In celebration of the Museum’s 10th anniversary, the Upper Galleries were officially named the Gordon Smith Mezzanine at the opening of Solstice: Through Storm & Stillness, honouring one of British Columbia’s most beloved painters.
Gordon Smith (1919–2020) was a defining figure in Canadian painting. Over the course of his more than 70-year career, Smith continually evolved his artistic practice, working across painting, printmaking and sculpture while moving between representation and abstraction.
“His enduring contribution to British Columbia’s visual arts landscape continues to be reflected in collections and exhibitions across Canada,” says Dr. Curtis Collins, Executive Director of the Audain Art Museum. “Smith’s work holds a prominent place in the Museum’s Permanent Collection, and designating the Gordon Smith Mezzanine in his honour is a fitting tribute to his legacy.”
Presented in the Gordon Smith Mezzanine this winter, Solstice: Through Storm & Stillness explores winter as both a natural environment and a metaphor for the emotional and psychological experience of enduring difficult times. Anchored by Smith’s Winterscape, works by Andrew Dadson, Gathie Falk, Gordon Smith, Karin Bubaš, Kim Dorland and Landon Mackenzie offer distinct yet connected perspectives on landscape, material and atmosphere.
“Solstice invites viewers to pause and reflect on their relationship to life’s more difficult seasons through artworks shaped by the atmosphere, stillness and emotional resonance of winter,” says Cassidy Luteijn, Assistant Curator at the Audain Art Museum. “The exhibition offers a space for contemplation, connection and renewal.”