Willow Rector : Trapped

TRAPPED features textile embroideries and sculptures drawn from two new bodies of work by visual artist Willow Rector that explore the complex question of identity as it is rooted in our experiences of sexuality, desire, the topography of home, and the cultural narratives of our national identities. In her TRAPPED series, Rector examines the influence that the Group of Seven has had on our understanding of the Canadian landscape. She questions the way our identities have been shaped by these iconic and mythical depictions of home. By juxtaposing animal pelts with embroidered allusions to works of the Group, she creates concrete representations of the intersection between cultural narratives and personal experiences of place. She suggests that the Group of Seven’s aesthetic has become “trapped” by its own beauty, and that this narrative is no longer sufficient to reflect the realities of contemporary Canadian life. (Publisher's website)