LARGE GALLERY
May 23 – June 21, 2025
On the Beach
Yvonne Adalian, Tannis Hopkins, Carol Roberts, Lorna Schwenk, Joyce Ozier, Rosemary Burden, Annette Nieukerk, Nicky Evans, Mary Ungerleider
On the Beach is an exhibit about older women by older women. The history of figurative art has long been dominated by the ‘male gaze’ most often depicting women young, nubile and half clothed. The figures of elderly females are practically non-existent in galleries, museums and art history books – subject to the ageism prevalent in our culture – making many feel irrelevant and invisible.
To fully explore this focus, a group of eight female artists, ages 60 – 83, participated in a nude photo shoot at Wreck Beach in Vancouver in June of 2022. Supported by a Canada Council Explore and Create grant, and photographed by Vancouver photographer Vince Hemingson, each of us took that bold yet exhilarating experience to turn an unflinching gaze at our aging bodies and explore being our own subject matter in a medium and style of choice. Our motivation was to challenge the constructs imposed by our culture on how we are viewed as aging women and creatives.
Our collective work over the past two years culminated in this exhibit numbering approximately 26 pieces of varying sizes and styles. The work demonstrates great versatility in media brought together cohesively and thematically. In addition to traditional media the exhibit includes art installations, written poetry and a documentary providing an intimate glimpse into the creativity and work of each of these older female artists.