AGSM 20th Annual Members Show opens today

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2024 (510 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba (AGSM) opens its doors Thursday for the 20^th Annual Members Show, showcasing a collection of paintings, photography, and mixed media created by an array of local artists.

Sponsored by the Whitehead Foundation, the annual art show starts at 7:00 pm tonight and is scheduled to run through Jan. 11 2025. About 100 artworks created by more than 60 artists will be on display.

The AGSM’s Kayes Community Gallery will showcase Tara Leach’s collection, which is inspired by the women in her family. Posing the question, “What will I be today?,” the artworks recreate themes from the early 1900s as a way of challenging conventional stereotypes about femininity.

Leach has been active on the Brandon art scene for some time now. “Not just because she’s an active artist member here, but she’s just everywhere. She was also an educator, and an art teacher for many years, and so a lot of our emerging artists who are now adults, have become artists because of her incredible art teaching,” said AGSM curator Lucie Lederhendler.

“Her work is all about the obligation, responsibility and the privilege of having those legacies surrounding you, especially as it relates to mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters,” Lederhendler explained.

She added that the Annual Members Show offers residents an opportunity to connect with artists in the community through their work.

“So the members show never has a theme but this is a chance for members of the community to show what they’ve been working on. There are so many people in this community, who I’ve gotten to know intimately just through their art, and through this exhibition,” Lederhendler said.

“It can be challenging in a region like Brandon to find your people. Studio art in general is often done in isolation, which can really hurt a person’s practice. You really need to see what’s going on out there. So the AGSM plays the role of being a place where artists can gather.”

This is also the only time during the year where artwork in the main gallery is for sale, Lederhendler revealed.

Exhibited artists receive 75 per cent of the profits when their work is sold. The AGSM gets the remaining 25 per cent, which helps fund the organization’s programming and future initiatives.

Longtime artist and curator Kevin Conlin has been at the AGSM since 1999. He said he enjoys putting together the annual members show as it is never repetitive.

“The work is always different. You never see the same thing twice. Part of the criteria for the show is that the art has to be new and different. The show (this year) will (showcase) a great variation of artists in Brandon and throughout the region,” Conlin added.

Attendees will be able to see a multitude of artworks on display at the show, which promises to inspire hope and creativity throughout the holiday season.

» dstein@brandonsun.com