Art Gallery of Burlington exhibition focuses on 40 works for 40 years

The Art Gallery of Burlington is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its ceramics collection with the retrospective exhibition, The Weight of Clay.

From now until October 8, it features a selection of 40 works by 40 artists, representing each year of the collection's 40-year history.

For curator Jonathan Smith it’s “a collection of love".

“I’ve been given the opportunity for well over 30 years, to play with clay,” he told a large group at the preview last Thursday evening. “This is a collection based out of the art community; it has been given to us by the artists and the donors and they wanted to share it.”

The intimate and personal retrospective The Weight of Clay 40 Years of the Collection in the Lee-Chin Family Gallery represents a broad selection of work from each of the past 40 years. It ranges from functional ware to sculptural installations that illustrate the intersection of technical proficiency and artistic expression, by artists from across the country. 

In fact, over the last 40 years, the AGB has amassed the largest comprehensive collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics in the world, totaling more than 4,000 works.

The Weight of Clay exhibition and programming series honours artists, curators, educators, volunteers and donors who have built the gallery’s holdings and contributed to the intellectual growth of ceramics in the country.

There was a special treat waiting for visitors to the opening. Danica Drago's pedal potter gave guests the chance to pedal a bicycle that powered a pottery wheel that was used to throw small pots. The pots will be us planted with seedlings later this summer for people to take home from the AGB conservatory.

The interactive performance was a big hit with folks who took a spin while Drago crafted a wee pot.

“The Art Gallery of Burlington is paying homage to our ruby anniversary by acknowledging our unique past and celebrating our tremendous success within contemporary Canadian ceramics,” said Suzanne Carte, senior curator.

“Our previous exhibition titled, The Weight of Clay, From Collector to Collection, championed our beginnings with the 1984 Herbert O. Bunt donation which aided in establishing the focus of our collection," she added. "Now we are acknowledging the testimonials, stories, archives and energies of the artists, curators, gallery staff, collectors, committee members and clay communities who have, over the decades, demonstrated that the collection truly is a sum of its parts.”

From Jim Hong Louie to Brendan Lee Satish Tang, the assembly of works reflects a history of burgeoning techniques and acknowledges each artist’s contribution to the rise of clay in the country. 

In most collections, only a fraction of what they hold makes it to display. Throughout the building’s corridors some of the newest acquisitions are debuting.

The exhibition’s public programming series will feature hands-on workshops and courses for clay artists to build a greater personal connection to their craft and experience professional growth by learning new techniques, discovering other artists’ practices, and understanding contemporary art. A digital program with panel discussions and artist talks will accompany the series so there is a national and international audience.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward attended the opening and said Burlington is fortunate to have a world-class gallery here. She noted that the beautiful purple scarf she donned for the occasion was woven by a local artist; she gets compliments on it all the time.

“I’m afraid to take it off to pass it around, I might not get it back,” she laughed. She also stressed the importance of arts and culture in the city.

She alluded to a quote from Winston Churchill made during the Second World War when he was asked about cutting funding to the arts and culture during wartime. “If we cut funding, what are we fighting for?"

Indigenous spiritual healer WhiteEagle Stonefish said clay brings everyone together.

“We all used clay and all of us have that in common along with the drum, the heartbeat of Mother Earth. We have more in common than we do uncommon.”

Carte added the exhibit is all about “artists connecting with their audiences. These are spaces where people learn through clay.”

The Art Gallery of Burlington is located at 1333 Lakeshore Rd. Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.