Opening reception: Saturday, January 7, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Adam Gunn: Regretté de tous
Text by Adam Gunn
I made these paintings in response to a prediction for a change in the colour of the sky and oceans as a consequence of man-made climate change. This idea described by Peter Ward in his book Under a Pale Green Sky is based on his study of the great mass extinction events of the past. For many of these extinction events the earth’s chemistry changed the sky to green and the oceans purple.
My personal memories are often tied to colour – my first recollection is of an orange cup being handed to me, and I can vividly remember the very first time I was able to wield colour with a red crayon. As a painter, I acutely feel the significance of this change in colour of the world’s landscapes. The blue of the sky and oceans seems to have always been and as if it always will be. Although I can imagine these colours changing, I think it is difficult to feel it as a reality from just a description. With these paintings I tried to make sense of this possibility through painting the colour of this new world. This different colour palette for nature could be very beautiful, but it would also be deadly, with no one left to see it.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
