SB Contemporary Art showcases Windsor in new exhibit


Jason Rankin
LANCE WRITER

indsor is the star of SB Contemporary Art’s new show Finding Place. Opening June 16, the exhibit features the work of local artist Elaine Carr and Charles Meanwell.

“Carr’s focus in this latest body of work is featured around the Windsor landscape and specifically the Detroit River,” said Sarah Beveridge, curator and founder of SB Contemporary Art. “A lot of the current works that she’s focused on really specifically looks at how this river intersects with the lands here.”

Carr’s interest in waterways comes from her history. Her father was a shipbuilder in Scotland. “She grew up looking at these maps of waterways as well as these different ships that were built. So she’s really built a lot of her work on that research,” said Beveridge.

“Elaine Carr is using a combination of materials, where she’s using plaster and photographic transfers, and she’s also looking at aerial views– sort of like topography, almost maps.”

Meanwell inserts himself into what he’s painting, whether it’s the neighbourhoods of Windsor or the countryside of Essex. “His works are characterized by sparse, energetic brushwork and bold composition– utilizing the bare ground of wood panel in the composition,” said Beveridge.

“Charles, having come from Windsor, has been coming down over the past few months to paint here in Windsor … he was interested in coming back and doing some work specifically based on our area and the surroundings.”

Beveridge thinks that contemporary art focuses on what currently interests the artist. The environment is a resonating theme because of the shifts in the world.

“If we look at the landscape in Essex County and the addition over a very short amount of time of all the different wind turbines, that’s a massive shift that we’ve seen. That landscape will never appear the same as it once did.”

SB Contemporary Art has had the opportunity to host artists from around the world. Finding Place, however, represents a chance for local artists to shine right at home.

“There is a body of artists here that are exhibiting on an ongoing basis not only in our area, but are exhibiting internationally and across Canada,” said Beveridge, “and I think that’s important for us as Windsorites to be aware of not only the message that they’re taking from here, but how far it’s also carrying.”