Casa opening seven new exhibits plus galleries for U of L and Indigenous artists

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There is a alot going on at Casa with seven new exhibits opening, Se[pt. 10 at 7 p.m.

Bekk Wells sets up Schochastic Mystery Hotline at Casa. Photo by RichardAmery

“ We have a new display case integrated for University of Lethbridge students,” said Casa curator Darcy Logan.

 

 Kaela Murphy’s  “entangled” is the first  exhibit in the gallery, exploring the importance of hair to the Black identity

 

 Nicole Riedmueller’s  “Materialize Mood” is in onehalf of the  main gallery.

 

“She has ceramics works  that reflect domesticity and care work,” Logan said.

 

Casa welcomes back Grande Prairie based artist Bekk Wells, who brings an elaborate interactive exhibit “ Schochastic Mystery Hotline” to Casa.

 

“ It’s an exploration of mystery,” Logan said.

 

“ There is a phone that rings. And if you answer it, you will get a message,” said Wells, setting up his exhibit.

 

 The exhibit explores the chaos and unpredictability of interaction.

 

“I came up with the idea doing my Masters degree in London, England and it took four years how to figure out how to so it,” Wells continued.

 

“It’s an uncontrolled interaction without a coherent narrative. So I was thinking about how to put it all together. There’s so much always happening. I was looking at my phone and thought you never know what you’ll get when it rings,” he said.

 

 In addition to the phones, there is also a video component— a TV show with the credits of  the poeple reading the phone messages.

 

 He has had local exhibitions at casa as well as the Bowman Art gallery.

“ It’s an organization process and I’ve always been interested in  systems processes,” said Wells who earned his undergrad degree in chemistry at the University of Lethbridge.

 

“ It’s about strangeness and how do you react to that strangeness,” he said.

 

 It also  reaches outside the gallery, utilizing cryptogtraphy featuring an encryption code  that you can  decipher which will lead you to other parts of the exhibit in the community.

 The Casa Project space features  Grace Witzba’s “ Clumped Industry Lumber.”

 

“ She’s an emerging textile artist,” Logan said. here exhibit features bright ocre leaves pressed in a makeshift table.

 

Bev Walters’ “ Reflections from Home” is in the passage gallery. 

 

The concourse gallery features Greenstalk, a group exhibition by the Lethbridge Artists Club members who  created art inspired by  song titles including the world “Walk,”  then fabricate a pair of feet with biodegradable materials.

 

“ It’s a suite of delicate expressionism and  abstracts,” Logan said.

 

 She uses a variety of tools, mediums and themes to express her inner thoughts.

 

“On the second floor, we’re excited to open a gallery dedicated to Indigenous artists. We  got funding  to  dedicate the new gallery and to hire  curator Star Crop Ear Wolf for the Saokitapi Gallery,” Logan said.

 

 The first exhibit  is Kainai Tsuustina  Nation artist Tanya Lujan-Wadsworth ’s “Beading with  My Grandmothers.” She works in photography, painting , sewing and beading.

The opening reception for the new exhibits begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10. The exhibits run until Oct. 30.


— By Richard Amery, l.A. Beat Editor

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