Julian Forrest 
Loss of Control
February 4 - 19, 2011
Opening Reception, Friday, Feb. 4th, 6-9pm
After by appointment

Loss Of Control is an exhibition of new paintings by Canadian artist, Julian Forrest.  This playful yet poignant look at masculinity and issues that arise in migratory oil-rich centres, like Alberta, offers viewers a chance to contemplate our continually evolving landscape.

In northern Canadian cities like Edmonton, Calgary, or Fort McMurray (often called Texas North), where oil-rich communities and oil-based industry attract migratory young men, issues of conflict, gender imbalance, and transient populations are at the fore.  In Loss Of Control, Forrest explores the implicit tensions inherent within this phenomenon (masculinity, power, violence, place) by dissecting pop culture produced imagery, and ultimately (re)interpreting the narratives of these historical and broadly relevant moments.

Julian Forrest received his BFA from Mount Allison University and his MFA from the University of Alberta.  In addition to their inclusion in the 2007 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art, his paintings have been shown provincially, nationally, and internationally and are represented in several provincial and private permanent collections.  Julian Forrest is currently Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta.