Fiona Annis: A portion of that which once was everything

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Fiona Annis, "A portion of that which once was everything," 2019

Opening Reception: Thursday July 11, 7 pm

Fiona Annis: A portion of that which once was everything, 

Fiona Annis recently completed a residency at the Museum of Astronomical Instruments in Naples, Italy where she explored the celestial themes of light and time and their relevance to photography. She combines and manipulates historical photographic techniques to create compelling images that challenge our conceptions of abstract art and photography. Her images are purposefully mysterious, crafted to provoke curiosity and to explore the unknown.

CRAG Executive Director and Chief Curator Vicky Chainey Gagnon has been watching the career of Annis since 2008 and has been looking for the right opportunity to present her work. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Lunar landing when on July 20, 1969, two humans stepped foot on the moon for the first time.

“This occasion is the perfect opportunity to showcase a body of work that explores themes of light, astronomy, and how we navigate that which we don’t know,” says Chainey Gagnon. 

The exhibition will include not only the artwork, but also selected quotations to help contextualize the work and quiet meditative spaces for viewers to ponder the mysteries of the cosmos. This work can seem highly intellectual but by creating a space for the viewer that resonates a sense of magic and mystery then these haunting images become opportunities to consider how an image is created, where it come from, where does the light come from and how does that affect what you see?

When asked to describe this exhibition, Annis says, "A portion of that which was once everything is one chapter of prolonged exploration of these astral themes. This particular chapter explores the language of light and time mediated through mythological narratives, alchemical structures and astronomical lenses to creatively consider how the unknown has - and can be - represented.

By employing photographic approach that favors an unexpected use of the camera – often abandoning the camera body altogether – my work focuses on the delirious aspects of photography, taking a departure point moments where representational logic fails and attempting to give these moments of illogic a representational form of their own."

One-on-One Discussion with Fiona Annis // July 13 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

This special one-on-one discussion with Fiona Annis and Nanaimo based astronomer Tony Puerzer for Saturday, July 13 at 2:00 pm will look at Annis’s work and its resonance with the science of astronomy. Puerzer will provide an astronomer's perspective on exploration, discovery and the search for our place in the universe as it applies to the work of Annis.

Tony Puerzer is a full-time professional photographer and part-time amateur astronomer. His lifelong interest in astronomy outreach and education includes five years as a lecturer at the HR MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver. Currently, he writes the popular Capturing The Universe column for SkyNews Magazine, which is published by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. He is the Vice President of the Nanaimo Astronomy Society.

Cost is a $5 donation to the CRAG.