Alex Janvier Retrospective Exhibition
Opening reception: January 20th, 2018 at 1 PM
Location: 12 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto, ON
Gallery Gevik is pleased to present our first retrospective of renowned Canadian artist Alex Janvier, encompassing paintings that span the forty-year period of 1975 – 2017. Throughout his artistic career, Alex Janvier has expressed a deep appreciation for nature and the Denesuline and Saulteaux cultures. His trademark delicate, calligraphic lines combine representational and abstract symbols borrowed from Indigenous and Western art.
Janvier sees himself and his people as landlords – a strong spiritual connection to the land and the artist’s Indigenous ancestry is evident throughout his work. This exhibition features a selection of Janvier’s paintings on canvas and paper that span over forty years: landscapes, animals, plants and Indigenous iconography are brought to life with a dazzling use of color and sinuous abstract imagery. His paintings have also contributed to on-going cultural and political narratives, making him an important Indigenous activist and leader in the Canadian art scene.
Janvier’s work has recently been the focus of two major national traveling exhibitions – 7: Professional Native Indian Artists Inc., organized by the Mackenzie Art Gallery from 2014-2016, and Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master, organized by the National Gallery of Canada from 2016 continuing into 2018. Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master is currently at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection until January 21st and will continue to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick and the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta.
