This year the John B. Aird Gallery initiated our first juried online exhibition + art book featuring ‘contemporary sculpture’. For this project, the term, ‘contemporary sculpture’ refers to sculpture—produced today. Within this expanded context, a sculpture is understood as carving and/or modeling from traditional materials like stone, metal, wood, and/or clay, but it is not confined to these materials or processes. Sculptures selected included but were not limited to a combination of Cubist, Constructivist, Dadaist, Futurist, Pop-Art, Minimalism, Conceptual art influences, and/or assemblage or installation.
We invited Robert Birch, the President of the Birch Contemporary art gallery, a seminal venue that features emerging to established Canadian and international artists to be the juror for this project. Robert selected 54 artists and 70 pieces to inform the online SCULPTURE exhibition + art book. He’s also supplied his thoughts on the selection process and some of the individual works he choose and why in his juror’s statement. Along with Birch’s text, the Aird is delighted to include an essay-response by our assistant curator and the publication designer, Erin Storus, as a significant component of our SCULPTURE 2021 project.
Robert Birch is the President of the Birch Contemporary art gallery, a seminal venue that features emerging to established Canadian and international artists, with regular monthly exhibitions. The Birch Contemporary principal holds a BA, in Art and Art History Specialist Degree from University of Toronto at Mississauga – Erindale College and a Visual Arts Diploma from Sheridan College. His seminal art gallery opened its doors to the public more than three decades ago. For more detail about the gallerist and the significant contemporary artists he represents, visit the Birch Contemporary art gallery
As part of the exhibition, we included a playlist with recommendations from our juror to enhance your experience.
