Join David Altmejd, Louise Déry, Guest Curator, and Wayne Baerwaldt, Director + Curator for introductory comments on the exhibition at the Illingworth Kerr Gallery on September 5, 2007 at 6:00 PM. Reception to follow.
September 5, 2007 - November 3, 2007 | Exhibition
Illingworth Kerr Gallery | Alberta College of Art + Design
Montreal artist David Altmejd, Canada's official representative at the 2007 Venice Biennale of Visual Art, gave an intensive workshop and public lecture with students and faculty at the Alberta College of Art + Design, October 3-5, 2006. Louise Déry, Director-Curator of the Galerie de l'UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal), proposed Altmejd as the Biennale candidate. She shared the lecture spotlight on October 5 to discuss the creative process and has organized Altmejd's fall exhibition at the IKG.
Altmejd's most recent work for the IKG has been dominated by the image of the werewolf taken from popular culture and folkloric traditions. In the mainstream media of novels, films and television the werewolf is portrayed as both innocent human and rapacious beast. But in contemporary times the image and antics of the werewolf can take on other levels of significance.
"By conjuring the figure of the werewolf, the giant or colossus, Altmejd strikes a chord with today's youth," says Louise Déry. "His work expresses a romantic sensibility that rests on a body of humanistic thought with medieval overtones, with references to legends, and monsters from contemporary comic strips and science fiction. The werewolf is a complex figure because it can be viewed as a metaphor of being, divided between good and evil. It is our own destiny we see there, in this age of cloning and genetic manipulation. This atmosphere of vitality should appeal to the imagination of visitors."
Altmejd has degrees in visual arts from Université du Québec à Montréal (Bachelor of Arts, 1998) and Columbia University (Master of Fine Arts, 2001). He is represented by Andrea Rosen Gallery (New York) and Modern Art Inc. (London, England). Altmejd currently lives and works in Montreal, Brooklyn and London, England.
 The Hunter | David Altmejd | 2006Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 86 KB) |
 The Hunter | David Altmejd | 2006Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 86 KB) |
 The Hunter | David Altmejd | 2006Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 86 KB) |
 The Lovers | David Altmejd | 2004Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 62 KB) |
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 The Lovers | David Altmejd | 2004Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 90 KB) |
 The Lovers | David Altmejd | 2004Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 114 KB) |
 Loup-garou 2 | David Altmejd | 2000Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 180 KB) |
 Loup-garou 2 | David Altmejd | 2000Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 76 KB) |
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 Loup-garou 2 | David Altmejd | 2000Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 110 KB) |
 Sans titre. L'idée dure de l'homme lui sort par la tête | David Altmejd | 1999Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 200 KB) |
 Sans titre. L'idée dure de l'homme lui sort par la tête | David Altmejd | 2007Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 189 KB) |
 Sans titre. L'idée dure de l'homme lui sort par la tête | David Altmejd | 1997 + 2007Photo by Denis Farley | Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York (JPG, 69 KB) |
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 Opening ReceptionPhoto by Inger Marthe Skyberg (JPG, 72 KB) |
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 Opening ReceptionPhoto by Inger Marthe Skyberg (JPG, 46 KB) |
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 Opening ReceptionPhoto by Inger Marthe Skyberg (JPG, 67 KB) |
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 Opening ReceptionPhoto by Inger Marthe Skyberg (JPG, 47 KB) |
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