Kyle Scheurmann: Falling Stars Made of Ashes
Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, BC - Sep 14 – 28
Among the lessons learned from our current climate crisis is the effect forest fires are having on what we once thought was independent of human activity—namely, the weather. Today, “fire weather” is a thing, and to be an artist whose forests include flames is to be a history painter, a chronicler of the Anthropocene. Cowichan/Syilx artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun’s recent paintings feature burning trees. As do the forests of Kyle Scheurmann.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1988, Scheurmann completed a BFA at Ontario College of Art and Design University in 2013, and an MFA at Emily Carr University in 2018. Following that, he worked remotely in deep woods studios, closer to his forest subjects. In 2019, he participated as the Eden Grove artist-in-residence at the Fairy Creek Blockade on unceded Pacheedaht territory, where he served as a journalist and legal witness to the conflict between law enforcement and forest protectors fighting to save some of Canada’s last remaining old-growth forests.
For his debut solo show at Bau-Xi, Scheurmann shares in his artist’s statement that he didn’t want any fire paintings in the exhibition. “Then I woke up on May 12th, six weeks into painting this show, and smoke filled the air around my studio in Southwestern Ontario. I could smell it before I even opened my eyes in bed that morning. At the time of writing this, I’m watching Jasper burn. A third of their community lost with more hot weather on the way. It was naïve of me to think I could open a show in Vancouver during peak fire season without hanging paintings that reflect our wildfire reality.
Opening reception Sep 14, 2–4pm
Artist talk Sep 15, 1 pm
