[BCMA] Richmond Art Gallery: VERB WOMAN: the wall is in my head/ a dance of forgetting by Margaret Dragu and Memory: International Mail Art Exhibition

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RICHMOND ART GALLERY
Margaret Dragu
VERB WOMAN: the wall is in my head/ a dance of forgetting

Memory:
International Mail Art Exhibition and Swap.
November 17, 2013 -January 12, 2014

Richmond Art Gallery presents two new exhibitions opening on Saturday, November 16 from 3:00 - 5:00pm; VERB WOMAN: the wall is in my head/ a dance of forgetting by Margaret Dragu and Memory: International Mail Art Exhibition and Swap organized by Kathy Tycholis.
This will be Governor-General Award Winner Margaret Dragu's first Gallery-based solo exhibition with  a new video work to be launched at the Opening Reception. Exploring conflict and forgetting within public and private contexts, Dragu's lens focuses on footage from Berlin and Belfast as well as documentation from her 2009-2011 performances of VERB WOMAN: a dance of forgetting (dedicated to her mother who had Alzheimer's disease). The new two channel-video, divided into "conflict" and "forgetting" channels, considers the underlying tensions of conscious and unconscious "forgetting" by individuals and nations faced with painful histories.
Dragu will be present in the exhibition space at selected times, inviting visitors to participate in a Community Quilt Chance Operation. Visitors will be encouraged to record and upload sounds into a collective soundtrack, The Artist is Working, and then, using dice or cards, will direct Dragu's dance movements in the tradition of composer/artist, John Cage and dancer/choreographer, Merce Cunningham.
Also included in the exhibition is a newly designed website by Dragu that includes topics relating to her experience as a performance artist and dancer: choreography by chance, improvisation and other historic strategies and innovations.

Margaret Dragu is a multidisciplinary artist whose work as a dancer, choreographer, performance artist and film maker has taken her into galleries, museums, theatres, nightclubs, libraries, universities, parks and parade routes throughout Canada, the USA and Western Europe.  A feminist and social activist, Dragu's four decade-long practice has explored issues of gender, class, labour, sex, representation, memory and death.  She continues to engage community in her performance work and also in her role as personal trainer and fitness instructor. An exhibition brochure with an essay by Michael Turner will be available. Vancouver based Turner is a writer of fiction, criticism, and song.

Memory: International Mail Art Exhibition and Swap
Mail Art (aka Postal or Correspondence Art) is a long-standing non-commercial art practice where artists collaborate and exchange artworks through the postal service.  Over 650 artists from more than 45 countries working in a variety of art media have contributed to this exhibition, mailing in 4" x 6" artworks based on the theme of "memory".  All submissions received will also be part of an online gallery at www.richmondartgallery.org<http://www.richmondartgallery.org> to showcase the great variety of artists and artworks involved in this large international network.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, November 16 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm with the video launch at 3:20pm. Artist Margaret Dragu will be in attendance.  Both events are free and open to the public.  Exhibitions are on view from November 17, 2013 - January 12, 2014

The Richmond Art Gallery is located in the Richmond Cultural Centre, 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond. The Richmond Art Gallery gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of Richmond, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, Artsvest, (artsVest Vancouver is run by Business for the Arts with the support of the Government of BC and Canadian Heritage), Richmond Community Foundation,  Canadian Western Bank, and G&F Financial Group.   Wine for the opening reception has been generously provided by Peller Estates and food by PriceSmart Foods Richmond.








Richmond Art Gallery
www.richmondartgallery.org
<http://www.richmondartgallery.org7700/>180-7700 Minoru Gate
Richmond BC V6Y 1R9
Tel: 604.247.8300
Email: gallery at richmond.ca<mailto:gallery at richmond.ca>

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