Kim Bruce: DisBound
to
Kiwanis Gallery at Red Deer Public Library 4818 49 Street (lower level), Red Deer, Alberta T4N 1T9
Kim Bruce, "Torahs," 2019
found objects on books
Kim Bruce’s DisBound is an exhibition about education for girls. It’s about choice. It’s about girls, and boys too, but mostly girls, who, due to tradition or religion, don’t get to choose. They are married off as soon as they hit puberty and often they are left to fend for themselves and their children because of war, strife, or circumstance.
Gender inequality exists. It exists in Canada, the USA, throughout the western world, but it is most prevalent in developing nations. Kim Bruce wants to bring awareness to the importance of education and the role it has in shaping future generations. If girls are educated and given choices, they can influence the world.
DisBound is a bookbinding term that means to remove the book pages from its bindings; it is also a metaphor for removing girls from the bonds of tradition so they can get an education. The work in DisBound is full of visual puns, double entendre, symbolism and satire. Pieces include female idioms such as a zipper and lacing. Kim is drawn to subjective statements and open-ended interpretation, allowing others to bring their own experiences to her artwork.
“As with all my work, this series of books, references the dichotomy of my early life expectations to conform to a traditional woman’s role, when in fact, a reality for me, was the need to be self-sufficient and support myself as an entrepreneur and business owner. These contradictions allow me to expose my private self through veiled metaphor, creating objects significant beyond function. The under-laying message - the essence of my work - speaks to the roles and rights of girls and women. “ Kim Bruce
First Friday Opening: July 5 from 6 to 8:00 pm.
Artist will be in attendance. Members, affiliates, media, and invited guests are welcome to attend. Please call the office if you would like to attend.