Installation view of See You There, with work by SiHyun Vision Kim (left) and Mary Donlan (right). Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
See You There Shane Ackerley, Marla Botterill, Mary Donlan, Anne Hamilton, and SiHyun Vision Kim
March 7 - April 27
Opening Reception March 7, 7-9PM
Forest City Gallery announces its first FCG Pier Members’ exhibition for 2024, See You There, curated by current Gallery Intern, Jack Cocker.
Featuring works by Shane Ackerley, Marla Botterill, Mary Donlan, Anne Hamilton, and SiHyun Vision Kim, See You There reflects the candid relationships artists have with the places they inhabit, or have experienced, and acknowledges the various ways in which locations and cultures affect our artwork. The exhibition engages with ideas of location, memory, home, people, community, and culture. The resulting works encompass a range of media and approaches.
Stay tuned for short commentary on each work by Jack Cocker, shared here and on social media.
Installation view of See You There, with work by Marla Botterill. Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
Shown here are two works by Marla Botterill: “Leisure Series: Beach 2 (Grand Beach), Splat” and “Leisure Series: Undated sketchbook page.” Jack Cocker writes: "Marla’s paintings and drawings of contemporary beach-goers in her ‘Leisure Series’ emanate the neverending curiosity that comes with being a seasoned visual artist ever-captivated by everyday life. The spontaneity and attentiveness Marla brings to her observational drawings shows through her loose brush/line-work and her integration of multimedia elements. A study of lounge life using readily available materials, ‘Leisure Series’ asks us to slow the world down for a moment and observe everyday people with genuine artistic admiration."
Installation view of See You There, with works by Anne Hamilton. Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
Shown here are charming and deeply compelling works by Anne Hamilton: “Bottle X (Billy Bee Honey), “ “Bottle I (San Pellegrino),” and “Bottle V (Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin).” Responding to her work, Jack writes: “Anne Hamilton’s practice of collecting bottles is a task that, in itself, could be considered more of a habit. However, in reforming the individual bottles through a process of casting, Hamilton’s bottles are recontextualised: they become signifiers of times past, representing to her the moments and places from which she originally collected them. Each form acts as a totem of a particular memory. Through the display of multiple of these works in the same space, viewers are invited to consider the memories Hamilton’s bottles may elicit in themselves, creating a bridge between the artist’s personal explorations and the viewer’s own.”
Installation view of See You There, with work Shane Ackerley. Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
Shown here is “Untitled (High Park),” an impressive and intricate work on paper by Shane Ackerley. Guest curator and artist Jack Cocker engages with Shane’s work in the following way: “Drawing connections between visual arts and his study of (and deep fascination with) astrophysics, Shane Ackerley’s abstract ink on paper drawings synthesise both of these interests into a complete whole. Shane puts it best himself, saying, ‘Our species has a history of drawing pictures in the stars. In this series, instead of looking up, I wonder what patterns we would find if we looked down at ourselves from space with the same wonder. Referencing satellite images, I catalogue circular structures in the city of Toronto. With ink on paper, I draw the space in between the circles to scale. If this intervening space—streets, sidewalks, structures—is the field over which landmarks impact one another, then our lives are the medium.‘“
Installation view of See You There, with work by Mary Donlan. Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
Shown above is one of two works by local artist Mary Donlan: “Urban Meadow 1” and “Urban Meadow 3.” These beautiful photographic works really should be seen in person. Jack writes: “In her ‘Urban Meadow’ series, Donlan chooses to photograph the spaces in between the businesses and thoroughfares, focusing on the naturalised areas in urban settings which are devoid of human involvement. Donlan’s photographs, despite existing contextually in contemporary London, Ontario, appear to exist outside of time or place, representing transitory snapshots of spaces that are as much specific as they are surreal. Challenged by this, I am invited to admire her images for the sensitive and subtle formal qualities that render them emotionally captivating.”
Installation view of See You There, with work by SiHyun Vision Kim. Documentation photography by Echo Owen / The Shutter Creative.
This deeply compelling work by SiHyun Vision Kim is titled "First Snow of Comforted Youth: First Step." Responding to this work, Jack writes: "Serving as a reflection of her heritage as a Korean-born Canadian artist, Kim’s print work delves into the beauty and bittersweet qualities of her dual identity and Korean history. First Snow of Comforted Youth: First Step pays homage to the girls who lost their youth as comfort women to the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in occupied countries and territories before and during World War II. Kim creates a scene through her printmaking technique that is as much formally subtle and engaging as it is emotionally charged. Focusing on the small details of the snowfall, the bootprints, and the red scarf moving away from the viewer, Kim leaves us to wonder what narrative this particular scene entails, leaving us with more questions than answers and cultivating a sincere curiosity."
Artists' Bios:
Shane Ackerly is a fourth year student at Western University studying Astrophysics and Studio Art. He is passionate about being human, and believes science and art are the best tools we have for reaching that blissful state of mutual understanding.
Marla Botterill (MFA) is a visual artist, professor, and coordinator of the Fine Art program at Fanshawe College. Active in artist-run culture, she previously served six terms on the board of directors at Forest City Gallery and is currently on the board of the London Ontario Media Arts Association (LOMAA). She is a grant recipient from both the Ontario Arts Council and the London Arts Council. Her work has been featured in exhibitions both nationally and in Germany and she has participated in international conferences and residencies in Germany and Barbados.
Mary Donlan is a visual artist based in London, ON. She was born in Grimsby ON. She was educated at McMaster University and at the University of Western Ontario, receiving a BFA in 1989. She has exhibited her work in both solo and group shows through out Ontario and British Columbia and is the recipient of several Ontario Arts Council grants. Mary's practice includes painting, collage and photography. Her work is represented in numerous private collections. She was a member of the Forest City Gallery from 1990 to 1995, rejoining in 2015.
Anne Hamilton is an autistic artist. She has been a resident artist at TAP Centre for Creativity since 2018 and is currently an Artist-In-Residence at Kunstraum in Brooklyn, New York.
SiHyun Vision Kim is an emerging Korean-born Canadian artist based in London, Ontario. She primarily works with traditional intaglio printmaking and acrylic gouache painting. She combines her experiences as Korean and Canadian to create artworks based on Joseon/Yi, post-impressionist, and contemporary art.
FCG Pier is a community-focused display space named for the idea of a pier as both an arrival place and an exciting point of departure. When we think of a pier, we also might think of the word “peer” (meaning to look at something) or “peers,” as in our friends and colleagues. Finally, a pier is also an architectural term for a support structure. FCG wouldn’t exist without the hard work, heavy lifting, and support of our community.
This curated Members’ exhibition has been initiated in response to Membership feedback seeking more display opportunities.