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Photo credit Josie Chu

Experience Resilience at Nickle Galleries

By Alejandro Torres Cala, November 7 2024—

Resilience is an art exhibition, on display at Nickle Galleries until Dec. 14, composed of works by Calgary-based artist Teresa Posyniak. Posyniak’s art is largely informed by her activism on behalf of women, children and the environment, and consistently explores themes of vulnerability and resilience. My first visit to the exhibition was on Oct. 23, but I’ve been back many times since then. The exhibition always created a quiet and serene environment, the silence being occasionally broken by tour groups and soft conversation among visitors.

I’d highly recommend anyone to visit the exhibition, but especially UCalgary students. Resilience, and Teresa Posyniak herself, have deep and meaningful ties to the University of Calgary, which I discussed with Michele Hardy, one of the curators of the exhibition. She had this to say about the significance of housing Resilience here at U of C.

“Teresa Posyniak was a graduate student here and held her MFA, her Master of Fine Arts exhibition at the old Nickle [Galleries], which used to be called the Nickle Arts Museum, in 1983,” Hardy said. “She’s been a member of the Calgary arts community for over 40 years [and] has a long and really prolific practice.” She went on to explain when the idea for the exhibition came about.

“We actually invited her to come give an artist talk last spring, and it reminded us of what an important role she’s played in the community.”

Posyniak’s MFA exhibition Sanctuary I was the beginning of the Sanctuary series which Posyniak has continued to work on and change over the years and which we find as the titular installation of Resilience. It’s gone through many changes over the years to get to the form we find it in today.

“I wasn’t here in 1983, but we’ve seen photographs, and the installation was quite different. [Posyniak] has added new works to it over the years, taken things away; for [RESILIENCE] she’s added some pieces that are free standing in the middle, so that the piece is no longer just tethered to the wall, but is actually filling the space in a different way,” Hardy explained.

“She’s also added these cast paper bowls and inside each of these vessels are little bundles of yarn and cloth, almost like the detritus of women’s lives as part of the installation … I think it’s a really emotional piece, I think you can’t walk into that installation and not sort of feel something.”

With RESILIENCE, Posyniak is inviting the viewer to have a more active role than is typically afforded by museums and art galleries by allowing us to be within the installation. It almost feels like walking through a forest. Walking among the sculptures was a relaxing and immersive experience; I felt fully present, which can be difficult especially in the midst of assignments and exams. I asked Hardy why other UCalgary students would enjoy visiting.

“Well I think that it’s beautiful, and I think that it is a restful and rejuvenating space,” she said.  “There’s no better place to just sort of think your thoughts and be calm and be surrounded by beautiful things than [here].” 

Moreover, Hardy explains that Posyniak in particular, both as an artist and an individual, is an important and inspiring figure for us here at U of C. 

“I also think that [Posyniak’s] example, 40 years of resilience and 40 years of a really interesting career, is worth reflecting on,” she said. “Not only is the sculpture something that dates from 1983 but we also included in the display case some examples of her very early work, just as a source of inspiration to any young art students: you make things early in your career and you never know where it’s gonna go.”

Whether or not you’re an art student, upon visiting Resilience, you’ll be inspired in one way or another. Creative ideas, interesting thoughts and moving emotions are all evoked. 

“Just come. Look slowly and don’t worry about what it means,” Hardy said. “Just let the meaning come to you, or not. Just come and be with the work.”

More information about the exhibition can be found here.


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