LOOP&PARALLEL is the special exhibition premiering this Sept. 6 at Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre's (KOAC) during their annual fall fundraising gala.
Located on the border of west Calgary and Springbank, Kiyooka Ohe is a publicly accessible non-profit arts centre that focuses on lectures, workshops, and exhibitions of local and international contemporary art - with an emphasis on an outdoor sculpture park.
Initially purchased in the 1970s as a private workspace, it was founded by artists Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe in 2007, becoming a registered charity in 2010, and opened to the public near the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exhibition and gala will feature an exclusive fine art auction that celebrates KOAC's co-founders' longstanding influence with a special theme that celebrates the bold popularization of postmodern abstraction in Alberta.
Crisp lines, loops, shapes, and mid-century brights are suggested as inspiration to shape bold outfits.
The evening will include an exclusive art auction preview sponsored by LEVIS Fine Art, alongside a special exhibition curated by Ash Slemming.
Community Partnerships Coordinator Shelby Charlesworth explained that the evening is a big driver for KOAC to secure funding for operational costs so they can host Artists-In-Residence programs, and hold workshops and classes for the public.
"It was always meant to be a studio space away from the city," Charlesworth said. "It helps the artistic area grow. We want to get new folks out to see the value of having a place like this, especially in Springbank where there aren't a lot of artistic spaces."
Charlesworth said the gala will have a very similar feel to Neighbour Appreciation Day, a welcoming drop-in event held in June where people were invited to come feel connected to nature, experience KOAC as a community resource, reach out and engage.
"It provides access for people who can come from Calgary, but also Bragg Creek and Airdrie and Cochrane," Charlesworth said.
Featuring artworks that loop back to their aesthetic innovations and run parallel to their enduring impact - the exhibition also celebrates a small selection of contemporary artists whose work shares a kinship with Katie and Harry's post-modern abstraction and playful use of form and gesture.
"I tried to find artists who had a direction connection with Katie and Harry, whether it was someone who took influence, former students, or similar themes," Charlesworth said about what will be on display.
This event is KOAC’s largest fundraising event of the year, becoming more large-scale and curated over the four years it's been happening - perpetually honing in on larger and more specific themes.
"We want to show how valuable and influential art can be, and that it can be for everyone," Charlesworth added.
Pamela Vickerson is currently the Artist-in-Residence at KOAC, who's works are on display until the gala.
Vickerson is a multidisciplinary artist who grew up exploring Alberta, moving from the prairies, to the mountains, and then to the city. With a background in fashion and graphic design, a never-ending appetite for learning compelled her into creative community as both an instructor and a perpetual student.
Her nomadic and playful early years along with later experiences of loss, impact the vision and direction of her research and arts practice.
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite and include a catered evening by Salon Catering.
More information about the park and visiting details can be found at www.koartscentre.org.
