[BCMA] For Immediate Release: Renowned BC Artist Takao Tanabe Celebrated in 60 Year Retrospective at Burnaby Art Gallery

Wed Nov 9 11:09:29 PST 2011

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For immediate release

November 9, 2011

Renowned BC Artist Takao Tanabe Celebrated

in 60 Year Retrospective at Burnaby Art Gallery

Chronicles of Form and Place: Works on Paper by Takao Tanabe

November 25, 2011 - January 22, 2012

Burnaby, B.C. -   A sweeping retrospective of artworks on paper by renowned BC painter Takao Tanabe opens at the Burnaby Art Gallery on Friday, November 25th. Featuring drawings and watercolours dating from the late 1940s to the present day, Chronicles of Form and Space: Works on Paper by Takao Tanabe explores the artist's long career. The exhibition examines Tanabe's artistic practice over more than 6 decades, and reflects upon his subjects and use of media to render a sense of place.

"We are very honoured to be presenting this exhibition," says curator and Burnaby Art Gallery director Darrin Martens, "Takao Tanabe is a towering figure on the landscape of Canadian art, and this exhibition provides an extraordinary opportunity for visitors to see the evolution of his creativity and signature style."

Many of the more than 60 works in Chronicles of Form and Space have never been publicly displayed 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 watercolours West of Winnipeg (1949) and Mud Patterns (1953)... numerous mid-career drawings of the Prairies... and dramatic contemporary paintings such as Charge (2005) and Fence (2005).

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 where he currently lives and works.

Media are invited to a special reception and exhibition preview of Chronicles of Form and Place: Works on Paper by Takao Tanabe on Thursday, November 24th at 6pm. Curator Darrin Martens and the artist will provide a tour, and will be available for interview.

The Burnaby Art Gallery thanks the Ministry of Canadian Heritage for its significant support for this exhibition and its associated projects. With the assistance of Canadian Heritage, the Gallery will produce a bilingual publication on the exhibition, written by Darrin Martens, Ihor Holubizky and Denise Leclerc, as well as a website focused on Tanabe's works on paper and enhanced public and school programs. Following the show at the Burnaby Art Gallery, the exhibition will travel in Canada. Along with partners the BC Arts Council, the Vancouver Foundation and the McMaster Museum of Art, the Gallery is pleased to be developing this important and enriching cultural project.

Photographs and interviews with the artist are available on request.

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For more information and to arrange photographs or interviews, please contact:
Sher Hackwell
Marketing Assistant
Burnaby Art Gallery
T. 604.297.4414
F. 604.205.7339
W. burnabyartgallery.ca<blocked::blocked::http://www.burnabyartgallery.ca/>
E. sher.hackwell at burnaby.ca<blocked::mailto:sher.hackwell at burnaby.ca>

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The Burnaby Art Gallery is dedicated to collecting, preserving and presenting a contemporary and historical visual art program by local, national and internationally recognized artists. As the stewards of the third largest public art museum collection within the province, the Burnaby Art Gallery cares for and manages over 4000 works of art. The Burnaby Art Gallery is a nationally recognized leader in print culture dedicated to showcasing original hand pulled prints and ephemera related to printmaking in Canada. The Gallery also provides a diverse and challenging range of educational programs for the general public and Metro Vancouver schools.

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