<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Avenir Next";}
@font-face
{font-family:"Avenir Light";}
@font-face
{font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";}
@font-face
{font-family:"Avenir 55";}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="104%" style="width:104.0%;margin-left:-3.25pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:143.1pt">
<td width="62%" valign="top" style="width:62.5%;padding:0in 5.75pt 0in 5.75pt;height:143.1pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:51.95pt"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:51.95pt"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><img width="365" height="362" style="width:3.802in;height:3.7708in" id="Picture_x0020_11" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D84E56.2C9E5E80"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Robin Hodgson<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Sailing Pretty Close to the Wind</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">acrylic, latex, oil stick, spray paint on birch panel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">152.4 x 152.4 cms<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="37%" valign="top" style="width:37.5%;padding:0in 5.75pt 0in 5.75pt;height:143.1pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55"">MEDIA RELEASE</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55"">
<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55"">For immediate release from
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55"">Kamloops Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black">April 13, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><img width="226" height="98" style="width:2.3541in;height:1.0208in" id="Picture_x0020_12" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D84E56.2C9E5E80"></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55";color:white">Robin Hodgson</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Avenir 55""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:16.0pt">Sailing Pretty Close to the Wind<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The Cube<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">April 23 to June 18, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">In a new group of paintings, Kamloops artist Robin Hodgson investigates the psychological and emotional nature of post-able-body life. Through his large-scale colourful compositions, Hodgson incorporates
autobiographical moments with broader narratives about the global pandemic. Health and life challenges have been heightened for everyone during the pandemic; through his new work Hodgson explores his personal physical and psychological well-being in relation
to those in similar situations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk100064412"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">The exhibition title,
<i>Sailing Pretty Close to the Wind</i>, plays on a common aphorism that recalls the story of Icarus flying too close to the sun and refers to actions on the edge of acceptable behaviour. In the artist’s case, living on the edge as a young person resulted in
a life-long disability</span></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">. This selection of work combines abstraction and representational imagery in which Hodgson looks back on his life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">Hodgson’s paintings are intuitive, with spontaneous application and vigorous brush strokes often layered over areas of fine detail and text. These layers reveal and evoke ideas reconsidered or
purposefully left obscured, yet not entirely erased, suggesting a past left behind but not forgotten. Compositionally, Hodgson’s work is influenced by the drama and symbolism of Renaissance painting. His process builds on the practice and subconscious imagery
of other artists of influence, including Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907–1954). Through his experimental and adaptive painting process, Hodgson seeks not only to transcend his disability but to find a connection between himself and the viewer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">Hodgson creates conceptual paintings where the process and the outcome are equally important, and he often experiments with new devices and tools to paint beyond the scale of his own body movements.
Working from a wheelchair, he has invented and adapted a number of tools to overcome his mobility restrictions, with the additional help of his assistants. His continued experimentation aims to develop a painting style unique to his disability, while expanding
on the already existing history of notable artists within the disabled community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt">Robin Hodgson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Thompson Rivers University. In 2019, Hodgson received the Kamloops Mayor’s Award for the Arts as Emerging Artist of the Year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Curated by Craig Willms, Assistant Curator, Kamloops Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Please direct all media inquiries to Craig Willms, Assistant Curator, Kamloops Art Gallery, (250) 377-2406 or
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:cwillms@kag.bc.ca"><span style="color:blue">cwillms@kag.bc.ca</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:JA"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">@kamloopsartgallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">About the Kamloops Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Founded in 1978, the Kamloops Art Gallery offers inspiring, provocative and transformative art experiences of national caliber. Located in Secwepemcúlecw, it is the largest art gallery
in the Interior of British Columbia and boasts a collection of over 3,000 works of art. With more than 12 exhibitions every year, the Gallery offers diverse, accessible and affordable experiences including talks, tours and studio-based programming for people
of all ages and abilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><img border="0" width="830" height="48" style="width:8.6458in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.png@01D84E56.2C9E5E80" alt="signature_1840475354"></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next";letter-spacing:1.0pt">CRAIG WILLMS [he/him]
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next";letter-spacing:1.0pt">ASSISTANT CURATOR</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Avenir Next";color:#222A35"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next";letter-spacing:1.0pt"><a href="mailto:cwillms@kag.bc.ca">cwillms@kag.bc.ca</a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Avenir Next";color:#222A35;letter-spacing:1.0pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next";color:#222A35;letter-spacing:1.0pt"> <br>
250.377.2400 </span><span style="font-family:"Avenir Next";letter-spacing:1.0pt">x 2406<span style="color:#222A35"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.65pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next";color:#222A35"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.65pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Next";color:#222A35"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt">KAMLOOPS ART GALLERY<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt">101 – 465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt">250.377.2400 | </span><a href="http://www.kag.bc.ca/"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt">www.kag.bc.ca</span></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt"> </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50;letter-spacing:1.0pt">The Kamloops Art Gallery is situated on the traditional unceded lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc
within Secwepemcúl’ecw; the traditional territory of the Secwépemc people.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Avenir LT Std 35 Light";color:#333F50"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>