Perry Rath

Passages

July 13 - August 7

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Artist Statement 

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"Passages feature three of my recent series which demonstrate my varied interests in the role of art in our society. The first one I created was “Delve”. I painted this one in the Fall of 2019, pre-pandemic, and was exploring the idea of how humans help each other, support each other through hard times.

“History Lessons” shares a sampling of some of my artwork that has explored the topic of colonialism in Canada’s past and current times, an ongoing series that I have been adding to for years. Looking at aspects from personal to socio-political, these pieces try to emphasize the importance of recognizing and dismantling colonial systems still present in our society and honouring Indigenous rights and sovereignty.

In “Tributary”, I aim to convey a potent visual impact of salmon spawning, reflecting their importance in our lives – in natural and cultural spheres. Playing with the push/pull of positive and negative shapes, the rhythm of water and fish, the paint layers drip and crackle around the outlines of many salmon, giving a sense of movement and vitality, and yet also fossilization."