unheralded artists of BC

Posted by Daniela Elza on Apr 13 2010

I am always curious about the tensions between art and society. What is accepted, who accepts it, who guards the status quo, who holds the art power. Why some are in, some are out? So, of course, I am also excited to see this new series unfold. Mother Tongue Publishing has put out two books in their Unheralded Artists of BC series, with a third one on its way. Here is an introductory movie about it.

There will be a reading on April 21st in North Vancouver from The Life & Art of Frank Molnar, Jack Hardman & LeRoy Jensen (#2 book in the series) by two of the authors Eve Lazarus and Claudia Cornwall. For more details click on the pdf poster here:

N. Van Library reading

Charles Mayrs, (Painter and artist/writer/publisher of fine press books) says:

“I admire the courage of Mother Tongue Publishing for having the foresight and integrity to produce a series of insightful biographies of excellent BC artists who have been basically ignored by British Columbia’s inbred art community. These unheralded artists may not turn out to be Van Gogh’s but they are and were, serious and passionate professionals who spent their lives creating art of utmost importance. To me, these dedicated artists are not well-known, not because of their work, but because during their lifetime they refused to cozy up to the elite art scene. It would be a shame that they could pass into oblivion without the people of BC and Canada being able to appreciate their impressive works of art. A salute to Mona Fertig and Mother Tongue Publishing for bringing their work to our attention.”

Letia Richardson, (curator and writer, First Class: Four Graduates from the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts, 1929.) says:

“It is too easy to dismiss historical British Columbian art as insignificant. Work created prior to the 1970’s tends to be relegated to the unimportant bin. Although unknown, many artists from the late nineteenth century through to the twentieth century laid the foundations for current art to flourish. Mona Fertig’s new book series Unheralded Artists of BC will do a great deal to change our collective amnesia.”

How wonderful to also see The Life & Art of Frank Molnar, Jack Hardman & LeRoy Jensen on Daily s-Press.

Dorothee Lang, editor of BluePrintReview, an English-language online literary journal based in Germany, began this blog in March this year “to review new books of poetry and prose from small independent presses. The site looks beyond the usual university press prizewinners to showcase innovative writers and publishers.”

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