This time of year, people start thinking about togetherness, longing for those who are gone and reaching out to those still with us. That kind of closeness between family and friends is created by love and fostered by common ground. Art can be a part of that. The idea of art as common ground underpins the artist-run gallery concept: it brings artists and their community together. We unite to create and enjoy art. Our art helps tell our stories, which articulates our culture and connects us all.
Creating connections
Just the act of making art connects us to others. Many picture a solitary artist isolated in their studio, toiling away. It might start that way for some, but the artist must eventually emerge (along with the art created inside) to share with others. Or the artist must invite people in. In the art world, they are known as studio visits. Witnessing an artist at work is a unique opportunity to get to know them and their art.
Checking out the artistic process in person isn’t the only way to bond with your local artist. As our world is increasingly turning to virtual communication, artists often share their process through social media as well. Many Beaux Arts members are on platforms like Instagram where they share their thoughts, sketches, mood boards and works in progress with their followers. The art world can sometimes set people at a distance, so getting a peek behind the scenes helps art lovers feel included. Authentic connections are built and access to the visual arts is widened, two things we at Beaux Arts are committed to cultivating. They then feel more invested in the artists they admire. When we love things, it’s only natural to want to know more about them. We then seek out other like-minded people to share our passions with, both on and offline.
Conversing builds community
Viewing art collectively fosters community. The reception for our Members’ Winter Art Show and Sale (pictured above) is a prime example. Artists, their family, friends and other art lovers gathered together to celebrate and appreciate the finished works on display. Art parties aren’t all hobnobbing and snacking on delicious treats. It’s a chance to interact with diverse communities.
Artists get to talk to each other about the pieces they have on display and their artistic practice in general. Art lovers can discuss the show with each other and meet people with similar and dissimilar tastes. If you’re the curious type, it’s also a plum chance to discuss a piece with the artist who made it. Every artwork is a dialogue between the object and the viewer. That dialogue is enhanced when you can learn more about the piece. It’s also important for artists to know how people interpret their work.
It’s wonderful that a cultural space like Beaux Arts is publicly available; with Covid measures maintained with-in the gallery space as safe and live engagement to facilitate these creative conversations is very special indeed! The fact that Brampton has its own artist-run gallery is something we can all be proud of. Our city has its own vibe that can’t and shouldn’t be compared to other places; Beaux Arts is a part of that.
Support Beaux Arts in bringing people together through art, please give what you can through our website!
It’s a place all Bramptonians can engage with art and learn about what’s going on in our culture right now. Art lovers can expect more shows like From the Ashes, where we partnered with non-profit Hope 24/7 to raise awareness about violence against women. Unique workshops, pop-ups and seminar-style events are also coming, so stay tuned! In a way, this is nothing new. Art has been a vehicle for the exchange of information, ideas and cultures since the first cave paintings were drawn. Weaving a collective identity
Art is one of the ways we communicate our unique identities, from individual to national. A culture’s narrative fabric, the stories it tells about itself to the rest of the world, include its visual art. Each person is shaped by and contributes to that narrative. Even if you emigrate to another part of the world, when you meet a fellow countryman in your new home, you have a common thread that ties you together.
Art is a unifying force that can even outlast the culture it helps to define. We know as much as we do about past civilizations because of their art: their architecture, pottery, sculpture, clothing and paintings. Future generations will study the art made today in classrooms, galleries and museums. Through our artistic creations, scholars will glean how we lived and what we valued. Of course, now that we’ve put everything on the internet (including our art) their jobs will, hopefully, be easier. I think they’ll discover people who, despite the challenges they faced, stuck together.
We first need something to remind us of our commonalities if we are to combat any sense of disconnectedness. I believe that art can do that; I believe that art can bring people together.
Use the Members’ Winter Art Show and Sale to create your own moments of togetherness. You can share the link below with your loved ones and ask each other what your favourite pieces are and why and perhaps find one that you love and want to purchase! The show is up in the gallery (which reopens January 5th) and available for online viewing until January 22nd, 2022.
Support Beaux Arts in bringing people together through art, please give what you can through our website!
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