The Penticton Art Gallery has announced that renowned artist and environmentalist, Robert Bateman is coming to the gallery for a rare exhibition and series of talks.
The exhibition, which launches July 5 and will run until Sept. 14, will feature over 80 original works from Bateman’s personal collection titled “Unexpected Bateman.”
Claude Roberto, president of the Board of the Penticton Art Gallery, says having this exhibition come to Penticton is “an outstanding achievement.”
“Bateman is one of the most famous wildlife artists in the world,” Roberto notes.
He has had numerous sell-out exhibitions in Canada, the US and Great Britain, including an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.
Bateman has several honours, awards and honorary doctorates. He also received the Officer of the Order of Canada.
“Viewers will get a chance to see works that have never been exhibited before and that span his career as an artist, starting from the age of 12 with a painting of an Elk that he did for his mother, to one that he did last year of Glaucous-winged Gulls,” the PAG says in a release.
Bateman, 94, is still actively painting and will be in Penticton for the opening on July 5.
He will also be available for a talk and book singing at the Cleland Theatre on Saturday, July 6 at 7 pm.
Paul Crawford, curator, says the exhibition seeks to go beneath the surface offering a “comprehensive exploration” of Bateman’s creative process, his commitment to activism and his artistic development.
“The exhibition Unexpected Bateman is named to challenge and expand the common perceptions of Robert Bateman's creative practice,” explains Crawford.
“Initially, many may categorize Bateman solely as a wildlife artist, largely based on his widely recognized prints. This superficial understanding often overlooks the depth and evolution of his creative journey.”
Tickets for Robert Bateman’s talk and book signing on Saturday, July 6 at the Cleland Theatre are $20 plus service fees and are available through the SOEC Box Office.
