In November, the Land Matters series continues with two exhibitions that focus on different contemporary Canadian approaches in the representation of landscape.

"Identity is central to the representation and experience of landscape and artists address this connection in many ways," says Dr. Josephine Mills, Curator/Director. "Reference and Ground present two distinct
options that, when displayed at the same time, create counterpoints to each other.

"These exhibitions continue the U of L Art Gallery's goal to support and disseminate research in the visual arts as well as increase public access to our programs and contemporary art."

The opening reception for both exhibitions is Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Land Matters: Reference
This exhibition, in the Helen Christou Gallery from Oct. 31 to Jan. 9, addresses how official representations of history and biology in relation to land, often exclude disenfranchised identities. In addition to work by artists from the U of L Collection, the exhibition features two of Canada's best known performance artists, Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan's Lesbian Rangers. Lesbian National Parks and Services was founded in 1997 to insert a lesbian presence into the landscape. In full uniform, the Lesbian Rangers patrol parklands, challenging the general public's ideas of tourism, recreation and the "natural" environment.

Land Matters: Ground
In the U of L Main Gallery from Nov. 7 to Jan. 16, Land Matters: Ground focuses on artworks in which identity is part of the basis for the work and is enmeshed with other artistic concerns such as pattern, scale and colour. This exhibition includes selections from Patricia Deadman's "blanket" series, which continue her investigation of the relationship between land and culture, work by Calgary artist M.N. Hutchinson, and Vancouver artist Allyson Clay's series Each Wild Idea.