The 2016 Manning Hall Commission features a new site-specific installation by Edmonton artist Sean Caulfield entitled The Flood. Taking the form of a large-scale mural, the work is made of woodblock panels that were hand carved by the artist. Typically utilized in the printmaking process, the relief work of the woodblock panels is presented as an artwork in itself, demonstrating the tactile qualities of this traditional technique.
The imagery presented in The Flood follows Caulfield’s ongoing explorations into the impact of technological advancements on our environment. Caulfield states that the imagery looks to both the past and future, depicting familiar forms in a cautionary future setting, reminding viewers that the present is destined for historicization. Questioning and envisioning our own role in creating a sustainable future, Caulfield’s composition ultimately presents a world that adapts to the challenges posed by industrialization. Merging anxiety with hope, Caulfield’s immense woodblock mural calls in to question our own role in shaping a future narrative for our ecosystem.
Sean Caulfield: The Flood is curated by Kristy Trinier.
Initiated in the fall of 2011, the Manning Hall commission series provides a unique opportunity for the AGA to support the creation and exhibition of new, site-specific works by Alberta artists.
