Chris Reid: Pride of the Prairies

Additional Information

Other associated events: Artist talk and Opening Reception Saturday, March 8, 2:00 pm

This exhibition explores the formative influence of oral traditions, myths and folk tales in shaping individual identity and creating community. In addition to large format playful drawings of animated pieces of bread, and bunny sock puppets, Chris Reid will be including a new work on eggs. As a Ukrainian Canadian, residing in Brandon, Manitoba, Reid provides a critique of the Ukrainian Easter egg. Reid restores the egg to its normal size and explores it as a field for visual language: it presents unique features including a seamless multidirectional field which the viewer can hold and turn at will. Reid has transferred key figures and narratives from the large scale format and added new characters as well. This exhibition has been scheduled to coincide with Easter. Reid will be present in the gallery to read traditional Ukrainian stories and fables from children's books, which influenced the stories conveyed in her drawings, bunny and cat puppets and delicately painted eggs (see page 16 for further details). There is a dark undertone to the myths, and a lesson to be uncovered behind each story.

Chris Reid, Pride of the Prairies: Baba Yaga, Bunnies and Other Subversions (Installation View), 2008.