is Akimblog's Calgary correspondent and can be followed @DickAverns on Twitter.
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Summer exhibitions at Glenbow Museum
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