Spirit Visible
Gerald Squires searched for the spirit or essence of
his subjects, revealed through the lens of his artistic creativity. Now, a new
exhibit of his work shares his powerful love of Newfoundland and Labrador’s
landscape and people. Recently we spoke with curator Caroline Stone about
Squires, his legacy, and what attendees can expect at the exhibit.
How
did this show come about?
Talks with Gerry about the possibility of a solo
exhibition at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery began about five years ago. The
last comprehensive public gallery show about Squires was in 1998, at the Art
Gallery of Newfoundland/Art Gallery, Memorial University of Newfoundland, so an
updated presentation of his work, scheduled for 2017, was more than timely.
Sadly, he fell ill, but he wanted the current exhibition project to continue as
planned.
What
are your roles and responsibilities there?
I was the guest curator for this exhibition, I
formulated the exhibition concept, traced Gerry’s career path and artistic
production over nearly six decades, negotiated potential loans to the
exhibition, decided its content and layout and wrote exhibition text.
What
were the challenges involved?
Gerry was a very prolific artist, and many of his
artworks are in private collections - so not easy to locate. However, members
of the Squires family, particularly his wife Gail, were of considerable
assistance in this. Another challenge was compiling and checking an in-depth
curriculum vitae and bibliography drawn from many sources. For this, Gail’s records,
and the sleuthing of project assistant Janet Whittaker, were invaluable.
What
are the rewards?
It is very satisfying to bring Gerry’s work to the
attention of new audiences, and provide those already familiar with various of
his images the chance to view them in context, in the original. It was
wonderful to share memories of him with his family, friends and collectors of
his work.
What
can audiences expect to experience?
There are over 130 entries in the exhibition list,
dating from the early 1960s to 2015 and ranging from 18-foot paintings through
sculptures, drawings, lithographs, ceramics and stained glass to tiny sketches
and ephemera. They were chosen to represent his versatility and technical
expertise, his connections with his community and, above all, his expression of
spirituality through art.
Why
is it an important retrospective?
It is over two decades since a Squires exhibition of
this scale was presented to the public, and such a project is unlikely to be
undertaken again for some years. This is the time to see a wide selection of
his work in the original, supported by text, chronological information, a short
film interview and various related programming. Also, this summer Pedlar Press
has published a substantial book by Stan Dragland and Michael Crummey titled
“Gerald Squires”, and Kenneth J. Harvey has produced a documentary film, “I
Heard the Birch Tree Whisper in the Night”.
In
your own words, how huge was Gerry's contribution to the Canadian cultural
canon?
Gerry was one of the senior visual artists of this
province, included in shows that travelled to various parts of Canada from the
1970s onwards and recognized through national honours. As such, his work
represents a vibrant contribution to the Canadian scene, from its most easterly
region.
Gerald
Squires: Spirit Visible
Until
September 4, 2017
The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, St. John’s, NL
