Truly great art is often created during times of change. This is because great art comes from artists who are inspired by change. For example, Leonardo de Vinci created his famous Mona Lisa during the Italian Renaissance, a time where the very fabric of art was evolving into what we know and love today.
2020 has been hard for artists. But one of the positive things these COVID-19 times have reminded us of is the immense importance of art. And that is exactly what the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) is aiming to prove with its COVID Creations show and sale.
AGGV art rental and sales consultant Karen Cooper says that there is a preview of all the work on the AGGV site, adding that the public can “come into the gallery anytime and see the works, like, during our regular business hours. There’s art everywhere; it looks beautiful. There’s a really, really neat collection of work.”
One of the paintings in the show is Leonard Butt’s Saint Bonnie, a portrait of Bonnie Henry, one of the many people we have come to depend on during this crisis.
“He said it’s a combination of things,” says Cooper about the origins of the piece, saying that she believes its creation had a lot to do with “how [Butt] was feeling, and that we need to really honour the people who have been working hard to keep us well.”
And even though the gallery is open, it’s a different experience now, due to COVID-19 safety measures.
“It’s been very different,” says Cooper. “For example, if you’re front of house, or coming into the gallery, everyone’s got masks on, we have hand-sanitizing stations, we have arrows for traffic flow. When you come up to the gallery, someone will greet you and explain how everything works. We really want people to feel comfortable and safe. We want people to come and see the art.”
COVID Creations
Until Saturday, October 17
aggv.ca