ACCIDENTAL LANDSCAPE

Concept

Accidental Landscape is an exercise in pushing art into public view so that it literally becomes part of citizens’ daily landscape. 10 paintings are attached to trees around Kingston, featuring depictions of ‘iconic’ Canadian calendar-type nature images. Ben Darrah uses the juxtaposition of idealized nature images with the local setting to invite contemplation of how the public identifies with this natural capital. In addition by presenting 10 painting outside a gallery setting, the artist invites the viewers to consider how art behaves outside artistic institutions and whether it affects peoples perception of whether the works function as art or not.

Each art work is accompanied by a note which lists a blog address. The blog features locations of other pieces in the series, as well as opportunities for the public to leave comments directly for the artist. Accidental Landscape blog.

Documentation

Temporary Public Art Project- Ben Darrah from kingston arts council on Vimeo.

Gallery

Artist

Ben Darrah is a Kingston-based artist and educator who mixes orphaned imagery, found materials, and abstract grounds to create two and three dimensional works that speak of our relationship with our environment and our understanding of perception.

Ben Darrah was born in London, England, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. He attended the University of Alberta (BFA sculpture) and the University of Windsor (MFA painting) and Queen’s University, (B.Ed). Darrah has worked as a curator, gallery manager, post-secondary instructor (including at Queen’s and St. Lawrence College), freelance art writer, not-for-profit arts administrator and an elementary teacher with the Limestone District School Board. Darrah’s work can be found in collections across Canada, United States and Europe.

Ben Darrah website