麻豆传媒AV

The Stories They Tell Us, a Mask and Puppetry Exhibition, drew a crowd to the Chapel Gallery in North Battleford for an artists' reception Saturday.

Seven of the 15 contributing artists were on hand, and one contributor offered up a theatrical puppetry presentation.

The fantastical exhibit, which will be on display until March 2, features creations in such media as clay, wood carvings, steel, glass, fabric, papier mâché, soapstone and recycled material. The show went up in December.

Leah Garven, curator and manager of galleries for the City of North Battleford, told the reception patrons, "It took me a couple of weeks to kind of get a sense that all these characters have these quiet voices and they are chattering all the time."

Garven also said, "The exhibition has made several twists and turns from the original vision Michael Brokop, the previous curator, had for this exhibit. This was an exhibit that he had envisioned and had a lot of passion for it."

Work by Brokop, who retired in 2012, is included in the exhibition.

"Although it's taken a turn, it largely remains true to the concept," said Garven. "The world of puppetry was added to the exhibition, which adds the notion of animated art."

Garven said including puppets in the exhibition afforded the opportunity to incorporate movement, storyline and theatrical presentation into the ensemble.

"I would like to thank Sherron Burns for her suggestion to include puppets in the exhibition," said Garven, "and for her promotion of the exhibit and sharing her contacts to other puppeteers and artists who submitted these pieces to the exhibition."

She said the exhibition would not have happened if not for Burns' enthusiasm and Brokop's vision.

"It's been a wonderful show pulled together by a great number of people, she said, acknowledging the City of North Battleford, the Battlefords Allied Arts Council and RBC Dominion Securities.

She also asked for a round of applause for the gallery staff who helped put the show together and organized the reception.

"By you coming here tonight they feel really invigorated."

Garven also said it was a pleasure to be introduced to the contributing artists, some through email and telephone conversations. Artists able to attend that evening were Chris Hodge, Michael Brokop and Sherron Burns of the Battlefords, James Korpan of Saskatoon, Marianne Taubensee of Paynton, Angela Edmunds of Saskatoon and Kevin Bendig of Big River.

Other contributing artists are Paula Cooley, Lee Fuller and Sandra Afseth of Saskatoon, Tamara Unroe of Tugaske, Douglas Witt of the Northwest Territories, Chrystene Ells of Regina and the late Lee Baker of Saskatoon.

The reception featured a performance by the Collective Voice Theatre premiering a new puppet show called Swimming to Agassiz: A Creation Story. Created by Sherron Burns, the performance explores memory, tall tales and legends through the wonder of puppet and mask. Performing with Burns were Birgit Lessing, Kjelti Anderson, Lecia Kozak, Pam Hanna and Robert D. Dolan.

Burns said the Collective Voice Theatre has been working together for about three years. Creating a performance such as that evening's comes from having a heart for stories, and open spirit for bringing together different mechanisms, she said. Then they see how it comes alive through that kind of play.

The evening concluded with music from Raven She Hollers.