CBU Art Gallery’s People’s Exhibition attracts record numbers – ProletariART opens Friday

The Cape Breton University (CBU) Art Gallery is set to open one of its most popular annual exhibitions – ProletariART: The People’s Exhibition. The opening reception is being held on Friday, January 25 from 6-8 pm, with the exhibit running until February 22. This is the second year for the community art event and it has attracted a record number of participants–more than 100 artists contributed nearly 200 works of art.

“I think the strength of this exhibition is that it’s an opportunity to see what people are working on in their homes and studios,” says Laura Schneider, Director and Curator at CBU Art Gallery. “It provides a wonderful opportunity for sharing and dialogue across the community and it’s also an annual reminder that art can play so many different roles in our lives. There is no single motivation for creating.”

The call for submission extended to all parts of Cape Breton, with a large showing of work from Richmond, Inverness and Cape Breton counties. The exhibit showcases a wide range of artistic practices: sculpture, painting, photography, textiles, video, mixed media and more. Participants come from varied backgrounds and levels of experience. There are works by artists who are just starting out, as well as a number of works from our experienced artist in the community.

This year the Gallery is pleased to have involvement from a number of community groups as well, including submissions from L’Arche, and a group from the New Waterford Library made of young girls age 9-12 who call themselves The Sparkles.

Members of the community are encouraged to attend the opening reception and to stop by the CBU Art Gallery while the exhibit is on to see the exciting and diverse works of art being made in our community.

The CBU Art Gallery is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.