An exhibition in Galleries I and II, April 5 – May 10, 2024

Reception/Meet the Artist: Saturday April 6, 2pm-4pm

From April 5 to May 10, Sivarulrasa Gallery is delighted to present Michael Pittman: The Hinterlands, a solo exhibition of new works by artist Michael Pittman. Born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Michael Pittman’s work examines elements of Newfoundland and Labrador’s history, vernacular cultures, and folklore through a contemporary lens.

The show title “Hinterlands” references the periphery of what is understood and inhabited, both in terms of physical landscape and human psychology. Michael Pittman’s paintings are multi-faceted and multi-layered, presenting isolated landscapes, abandoned buildings, ghostly figures, and fragmented realities. The works explore themes of grief, trauma, hardship, resilience, and survival. “The onset of crises can pry open a psychological void into which familiar things may fall and lose meaning”, he says.

Michael Pittman holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Memorial University, and a practice-led research Masters degree on the visual culture of Newfoundland and Labrador from the Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland. In 2012, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery curated a significant solo exhibition of his artwork comprised of over 5 years of visual explorations. In 2013 he was a semi-finalist for the Sobey Art Award, Canada’s pre-eminent award for contemporary Canadian art and, in 2014, his work was included in a comprehensive exhibition of Newfoundland and Labrador artists at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. His work was exhibited in Venice, Italy as part of the Benetton Foundation’s Imago Mundi collection at the 2017 Venice Biennale, and in 2018 his work was included in Future Possible, an ambitious exhibition which culminated in the first major art historical survey of the province. In 2021, he was invited to participate in the Bonavista Biennale alongside some of the most exciting names in contemporary art. Over the past decade, Michael Pittman has been the recipient of multiple grants and awards for his artwork. His works are held in many private and public collections, including The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, the City of St. John’s, the Waterford Institute of Technology, and Memorial University.

The artist gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Reception/Meet the Artist: Saturday April 6, 2pm-4pm. Artist Michael Pittman will be in attendance.

Contact the Gallery: Call 613-256-8033 or email [email protected] for queries about the works below, or visit our Virtual Gallery.