From January 5-12, 2011, nine distinguished faculty from the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) program at UTSC showcased their work at the Doris McCarthy Gallery.
Fellow Travellers, the second biennial faculty exhibit, featured painting, drawing video, sculpture and installation works by Yael Brotman, Adam David Brown, Lee Goreas, Marla Hlady, David Hlynsky, Alexander Irving, Shelagh Keeley, Will Kwan, and Tanya Mars.
Painting and drawing lecturer Irving says Fellow Travellers was organized by faculty members in response to curiosity expressed about their work. While students are encouraged to research their instructors online, the collection allows VPA faculty to demonstrate the caliber of their work to students in a professional venue. “Faculty regularly have exhibitions locally and internationally,” says Irving, “but they rarely get to share their work with people on campus.”
“We’re a small department,” adds Hlynsky, one of the department’s Digital Media lecturers. “There aren’t that many teachers, but we’re proud of what we do.”And while there may not be many of them, all of the contributors hold impressive backgrounds, with exhibition experience in local, national and international galleries.
Fellow Travellers is also an occasion for faculty members to get to know each other better. “It demonstrates us pulling together,” says Hlynsky. “The group is more important than the single image.” And the event even helps boost enrollment in several VPA courses. “I think we have a waiting list for every course this term.”.
More information on the exhibit and each of its contributors.