M Spira 2020 Test

February 6 – March 8, 2020

Opening Reception: February 9, 2020
Meet the Artist: February 16, 2020

We are pleased to present a solo exhibition of work by Maurice Spira. Bringing together work from across his practice, this carefully curated exhibition presents a selection of his drawing, paintings and prints. Working from his studio in Roberts Creek, Spira uses paint and drawing to construct allegories that illustrate his concerns regarding the state of totalitarian domination, enforced conformity and the effects of corporate capitalism.

Maurice Spira was born in Kent, England in 1944. After four years of quite traditional studies at a provincial art school, and a stint in advertising in London, he left in 1966 for the “new world.” In the ensuing years 1966-74, the psychoactively enriched counter-cultural milieu in Montréal transformed him utterly. Then, after travelling and painting in Mexico during the mid-seventies, he settled in Vancouver. This period, 1977-82 was a fertile one. A number of thematic avenues were explored. Painting and block printing became established as his preferred mediums.By the early 80’s, requiring a breath of fresh air, Spira vacated the metropolis for a somewhat more rural existence on the Sunshine Coast. More than thirty years later, he continues to paint and print in his Roberts Creek studio, while still finding time to grow excellent red cabbages and spuds.