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<div><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>MEDIA RELEASE </strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>For Immediate Release</strong></span></span><br>
<br>
Who: Vernon Public Art Gallery<br>
What: Exhibition Opening Reception | <em>Dark Woods (Revisited), Emergence, and Overcoming the Darkness</em><br>
When: Thursday, May 24, 2018<br>
Where: Vernon Public Art Gallery<br>
<h3 class="null" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22.5px; letter-spacing: -0.5px;">
Explore a forestscape of multi-media flora and fauna, text fragments and mystery in the <em>The Dark Woods (Revisited).</em></h3>
<br>
<span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The Board of Directors and Executive Director, Dauna Kennedy Grant, invite you and a guest to the opening reception of The <em>Dark Woods (</em><em>Revisited</em><em>)</em> by
Derek Besant, <em>Emergence</em> by UBCO BFA Graduates, and <em>Overcoming the Darkness </em>by The Bridge Youth and Family Services at the Vernon Public Art Gallery. Enjoy an evening of music, contemporary art, punch, and appetizers on Thursday, May 24th
at VPAG.<br>
<br>
"It is my pleasure to welcome back Canadian artist, Derek Michael Besant to the Vernon Public Art Gallery with his latest exhibition <em>The Dark Woods (Revisited)</em></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>.</em> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Recognized</span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> internationally
for his large-scale photo-based works we are thrilled to bring work of this </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">calibre</span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> to
the North Okanagan. <em>Emergence</em> is an annual exhibition here at the VPAG, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">where</span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> we
get the opportunity to </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">showcase</span></span><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> the
creative, dynamic work being produced locally at the post-secondary level."<br>
<br>
-Dauna Kennedy Grant<br>
VPAG Executive Director</span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;">Besant's exhibition titled <em>The Dark Woods (Revisited)</em> stages a site-specific installation of printed shaped veils and a large scale 15-minute
looping video projection. The out-of-focus close-up images of trees and forest flora create a dense visual environment for the viewers to decode possible hidden narratives suggested by text fragments incorporated in some images. Besant will be in attendance
at the opening reception and will give an Artist Talk during the reception. <br>
<br>
The exhibition <em>Emergence </em>is produced by selected graduating students from the UBC Okanagan BFA program. This exhibition consists of a selection of works of six emerging artists which include painting, screen printing, sculptural installation, photography
and fibre art.<br>
<br>
<em>Overcoming the Darkness </em>is an exhibition by the youth at the Bridge Youth and Family Services <em>Express Yourself Group</em>, a therapeutic art program. For the past 8 weeks, youth have been exploring the healing power of art and community as they
participated in weekly expressive arts workshops. Express Yourself provided a safe space for youth to share experiences of homelessness, substance use, mental health concerns, marginalization and loneliness. </span></span><br>
<br>
<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif;">Join us for the opening reception of these three diverse exhibitions on Thursday, May 24, 2018, from 6-8 p.m. at the Vernon Public Art Gallery.
Open to the public, admission is by donation</span></span></strong>.</td>
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<img size="203921" contenttype="image/jpeg" id="482947_rs|1" style="user-select: none; height: 180px; width: 253.591px;" tabindex="0" width="254" height="180" src="cid:c0731319-8bfd-4be7-b963-5b1048accc25"><br>
<span style="color: rgb(96, 96, 96); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;">Derek Besant, </span><em style="color: rgb(96, 96, 96); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;">The Dark Woods (Revisited) #2</em><span style="color: rgb(96, 96, 96); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;">,
2018, thermal ink transfer on vinyl scrim veil, 56 x 98 in<br>
</span><br>
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<div style="text-align: center;">Thank you to <a href="https://www.myalternatives.ca/" target="_blank" style="word-wrap: break-word; text-size-adjust: 100%; color: rgb(109, 198, 221);" id="LPlnk945873" class="OWAAutoLink" previewremoved="true">Alternatives
Funeral and Cremation Services</a> for being our 2018 Opening Reception Sponsor.</div>
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