New solo exhibition for Burk

Congratulations to Amanda Burk, associate professor in the department of Fine and Performing Arts, who opened her solo exhibition, Stories of Contentment and Other Fables, last week at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

This major exhibition of Burk's work features a series of large-scale charcoal drawings and a digital video piece. In Stories of Contentment and Other Fables, Burk uses animal imagery to speak about lived experience and our own animal nature. Burk's drawings highlight our aggressive impulses, particularly feelings of restlessness and anger brought about by a deep yearning for change. Burk is interested in the struggle between the destructive potential of aggression and its connection to a personal sense of agency. Unlike the anthropomorphism of animals commonly found in literature, illustration and storytelling, Burk’s animals do not role-play, nor do they exist as straightforward, naturalist depictions, rather they function as a metaphor embodying feelings of discontentment and viciousness. Stories of Contentment and Other Fables presents an uneasy meditation on aggression and draws out from the shadows what we know in our heart exists.

In addition to opening her exhibition in Thunder Bay last week, Burk gave an artist talk and a drawing workshop at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. She also had the opportunity to speak to CBC radio about her exhibition.You can listen to the archived recording here.

Stories of Contentment and Other Fables runs until March 26, 2017, at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

Burk received a an Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance grant and an Ontario Arts Council Visual Arts grant in support of this exhibition and body of work.