Big Crow

Opening Friday, September 6, 7pm

Part of SWARM III, an evening of coordinated openings,

organized by PAARC (Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres)

Big Crow subverts our relationship to nature through a monster toy-meets-Hitchcock's 'real fear' representation. A giant crow-sculpture, complete with taxidermy-style effect, installed in the gallery confronts the viewing audience. Big Crow is a signpost marking an uneasy border between civilization and what lies beyond. The artist explores this juncture through a 'wild' creature hat thrives in the city, raising questions about co-habitation: Urban territorial borders are defined and shaped by human and animal habitants alike, yet territories overlap: How much control can we really have over the boundaries we define?

Over fifteen feet long and standing eight feet tall, Big Crow makes the viewer feel like the last bite of a leftover sandwich. Beech enhances the aggressive nature of the crow by enlarging it many times over to create a threatening presence. The sculpture, with its life-like details and surfaces, combined with its formidable stature, ultimately challenges our place in the modern urban jungle and our sense of security within its borders.

Linda Mary Beech is a Vancouver-based artist. Her previous exhibitions include Specimen, Connective Tissue Collective, Gallery 1313, Toronto, 2002, Inside/Out, Bus Gallery, Toronto, 1999, and Balancing, Gallery 76, Toronto, 1999. The artist has a BA (Theatre) degree from Dalhousie University and an Associate's Degree (Sculpture) from the Ontario College of Arts and Design.