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24 Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2007 Edward Burtynsky's photographs of used tires ­ taken in California, home to what might be the biggest tire dump in the world ­ is an example of that. "Here, the byproduct of industry is sort of daunting in scale," Knight said of one work, which shows just a small plot of land amongst an enormous pile of tires, which dominate the picture. And while they're "sublime images," Knight says, "underlying is the question of how we deal with this ­ the byproducts of our lifestyle." Roy Arden's photos of a pulp mill dump are another example of this, and are in direct contrast to Graham and McFarland's works. Arden's photos are what Knight calls "the antithesis of the picturesque," and also speak to the "concerns and issues around the by-product of industry." Re-Envisioning Habitat, Knight says, wasn't assembled to cast a negative light on our natural habitat, but to raise questions concerning its current state and its future. "There are systems to take care of these things, but this is asking, perhaps, is it enough," he said. "My job is to sort of provoke some of these questions." Re-Envisioning Habitat runs to March 18 at Oakville Galleries at Centennial Square, 120 Navy St. Krissie Rutherford can be reached at krutherford@oakvillebeaver.com Art exhibit examines clash between culture and nature By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With the environment at the forefront of both political and public discourse, the timing of the latest exhibition at Centennial Square couldn't be better. Re-Envisioning Habitat, a show featuring the work of 12 artists from Oakville Galleries' permanent collection, investigates everything from consumption and industry to environmental stewardship and picturesque scenery. "This exhibition looks at the challenge of nature versus culture, and those timely concerns around the sustainability of environment," said curator Derek Knight, an art professor at Brock University and former board member at Oakville Galleries. After investigating many works in the permanent collection, which Knight calls "a legacy for this community," he put together ReEnvisioning Habitat. "The question of habitat is an important one. It seems to broaden the base in terms of experiencing the realm of the land," he said. "It, to me, suggests a sort of stewardship." Some of the works ­ the show contains sculpture and video but is mainly photography ­ are idealistic nature scenes, like Toronto photographer Geoffrey James' four ASHLEY HUTCHESON / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER HABITAT ON DISPLAY: Artist Susan Dobson and 12-year-old Emma Chiera examine Kim Adams' sculpture Mount Smithson during the opening night reception for Re-Envisioning Habitat at the Oakville Gallery at Centennial Square. photos of famous parks, Scott McFarland's vivid "You create a sort of nos- ment between culture and including New York's Central panorama of Vancouver enti- talgia for what was once nature. It's about sustaining Park. tled Orchard View, Late Spring there," said Knight. environment," said Knight. "I would call this a sort of shows a subtle backdrop of the "It sort of injects the work "These works I thought picturesque perception of the city, but front and centre is the with these questions: What people in Oakville would world," said Knight, who greenery of an orchard. does this site mean? What have some real interest in. I called the works "momentary "It appears, here, too, that was here before? What will thought these would have escapes" from urban settings, nature is in the process of come?" some real resonance in and a demonstration of a kind reclaiming," said Knight. Jeremy Borsos' photogra- terms of where people see of "cultivated nature." On the other hand, Susan phy series is similar in that it themselves in the town." "In cities, in order for them Dobson's photographs of investigates how habitats A series of works in the to be desirable places, there suburban construction sites have changed. The West exhibition also bring about has to be some sort of notion in town show more of a Coast artist found Oakville- what Knight calls "a shock of reclaimed nature," Knight claiming of nature. addressed post cards or let- recognition" ­ one of the said. "These are designed "These are a document of ters dating back to the late reasons it's called Relandscapes and they are part suburban ecology, they talk 1800s or early 1900s and Envisioning Habitat. of a larger aesthetic that we about the process," said then snapped photographs of "When we come to an would call picturesque." Knight. "A lone tree, de-fea- what resides there now. exhibition like this, there is tured landscape." While one in the series kind of a recognition, a Equipment used to level shows a house has remained shock recognition that this the land is shown in one on the property, another is is the habitat we live in. This photograph, with a row of now a Starbucks. is the habitat we've chosen houses in the background. 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