Collect 2025

A pivotal element in human history, too many people still view water simply as a resource when in fact it is a way of life for coastal and riverside regions and it is a cultural expression for indigenous people both inland and near the sea. Water is an intrinsic part of human and cultural development. In many cultures around the globe, this natural element has been portrayed as the cycle of life. Connecting the environment, culture, people, politics and belief systems, and representing the primary source of life as we know it. For the Canadian Atlantic Provinces, this element is present in the daily life of its artists, individuals and communities, indigenous and settlers alike.

Robert Henri (1923) said that “when we know the value of things, we can build without destroying”.The language of craft is precise and evocative; bringing forth the value of its makers, their location and their cultural background. In their artistic and craft process, makers seek to understand their materials and bend them to the best of their abilities. Water is so often used in one or many of the process steps even unbeknown to them. Just like the natural element, craft artists convey the tangible qualities of movement, sound, colour, and texture by understanding and altering the raw materials without destroying them. Through skillful choice of materials and imagery, the artwork, product of this transformation, evokes the same emotional resonance as water does, from tranquility to awe, from beauty to chaos. Moreover, these artworks consider the interrelationship between water and human existence, revealing the interconnectedness of all living things.

As we travel through Canada’s Atlantic Coast, it is clear that the geography and landscape are powerful influences on its artists’ work. The paths and bodies of water in this unique region have provided artists with tools to create simple yet exhilarating contemporary works of art, full of character and deep meaning. Artworks that overlap time, place and people, carrying memory from maker to object to viewer; flowing with power, contemplation, and beauty in a never ending river of emotion, an evocative remembrance of who they are, where they come from and their place in history.

Art is an empowering tool to facilitate critical dialogue, not only for artists but for the public. The presentation of art and contemporary craft is in itself complex, as arts and crafts express and communicate not only ideas but also emotions. Exhibitions present objects that appeal to and connect with the human senses. Drawing parallels between water’s physical properties and human emotions, experiences, or ideas this exhibition expresses how the Atlantic region’s craft community is connected. HERE + NOW highlights how “water” connects both the culture and the landscape of the region and how the connections to the other side of the Atlantic ocean helped shape the craft practices seen today.

HERE + NOW Connecting Culture + Landscape through Water presents the evocative properties of water through the lenses of 18 emerging and established artists taking the viewer through a journey beyond time and space. This exhibition connects two sides of the Atlantic Ocean acknowledging the link between Canada and the United Kingdom, aiming to shed a light on the past and looking towards a better, more understanding, future built on the fresh connection between the artists presented. The exhibit reflects the atmosphere of a region that has the deepest respect to the original people of Turtle Island and draws a distinctive quality of Canadian Art and its people to the international viewers.

– Bruno Vinhas, Curator