A Tale of Two Artists: Prints by John Brent Bennett and Bill Reid
John Brent Bennett and Bill Reid never met, yet their lives and experiences have some interesting parallels. This tale of an acknowledged master and a blossoming talent shows how new aesthetic forms develop when the past is seen through the lens of the present.
Artist Biographies
John Brent Bennett (b. 1980) Haida Name: Yaahl U’waans, Xuud Juujuu, Xuud Juujuu U'waans
John Brent Bennett completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design (2003) and a Master of Fine Arts from Concordia University, Montreal (2009). John has also worked under the guidance of James Hart, Reg Davidson and Robert Davidson on various projects.
Through the use of traditional design elements and digital technology, Bennett explores what it means to be a Haida artist in the twenty-first century. His recent prints revisit traditional Haida art forms to explore a personal narrative. Bennett has participated in 26 group exhibitions and 1 solo exhibition and his work is held in 23 private and public collections including the Haida Gwaii Museum, Canadian Museum of Civilization and the National Library in Quebec.
Bill Reid (1920 – 1998) Haida Name: Illjuwaas, Yaahl Sgwaansing
Bill Reid completed a classic European goldsmithing apprenticeship at the Ryerson Institute of Technology, while working as a radio broadcaster at CBC, Toronto. Other than a ten day carving apprenticeship in Victoria with Kwakwaka’wakw carver Mungo Martin, Reid was largely a self-taught artist. He was introduced to the work of his ancestors such as Charles Gladstone, his grandfather, John Cross, and his great-great-uncle Charles Edenshaw whose work he emulated.
In the decades that followed, Reid brought Haida art to new levels and the enduring power of his works constitutes his global legacy today. Reid received nine honorary degrees from Canadian Universities and his work has been exhibited and collected internationally.
Exhibition Dates
April 9, 2010 to July 11, 2010
