Yukon artists participate in milestone exhibition of Canadian art

For Release #12-101
May 28, 2012

Whitehorse—The work of three Yukon artists is being featured in Oh, Canada, a major exhibition of Canadian art which opened on May 26 at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA).

“Oh, Canada is an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Yukon artists to an international audience,” Tourism and Culture Minister Mike Nixon said. “The exhibition is significant both for the professional development of the selected artists, and for the inclusion of Yukon art in discussions of contemporary art history.”Oh, Canada is the largest survey of Canadian art to be exhibited outside Canada. The show was curated by Denise Markonish, who travelled across the country identifying potential artists for the exhibition. In the end, just over 60 artists from a list of over 800 were selected to participate.

“There is a rich history of artistic activity in Yukon,” Markonish said. “While researching Oh, Canada I had the amazing chance to visit many of the artists in Whitehorse and Dawson City and see how young artists are taking advantage of the history and landscape of the region. I am excited to share this work with new audiences.”

Two artists based in Dawson City are featured in Oh, Canada. Charles Stankievech has created a multimedia installation called LOVELAND which recalls an Arctic landscape and comments on the militarization of the North. Eryn Foster is creating a new performance piece entitled North Adams Sourdough: A Gift of Cultured Culture. This work is based on the jars of sourdough culture that prospectors brought with them to the Klondike Gold Rush so they could make bread upon arrival.

Joseph Tisiga, who recently returned to Whitehorse after a year at the Nova Scotia School of Art and Design, has created a series of water colour paintings that examine shared traditions between First Nations and European communities.

“Yukon boasts a vibrant art scene and a strong public commitment to culture, and Yukon artists deserve both national and international attention,” Nixon added. “We are confident that this exposure will lead to greater recognition and more opportunities to share our exceptional talent with people around the world.”

The exhibition will run until April 1, 2013. For more information about Oh, Canada visit the MassMoCA website.

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Contact:

Elaine Schiman
Cabinet Communications
867-633-7961
elaine.schiman@gov.yk.ca

Heather LeDuc
Communications, Tourism and Culture
867-667-5318
heather.leduc@gov.yk.ca