Paterson Ewen
KORPER OLGA Gallery
17 Morrow Avenue Toronto, Canada M6R 2H9
416-538-8220 e-mail:
June 10 > July 15, 2017
 Paterson Ewen, Chinese Dragons in the Milky Way, 1997 stain on planed plywood 96" x 138" |
 Paterson Ewen, Off-Centre, 1992 coloured steel, spikes and acrylic on gouged plywood 93" x 96" |
 Paterson Ewen, Solar Symphony #3, 1996 watercolour on handmade paper 20" x 24" |
 Paterson Ewen, Milky Way in Stone, 1997 roofing tar, granite, marble on planed and routed plywood 96" x 138" |
The Olga Korper Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of work from the estate of artist Paterson Ewen. The exhibition features classic examples of Paterson’s gouged plywood paintings, watercolours and sledgehammer pastel drawings.
From the 1960’s, Paterson’s aggressive physical approach to painting redefined the way contemporary Canadian art was seen. Tall, broad, and imposing, Paterson took to painting on a massive scale, he added pieces of granite or metal or nails to his compositions, gouged trenches out of panels of plywood, and painted them with expressive sky-scapes, celestial bodies, moving wind or driving rain which, once complete, exude an unmistakable sense of power.
Even Paterson’s drawings, done in watercolour or pastel, have the rough edges of something cultivated by hand. His watercolours are on thick hand-made paper, his pastel drawings are from the ‘sledgehammer series’, explosions of colour quite literally applied to paper with the strong arm and swift swing of the artist as he towered over his table.
The brilliance of Paterson’s work is in its expressiveness. He touches on forces – the milky way, the solar system, burning stars and weather patterns – that are at once terrifying and beautiful. Each piece is a kind of dance between the surface and the viewer, they turn the depths of space into colour and light, and in the considering allow safe passage across the universe.
From the 1960’s, Paterson’s aggressive physical approach to painting redefined the way contemporary Canadian art was seen. Tall, broad, and imposing, Paterson took to painting on a massive scale, he added pieces of granite or metal or nails to his compositions, gouged trenches out of panels of plywood, and painted them with expressive sky-scapes, celestial bodies, moving wind or driving rain which, once complete, exude an unmistakable sense of power.
Even Paterson’s drawings, done in watercolour or pastel, have the rough edges of something cultivated by hand. His watercolours are on thick hand-made paper, his pastel drawings are from the ‘sledgehammer series’, explosions of colour quite literally applied to paper with the strong arm and swift swing of the artist as he towered over his table.
The brilliance of Paterson’s work is in its expressiveness. He touches on forces – the milky way, the solar system, burning stars and weather patterns – that are at once terrifying and beautiful. Each piece is a kind of dance between the surface and the viewer, they turn the depths of space into colour and light, and in the considering allow safe passage across the universe.
Opening :
Saturday June 17th from 2-5pm.
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Opening hours :
Tuesday - Saturday 10am-6pm or by appointment
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