Review: THE ECO ART SHOW at Gallery 1313.

At Gallery 1313, the annual group exhibition The Eco Art Show presents an eclectic display of works in various mediums. Curated by Phil Anderson, the show features the works of no less than twenty-eight different Canadian artists, mostly hailing from Ontario, that deals with environmental concerns. Each artist brings to the exhibit their own individual critique on today’s ecological problems.

Oliver Pauk

Though the title “Eco Art” provides a sense of connection for the pieces of the show (all provide a dialogue about the environment), the works presented have little else in common. There is a drastic variation between each artist, possibly due to the digital submission style of the selection process for the exhibit. There is no uniform style or medium: sculpture, sound works, painting, photography, print, drawing, performance and mixed media are all present.

Alice Ziberberg

Despite this, many of the artists included in the exhibit produced interesting works. In the realm of photography, Oliver Pauk’s “Heat Recovery” series featuring three neon lit images of air ducts and pipes are the most visually striking. While Alice Ziberberg’s two photographs entitled “Sands of Gaia” and “Forest of Gaia” evoke a unique sense of both presence and absence in the partially substantiated female forms floating in grandiose landscapes.

Cassandra Maria Wittman’s recorded performance piece “Snow” is particularly striking. Naked and covered in an inky black substance, Wittman interacts with the natural environment by rubbing snow on herself and licking the trees around her.

Cassandra Maria Wittman

The most imposing work present is Michael Stecky’s sculptural installation entitled “Nauk.” The work in composed of found crate wood which Stecky shot at with a gun and then arranged into a geometric patterned board. Alongside the piece is a video of its creation. The viewer is able to simultaneous view a performance of the work’s origin and the finished piece, which gives an interesting dialogue to “Nauk” that a written statement would not have achieved.

On at Gallery 1313 until February 5.

Some of the participating artists include: Oliver Pauk, Ian Alte, Tara Krebs , Bob Morouney, Elaine Waddell, Sarah Boothroyd, Becca Wallace, Daniel Anhorn, Ghanesh Das, Andrew Rutherdale, Micheal Stecky, Amelie Brindamour, Singithi Kandage, Hillary Hatzipetrakos, Charles Hackbarth, Olga Oreshyna, Alice Ziberberg, Cassandra Maria Wittman among others.

– Sophia Farmer