Takao Tanabe: Chronicals of Form and Place

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Saturday, March 29th, 2014
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Takao Tanabe: Chronicles of Form and Place
January 24 � April 11, 2014

Opening: Friday, January 24, 5:00-7:00pm
Curator�s Tour with Darrin Martens: Saturday, January 25, 12-1pm

Nanaimo Art Gallery presents "Takao Tanabe: Chronicles of Form and Place", a major retrospective of drawings, prints, and watercolours by famed British Columbian artist Takao Tanabe. With over seventy works created between 1949 and 2011, the show highlights the range of stylistic approaches used by Tanabe, his use of media to invoke specific qualities of place, and his evolving exploration of the Canadian landscape.

Many of the works in "Chronicles of Form and Place" have never been publicly displayed in our region before. With numerous selections from the artist�s personal collection, the exhibition is a rare glimpse into the creative practice of one of Canada�s most esteemed artists. Notable works include: early water-colours �West of Winnipeg� (1949) and �Mud Patterns� (1953); numerous mid-career drawings of the Prairies; and the dramatic recent paintings �Charge� (2005) and �Fence� (2005).

Organized and circulated by Burnaby Art Gallery, the exhibition chronicles a drawing practice that has been the starting point for many paintings. It also examines how Tanabe has developed, adapted, and reflected upon subjects and practice over a 60 year period. �Takao Tanabe is a towering figure on the landscape of Canadian art,� writes exhibition curator Darrin Martens. �This exhibition provides an extraordinary opportunity for visitors to see the evolution of his creativity and signature style.� Mr. Martens will be in attendance at the opening, and will be leading a discussion and special guided tour of the show on Saturday, January 25, beginning at 12noon.

Over his long career, Takao Tanabe has gained acclaim as one of Canada�s most important painters. He has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally, and is represented in the National Gallery of Canada, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and many other public and private collections. For his enormous contribution to the arts, Tanabe has been honoured with the Order of British Columbia, the Order of Canada, and the Governor General�s Award. Born in British Columbia in 1926, Tanabe studied in Europe, the United States and Japan. Following a decade as head of the art program and artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre, he returned to British Columbia in 1980, moving to Parksville where he still maintains an active studio practice.

For information on programs related to the exhibition, including art-based activities for children and adults, visit our website at www.nanaimoartgallery.com.

Thank you to our sponsors: The Kristo Zorkin Group, Coast Bastion Hotel, The Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, City of Nanaimo, Vancouver Island University, We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia.