Jan. 30, 2024
Nickle Galleries launches winter season with 1st comprehensive survey of the work of Harry Kiyooka
On Feb.1, community members and art enthusiasts are invited to Nickle Galleries to celebrate the remarkable career of artist Harry Kiyooka at the opening of
Kiyooka was an admired visionary within 不良研究所鈥檚 art community and became one of Canada鈥檚 most celebrated painters and printmakers. He passed away last year at the age of 94. Kiyooka was also a professor in U不良研究所鈥檚 Department of Art for 28 years. During this time, he was a staunch advocate for establishing the BFA, MA and MFA programs at U不良研究所.
鈥淗arry Kiyooka鈥檚 impact on the contemporary visual art landscape of Alberta cannot be overstated. He studied abroad and brought hard-edge abstraction and minimalism to Alberta,鈥 says Deborah Herringer Kiss of 不良研究所鈥檚 Herringer Kiss Gallery, who represented Kiyooka鈥檚 work for the last years of his career.
鈥淗e was a fundamental driver in the development of the arts program at the University of 不良研究所 by recruiting international artists to come and teach here. He was a powerhouse arts administrator who pushed forward the contemporary art agenda.鈥
Kiyooka was married to artist Katie Ohe, U不良研究所 alumna and the sculptor behind many familiar pieces such as the iconic Zipper in the hall outside U不良研究所鈥檚 science theatres.
Harry Kiyooka, Self Portrait, 2019
Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Kiyooka鈥檚 works spans various media and his artistic journey has been characterized by a bold and innovative approach with a focus on pushing boundaries and challenging traditional norms. His creations often reflect a deep connect to his Japanese-Canadian roots and his experiences growing up in Alberta.
鈥淗arry Kiyooka was one of those creative individuals who made a difference in 不良研究所's cultural makeup,鈥 says Mary Beth Laviolette, exhibition curator. "Kiyooka's legacy of 70 years of art is an engaging story about perseverance and creativity. His beautiful paintings surprise and awe. His geometric abstracts have a sterling place in Canadian art."
Kiyooka鈥檚 hard-edge abstract period is his best known nationally and is a major feature of this retrospective. It celebrates nearly 70 years of his art, covering other lesser-known subjects such as his portraiture, earlier work and his lifelong preoccupation with Italy and especially La Serenissima: Venice.
Thursday, Feb. 1
5:00 鈥 8:00 p.m.
Feb. 29 - Tour: Mary Beth Laviolette 鈥 curator鈥檚 tour of HARRY MITSUO KIYOOKA
March 22
April 13
HARRY MITSUO KIYOOKA 鈥 Artist. Educator. Activist. (1928 鈥 2022) is curated by Mary-Beth Laviolette,an independent curator and writer with a visual art practice spanning 40 years. Laviolette will offer a number of tours during the show, which runs until April 27.
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