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<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">For Immediate Release
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">New Art Installation at Kelowna International Airport (YLW)<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Steve Mennie: Semiotically Speaking<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">June 2023 to June 2024<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">at the Kelowna International Airport (YLW)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">June 13, 2023 – Kelowna, BC:
</span></b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The next time you’re travelling through Kelowna International Airport be sure to stop and look up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Above the airline check-in area, visitors can now see a series of paintings by Salmon-Arm-based artist
<b>Steve Mennie</b> featured in the 40-foot-long exhibition space organized by the Kelowna Art Gallery.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Titled
<i>Semiotically Speaking</i>, these works highlight the artist's interest in signs and symbols (semiotics) and take a closer look at how we use them to communicate ideas. Have you ever stared at something that’s very familiar for long enough that it begins
to look strange? In a similar way, airport visitors will encounter examples of common road signs that, when taken out of their regular context, may cause them to scratch their heads and think, “how’d we ever decide that this is supposed to represent this idea?”
To add to his examination of symbols, Mennie has included his own playful commentary in the form of text-based painted signage.
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Through his stylistic approach rooted in realism and his unique sense of humour, Steve Mennie challenges viewers to interpret the meaning behind the icons, imagery, and
text present on the everyday signs we encounter. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Semiotically Speaking</span></i><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> is presented at the Kelowna International Airport until June of
2024.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Born in Revelstoke, BC, Steve Mennie completed his formal studies at the Ontario College of Art (now OCAD University). Afterwards, he worked for many years as a freelance
illustrator and commercial artist in Toronto. Later, Mennie returned to British Columbia, where he began his career painting “en plein air” in a high realist style. He has twice been commissioned by Canada Post to design commemorative postage stamps. Mennie’s
work is held in both public and private collections across Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoPlainText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">- 30 –<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Images<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Installation photographs of
<i>Steve Mennie:</i> </span><i><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Semiotically Speaking
</span></i><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">at the Kelowna International Airport, June 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Steve Mennie,
<i>Ways of Seeing, Ways of Being</i> (detail), 1992, acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of the artist.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Resources</span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Webpage:
<a href="https://kelownaartgallery.com/steve-mennie/">https://kelownaartgallery.com/steve-mennie/</a><span style="color:#666666"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">IG:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/">https://www.instagram.com/kelownaartgallery/</a><span style="color:#666666"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">To arrange for an interview with Steve Mennie or Curator Christine May, or for additional high-res images, please contact:<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Joshua Desnoyers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Marketing and Events Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Kelowna Art Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">1315 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9R3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">250-762-2226 ext. 305<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:josh@kelownaartgallery.com">josh@kelownaartgallery.com</a>
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<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.kelownaartgallery.com">www.kelownaartgallery.com</a>
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