MOCA Presents: H2O and Selina & The Horse Rescue

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MOCA H2O poster

MOCA Calgary is delighted to present two new exhibitions. In the lower gallery: H2O and in the upper gallery: Selina & The Horse Rescue. The show explores our fascination with water, falling water and the elements. Jeffrey Spalding, Artistic Director suggests that the inspiration for the exhibition arose in relation to his commitment to present to Calgary a few key works. Central among them is Bit.Fall (2004) by German artist Julius Popp. Essentially this work is an indoor waterfall that drops water in the form of words. The words dissipate as the water falls towards the ground. Spalding observes, “it is akin to speech, sounds formed by breathe quickly disperse back into air." This technological marvel has been showcased around the world; this is its Canadian premiere. It is on loan from the prestigious Saatchi Collection, London. Check out background video here.

Within this multi-media, multidimensional exhibition are works dating from the 1850s to present including Ed Burtynsky, Craig Richards, Allan Saret, and a new compelling video work by artistic couple Nick and Sheila Pye. Sure to impress will be Max Streicher’s massive installation work Architectural Clouds. Streicher has shown his works worldwide and recently impressed Calgary audiences with his presentation at MOCA of three smaller works.

In the upper Gallery are new large-scale drawings by Canadian artist from Nelson, BC, Allan Harding Mackay. The exhibition is comprised of 6 large format mixed media works done in the artist's signature style of literal imagery executed in oil & chalk pastels, wax and oil wash on paper. Combining works from two separate bodies of work creates a narrative that poses the question of the relationship between the portrait subject, Selina Martin, and the grand scale drama of images of an actual horse rescue.

Also included in the exhibition is a video/sound work that examines the portrait subject Selina in a series of short video clips in real time and slow motion, distorted by the reflections of a glass bottle placed in the foreground. The sound track featuring an oboe and various pieces of music was composed from sampling internet sources. Selina Martin, the subject for the portraits, is a Toronto musician/composer. The Horse Rescue works are based on an image from the Toronto Star newspaper, found at a coffee shop and re-photographed as a source for the finished works.