Jennie Vegt, Passing By, 2021. Acrylic and spray paint on canvas. Collection of the artist
Figurative painting, referring to a type of representational art based on figure drawing, typically includes depictions of people in informal situations. The exhibition Figure It Out features the works of three Edmonton artists who focus on the human figure in their paintings. This exhibition, however, is about more than just human figures; it is also about storytelling. Featuring works by Riki Kuropatwa, Jennie Vegt and Campbell Wallace, these artists use the human figure to create stories. The meanings of the stories they construct, however, are obscure. Rather than fabricating narratives that have only one precise meaning, these artists actively engage viewers, pulling them into the paintings to try to figure out the narratives while inviting them to create their own tales based on the scene.
Curated by Shane Golby, Art Gallery of Alberta (TREX Region 2)
