Karin Bubaš: Garden of Shadows

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Karin Bubaš, “Woman with Hollowed Tree,” 2016

archival pigment print, 60 x 60 in, (collection of Ross & Melissa Bonetti) (courtesy of the Museum)

Garden of Shadows is an exploration of the artist’s ongoing Studies of Women in Landscapes series, featuring enigmatic photographs of women in remote outdoor settings, alongside her innovative photographic sculptures that layer images to depict West Coast forests and floral arrangements. Both types of work invite viewers to contemplate the hidden aspects of nature and human experience.

This Vancouver-based artist infuses photography with an air of intrigue, while deftly intertwining the ethereal and mundane. Her Studies of Women in Landscapes series draws inspiration from mysterious moments in modernist cinema. These images present solitary women within seemingly idyllic and apocalyptic settings extending from Canada to Iceland. The interplay between nature and culture comes alive through the carefully selected haute couture-inspired clothing worn by her models that echo the landscape’s tone and subtly contrast surrounding flora. The figure-landscape combinations in this exhibition are contrasted by a series of paper toles that are a return to an aesthetic exploration by Bubaš dating back twenty-five years.

Bubaš’ toles draw viewers deeper into her artistic practice, and reference the works of 19^th century French painter Édouard Manet. These meticulously assembled three-dimensional pieces bring fragility and depth to still-life arrangements, casting shadows that blur the line between reality and illusion. Hence, the Garden of Shadows exhibition offers an immersive experience that challenges perceptions and invites contemplation.