Meet artist Rande Cook and learn more about his exhibition with University of Victoria professor Dr. Andrea Walsh at the Campbell River Art Gallery tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Cook’s exhibition, Behind the Gold Veil, has been thrilling visitors to the gallery since it opened May 15. The exhibition features contemporary art works, entrenched in Northwest Coast First Nations traditions, using wood, glass and metal – particularly gold.
The Campbell River Art Gallery is the first gallery to show this collection of new work, created specifically for this exhibition. The exhibition has also resulted in a collaborative critical essay created by Cook and Walsh, a visual and cultural anthropologist at the University of Victoria.
Cook (K’alapa) pushes himself in numerous mediums, seeking perfection in each technique. His work is held in galleries and collections around the world.
He was born in May, 1977 in Alert Bay and began creating works at an early age. His grandparents Gus and Florence Matilpi instilled in him his strong values of life and culture. In 2008, Cook inherited his grandfather’s chieftainship.
As well as his contemporary art practice, Cook is known for his traditional dancing and singing at potlatches. He credits numerous teachers – from First Nations artists John Livingston, Robert Davidson and Calvin Hunt to contemporary master Valentin Hotkov – with mentoring him on his artistic journey. Cook has studied at home, as well as in Italy and New York. He now lives in Victoria.
Come and learn more about Behind the Gold Veil at the Campbell River Art Gallery at 7 p.m, Thursday, June 25 – the last day of this important exhibition.
Cook and Walsh will discuss the evolution of the exhibition as experienced in Cook’s studio, as well as the overlapping cultural signifiers, both spiritual and material, associated with the introduction of gold. Join them for refreshments and an evening of art. Everyone is welcome and admission is free.