The Vancouver Art Gallery is now showing a yearlong exhibition featuring highlights from its permanent collection of Emily Carr paintings. Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own explores the intersection between celebrated Canadian artist Emily Carr and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own gives visitors the opportunity to explore key biographical moments in the artist’s life alongside significant exhibitions, acquisitions and conservation efforts organized at the Gallery.
The exhibition pulls pieces from the Gallery’s comprehensive collection of 252 works of art, the most important collection of Carr’s art in the world. The Vancouver Art Gallery holds a full range of Carr’s works, including her watercolours, canvases, oil on paper, charcoal drawings, ceramics and textiles. Especially rich in works on paper from the 1930s, this exhibition features a rotating selection of approximately 25 charcoal and oil on paper works. While still directly tied to the landscape, these paintings reduce natural forms into investigations of planes, curves and masses, and represent some of the most formal paintings of her career.
A Room of Her Own highlights four key areas: Carr’s education abroad and early beginnings; the Gallery’s first exhibition and significant acquisitions in 1937 and 1938 respectively; major conservation efforts led by Gallery staff; and the role the Carr Collection played in the Gallery’s decision to relocate to its present building. Through archival materials and the works of Carr, this exhibition uncovers the ongoing connection between the Carr Collection and the Gallery, and the importance of Carr’s placement in the new Herzog & de Meuron Gallery building.
“We are excited to present Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own, showcasing the enduring legacy of Emily Carr’s art and our commitment to Canadian art,” said Anthony Kiendl, CEO & Executive Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. “This exhibition underscores the need for our new Vancouver Art Gallery building, which will provide more space for permanent displays from our robust collection. “
A Room of Her Own invites audiences to explore Emily Carr’s artistic journey and discover the deep connection between the artist, her work and the institution. Audiences are also encouraged to share their thoughts, via mobile app, on a permanent, dedicated room for Emily Carr in the new Vancouver Art Gallery, which recently broke ground.
Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own is on view through September 8, 2024 at Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street. For more information on the exhibition, gallery admission, and to download the mobile guide visit vanartgallery.bc.ca.