The Art Gallery of Hamilton is presenting the premiere of Graeme Patterson: Secret Citadel on view to January 5, 2014 .
The theme of the exhibition was inspired by Patterson’s memory of his first young best friend, Yuki, who moved away. The exhibition thus revolves around the trials and tribulations of growing up, and though Patterson focuses on male friendships, all viewers will be able to relate.
The Mountain is a three-part sculpture containing miniature handmade worlds. A wooden and fabric covered mountain links two miniature model houses, the childhood homes of Patterson and his young best friend, that the artist recreated from memory. Viewers can peer inside tiny windows to see the living room, kitchen and bedrooms all decorated as he remembers them from the 1980s, with furniture and flooring made from tiny popsicle sticks, and scraps of textiles used for the carpet and curtains. Two costumed characters, small figurines of a bison and a cougar (also handmade by Patterson) represent the artist and his friend. Patterson brings the characters to life in stop motion animations that appear on tiny projection screens within the sculptures.
Each sculpture focuses on a particular stage of growing up, whether early childhood, adolescence or adulthood. A work made from a functioning player piano represents the completed transformation into manhood. The works evoke the vulnerabilities of friendships, bonds made and broken, and delve into stories about love and loss. The highly crafted sculptures, with their lively animations and evocative sounds, will leave no visitor unaffected.
Graeme Patterson is a young artist living in Sackville, New Brunswick. This is his second major touring body of work. His recognizable works are highly acclaimed. The exhibition is co-produced by the AGH and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and will be touring nationally through 2014.
Art Gallery of Hamilton
123 King Street Wes Hamilton ONL8P 4S8
T: 905.667.6620
www.artgalleryofhamilton.com