Charlie Russell at the Glenbow Museum

For more than 40 years, the Glenbow Museum has attracted and displayed some of the world’s most acclaimed artists.

That tradition continues this summer.

Starting June 2, the Glenbow will present its summer exhibition season that includes Charlie Russell and the First Calgary Stampede alongside The West.

“These two exhibitions ensure visitors to the Glenbow are able to see the historical masterpieces created by the famous cowboy artist Charlie Russell, but are also able to explore the work of contemporary artists who take the familiar icons of the Old West — horses, cowboys, First Peoples and the land — and present them in new and compelling ways,” says Glenbow Museum president and CEO Kirstin Evenden.

Charlie Russell and the First Calgary Stampede, conceived of and curated by the Glenbow, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see 17 of the 20 paintings originally exhibited at the first Calgary Stampede in 1912.

The West, which the Glenbow is also curating, presents the work of artists such as James Westergard, Dianne Bos, David Garneau and Kimowan McLain. These contemporary artists have compellingly redefined what the West means to us today.

Both exhibits illustrate how the Glenbow is connecting with community partners to deliver a broad range of exceptional visual arts programming — in the case of the Charlie Russell and The West exhibits, to celebrate the centennial of the Calgary Stampede.

“Part of Glenbow’s role in the community is to develop and present exhibitions from our collections of historical, modern and contemporary art, as well as to present national and international visual art exhibitions as part of our ongoing plan,” says Evenden.

“Our art exhibitions are without par in Calgary in terms of quality, breadth and scope. Recently, Glenbow has featured acclaimed Canadian artists Iain Baxter& (sic), Edward Burtynsky, Kent Monkman, John Will, Jean-Paul Riopelle, and internationally recognized artists Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno, Douglas Gordon, Fernando Botero and Ron Mueck. In scope, these artists are arguably as nationally and internationally significant as you would find at other public art galleries in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.”

As an art gallery, museum, library and archives, the Glenbow presents unique cultural experiences unlike any other that foster an art appreciation in students (kindergarten to post-secondary) and adults, she adds.

In addition to Glenbow’s visual arts exhibition plan, over the past three years the museum has revamped its public program offerings to meet the needs of Calgarians.

Glenbow’s signature public programs include:

– Launch parties: A lively opening celebration kicks off every major exhibit.

– Adult programs: The Glenbow and its partners are offering a number of exceptional events, including musical performances, lectures, workshops and presentations by local and international authors and artists.

– In Conversation: Gives audiences the chance to hear from notable artists, curators and other cultural innovators.

– Out for Lunch: These noon-time talks and tours offer an inexpensive way to get a taste for the Glenbow.

– Weekend at the Museum: Offers families an array of activities over two days, including workshops, tours, performances and art projects.

The Glenbow’s art collection is the largest in Western Canada. It boasts more than 30,000 works of arts, from historical to contemporary masterpieces, produced by some of the best artists in Calgary, Alberta and Canada.

To learn more about the Glenbow Museum and upcoming exhibitions, visit www.glenbow.org.

Source: Calgary Herald