Avatars of Beauty

Curated by Zannie Biggs

May 25 to June 30, 2007

Modernism made a movement out of being vulgar. While this cannot be criticized per se, the pervasiveness of this aggressive model translates more currently as a negative legacy: Modernism is based on a disconnect with beauty, and the tradition has become to attack art itself. Are we so crude? The battle is over and we must stop fighting!

Insisting on higher ideals and ample aesthetics, Avatars of Beauty releases itself from Modernism’s fundamentally “anti” attitude. Through the positive act of looking, this exhibition embraces the loving side of contemporary art and affirms the viewing experience as enriching and critical. Avatars of Beauty articulates the pleasure-soaked power of the visual.

Avatars of Beauty is an exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture, projection/installation, video and photography by Jim Holyoak (Victoria/Montreal), Karen Azoulay (Toronto/New York), Mark Neufeld (Vancouver/Berlin), Matt Barton and Anna Bojic (Pittsburgh/Berlin), Mike Brodie [the Polaroid Kid] (Pensacola), Scott Evans (Victoria) and Sylvie Laliberté (Montreal).

Born in Vancouver, raised in northern California, Zannie Biggs is the recent recipient of a double major BFA (Visual Arts/Art History) from the University of Victoria. This exhibition is the culmination of a two-year curatorial internship at Deluge Contemporary Art, which has been a wickedly fun experience for her.