Occupying the In-Between
Photo by Patrick Chondon
Liminal: 37th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition Underway at Def Sup
By Sam Mathers
Liminal is on display at Definitely Superior Art Gallery’s 37th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition, featuring the work of 75 multidisciplinary contemporary artists from across Northwestern Ontario.
Executive and artistic director David Karasiewicz describes landing on the theme of liminal as “an intuitive sort of thing.” Referring to a state of transition or “the in-between,” the concept of liminality was appealing because of its openness to “almost any” interpretation.
Art by Christina van Barneveld, photo by Keegan Richard
Def Sup received submissions from 150 artists, along with a written statement. The show is juried based on artistic excellence, as well as how a piece fits with the theme. Space and funding are also factors, as well as the cohesiveness of the show. The art is displayed so that each piece complements those around it and none detract from its neighbours. Development administrator Renee Terpstra says, “It's like a very concentrated puzzle piece that probably got the minimum amount of space between the works, but it's all meant to look good together.”
Several of the selected artists have long been recognized both locally and on a national and international level, such as Michel Dumont, Sarah Link, and Shelby Gagnon. Others are new: 15% of the artists in the exhibition are showing their works for the first time. With diverse backgrounds and styles, and ranging in age from, as Karasiewicz puts it, 19 to 80-something, the artists utilize a wide variety of mediums to deliver unique perspectives on this year’s theme.
Art by Michel Dumont, photo by Keegan Richard
Terpstra, who got involved with Def Sup in the mid-90s, recalls the core collective of artists running the exhibition in those early days. “Having a theme was important to them, not just a juried show. They wanted to respond to ideas and things that were really timely in the world of art, in our society, the everyday world we live in.”
She says viewers can appreciate the art for the outcome, or ask themselves how each piece relates to the idea of liminal, to flesh out and better understand the theme. “Working here every day, different art pieces sort of pop out for different reasons. So depending where [they’re] at, everyone is really having a unique experience of this exhibition kind of through the art that they’re interested in. And if you come back more than once, it's new and fresh again in a different way.”
The run of Liminal: 37th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition has been extended to December 20. You can visit the all-ages exhibit by donation, Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 6 pm.