For this week’s Arts Matter column, I’ve asked Petra Holler, gallery assistant at the Penticton Art Gallery (and board member of the Penticton Arts Council) to tell us more about the gallery’s upcoming fundraising gala and art auction, and why this not-to-be-missed event is so important.
Petra writes, “We are coming up fast to Penticton Art Gallery’s biggest and most spectacular event of the year, our 40th Annual Art Auction which is set for June 22nd, 2017. This gala-style event - complete with red carpet – is the essential party of the year for the who’s who of Penticton art and culture. But more so, it is an essential fundraiser for the gallery. Each year, we rely on funds raised from this event to ensure that we can continue to provide high quality and accessible programming to our community.
Through generous donations and the miraculous art detectivism of our curator/director Paul Crawford, a mass of astounding, intriguing, curious, captivating, bewitching and sometimes just simply beautiful pieces of art have been assembled for the bidding pleasure of auction attendees. Experiential packages and services, ranging from exclusive wine tastings to luxurious villa accommodation in Spain, are also up for bid alongside merchandise and gift certificates from a diverse selection of local businesses.
While there is a treasure for every palette in this year’s line-up, there are a few stand-out pieces that will surely wow the crowd. Chairman Mao prints, pulled from the original screens made by Andy Warhol and a cast silver bas-relief of The Last Supper by Salvador Dalí are guaranteed to command attention. In contrast to these international heavy hitters, we are featuring many local pieces from Okanagan artists past and present: Hugo Redivo, Jay Cryderman, Mary Ursuliak, Mabel Gawne, Michael Hermesh, Kristine Lee, Carla O’Bee, Kelly Corbett, and many more pivotal and influential creatives.
Recently Paul and I were talking about how the stories behind an artwork enrich our perception of the piece, taking it further than aesthetic appreciation and elevating it to a tangible, cultural experience. Certainly, for the artworks that are locally sourced, we gain an appreciation for the rich legacy of art production in our region. Unfortunately, the histories of some of these pieces and their creators are not well documented. This places us in an exciting place as researchers – and also for the public as art collectors – because we have the opportunity to discover and write these histories and therefore elevate our local artists to the level of recognition that they deserve.
Each piece in our auction represents a different origin or story. Depending which one you feel drawn to, it can allow you to access a meaningful narrative or perhaps even create a noteworthy connection within our community. We hope that our peers and fellow art appreciators will join us on June 22 to continue building and strengthening these connections in our community and to invest in the future of arts and culture in our region.”
For more information about the art gallery, their upcoming fundraising event and to purchase tickets, please contact them by email at info@pentictonartgallery.com or by phone at 250-493-2928, Tuesday through Sunday.
Timothy Tweed is the President of the Penticton and District Community Arts Council’s Board of Directors.