Monday, 29 August 2011

Polish sculptor recycles wood from the Kleinburg Forest

THE MCMICHAEL WELCOMES ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE RYSZARD LITWINIUK, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WOOD SCULPTOR

I approach wood with respect, conscious that my touch and each cut has a reason and consequence on the journey of uncovering inside secrets, riches and a beauty. Every tree has its own story to tell— and every little part of the trunk can give picture of the whole. — Ryszard Litwiniuk, Sculptor

For Immediate Release

August 29, 2011 Kleinburg, ON – The McMichael Canadian Art Collection proudly welcomes Ryszard Litwiniuk to the gallery as part of its Artists-in-Residence program. An internationally celebrated sculptor who works primarily in wood, Ryszard will be living and working on the grounds until September 16, 2011. During his month-long residency at the McMichael, Ryszard will create wood sculptures for outdoor display at the gallery, utilizing recycled ash and pine planks.
Born in Poland, Ryszard has resided in Ontario since 1998 and lives in Niagara Falls. His art is displayed in collections across Ontario, Canada, and the world in places such as the Cambridge Sculpture Garden, Ontario; The Tree Museum, Gravenhurst, Ontario; L’Office National des Forêts de la Meuse, Lorraine, France; City Hall, Asiago, Italy; and many others.
Ryszard received his Masters Degree of Fine Arts in 1992 from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, Poland, and has been involved in thirty-six international symposiums and projects throughout Europe, the Americas, and Asia. His signature sculpting style, characterized by dynamic geometrical shapes, has been honoured by many Canadian art establishments, including eleven solo exhibitions across Ontario at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Hart House’s Justine M. Barnicke Gallery, and most recently in 2008, the Art Gallery of Peel in Brampton, to name a few. Ryszard’s sculptures will be wonderful additions to the McMichael’s outdoor gallery spaces displaying a variety of art compositions in rock, bronze, and now wood.
Visitors to the gallery may catch the artist creating his sculptures outside the Woodchopper’s Shack.
Due to noise and safety levels with the tools his artwork requires, conversation with the artist-in-residence may be quite limited, but we invite all visitors to return on Sunday, October 2, when Ryszard will be offering a public talk about this project as part of the Culture Days and Doors Open Vaughan special event at the McMichael, with free admission and parking all weekend.



About the Work of Ryszard Litwiniuk

The sculptural work of Ryszard Litwiniuk is primarily created from wood, felled trees, occasionally utilizing steel as joinery, added not only as a method for its structural integrity, but facilitating in its aesthetic association. Litwiniuk's sculpture has been realized as site-specific installations, fabrications within the locale of the tree's origin with variable/minimal manipulation or reconstruction, utilizing power tools to facilitate a re-ordering of the tree's essence or structure. Ryszard Litwiniuk's signature works are the latter. It is within these works where he releases geometric forms from the inner core of the tree trunk, as ‘units within units’ where the indication of its very essence as revealed by the circular/rhythmic ‘evidence of life’ contrasts with the testimonial markings of the artist's tools. (Litwiniuk's main tool of choice is the chain saw.) —Ted Fullerton, Artist, Professor, Head of Fine Art, School of Design and Visual Art, Georgian College

About the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students and $30 for families. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery, visit www.mcmichael.com.

photograph: Metamorphosis
by Ryszard Litwiniuk

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For further information, contact:

Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: 905.893.1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: 416.489.5868
Cell: 416.801.3101
sweir@mcmichael.com
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