 MEDIA RELEASE |
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MEDIA RELEASE |
For Immediate Release
October 18, 2002
Happy Valley: an exhibition of works by David Acheson and Lorna Mills
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(Banff, Alberta) The Walter Phillips Gallery is pleased to announce it’s forthcoming exhibition: Happy Valley, curated by Corinna Ghaznavi. The exhibition features the works of Toronto-based artists David Acheson and Lorna Mills. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Acheson’s work includes sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media installation. The artist has shown throughout Canada, as well as the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States. Most recently, his solo exhibition Nowhere (2002) appeared at Christopher Cutts Gallery in Toronto. Lorna Mills was a founding member of The Red Head
Gallery and Persona Volare, both artist-run organizations in Toronto.
Working in painting, photography, film, video, and digital animation,
she has participated in exhibitions worldwide, the most recent being
Swarm (2002) at the Tom Thompson Art Gallery in Owen Sound Ontario.
Happy Valley is Mills’s first exhibition in Western Canada. |
 David Acheson Present, 2002 and The golden bowl, 2002 Image courtesy of the Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto |
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Happy Valley examines the duality of pop culture.
Initially, the work in the exhibition appears bright and simple,
incorporating pop icons and multiple images; but careful examination
uncovers depression and crisis beneath the slick and happy surface.
Acheson’s sculptures incorporate cartoon-like aspects, enlarging details
of consumer culture such as the ubiquitous yellow smiley face, or dog
bones. A series of paintings by Mills show beautifully rendered cheap
plastic baubles while her video installations employ a slick "Martha
Stewart" aesthetic. Playing on recognizable cultural references, Mills
and Acheson seduce the viewer with what appears to be a playful world,
but also question the values of this world and realities entrenched
there. One finds a troubled reading of the implications of mass culture,
permeated by misinformation and a sense of unease. The exhibit explores
the notion that amid the contemporary flood of information and media
coverage, conflicting demands for attention make it difficult to pursue
anything in depth. Happy Valley echoes this dilemma, highlighting
the need for contemplation and reflection.
Happy Valley runs at the Walter Phillips Gallery from October 26 to December 15, 2002. Please join us for the opening reception on Friday, October 25 at 7 pm. The artists and curator will give a walk-through tour of the exhibition on Saturday, October 26 at 2 pm. Both events are free. The Walter Phillips Gallery is located in Glyde Hall at The Banff Centre, and is open Tuesday to Sunday, from noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Click here for more information about this exhibition. -30- |
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The Banff Centre is Canada's only post-secondary institution dedicated to the arts, leadership development, and mountain culture. Programs are designed to enrich professional practice beyond the realm of traditional education. The Centre's unique mountain environment and multidisciplinary setting reflect a commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning.
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