User:GRAHAM METSON

GRAHAM METSON Leaving his native London in 1968 Graham Metson arrived in North America with a Rolls Royce,a body of accomplished work, two young sons, a great wealth of optimism. With a dramatic sense of occasion, Metson sold off most of his worldly possessions in London to acquire the elegant car and become “The artist as a Star” The satirical piece was also a highly imaginative calling card. With a ten year exhibition record in Britain and on the continent behind him, Metson lectured, taught, and exhibited in various universities and art schools throughout the eastern and southern United States from 1968- 1972. During this busy period of his life, he used the constant challenges of new contexts to generate diverse works in painting, drawing, installations and performance. Exhibitions were mounted and events staged at commercial galleries and museums from Georgia to New york and from Chicago to Paris, culminating in a exhibition at The Institute Of Contemporary Art in London in 1972 Several of Metson’s inter media activities gained him the critical notice that often eluded his painting. In particular, the ambitious project. Blood networks a symbolic and literal giving of Blood by the art community, was hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and received enthusiastic attention Metson with much help developed this project into an international occasion where galleries ringing the world held a blood giving on the same date Subsequently Metson’s, photo-work, Rebirth a metaphorical return to the womb of Mother Earth, also gained him a visible place in contemporary art. a reproduction of Rebirth was first published in Jack Burnham's widely read book Great Western Saltworks It was also published in Lucy Lippard’s Overlay a study of the relationships between contemporary art and ancient cultures of 1982 A book that is still used in art schools today While in London exhibiting at The I.C.A. Graham Metson was invited to teach at Nova Scotia College of Art and he and his two sons took up residence in Halifax. Nova Scotia becoming a Canadian citizen. In 1976 he married photographer / Lawyer Cheryl Lean. Since emigrating to Canada Metson has exhibited regularly across Canada and Internationally compiled three books of Canadian cultural history* curated exhibitions, presented performance pieces and participated the Banff Center activities as visitor, participant and in 1991 as the summer head of the visual arts programme. In 1976 Ron Shuebrook curated wrote the catalogue essay for a retrospective of Graham Metson Paintings at St. Mary's University. Halifax. Nova Scotia. Canada. Graham Metson moved froM Halifax Nova Scotia in 1986 to Montreal where he has made his home and maintained a studio D From1990 - 2004 hedivided his time between Ottawa and Montreal. Teaching Painting and Drawing at Concordia University in Montreal and occasionally at University of Ottawa. In 1996 Carleton University Art Gallery hosted a 40 year retrospective of Graham Metson's Photomontage including images taken with him to East Berlin in 1956 where he met John Heartfield. In May 2002 Metson was the featured artist of the 50th Anniversary annual Ottawa Tulip Festival held at Musee Montcalm Ottawa/Hull Quebec. The Tulip Festival attract over a million visitors to Ottawa each year In May 2002 Graham Metson participated in "Memories and Testimonies" curated by Dr Loren Lerner a group exhibition exploring the experience of exile or displacement as felt by immigrant artists arriving in Canada The exhibition can be seen at the Ellen Art University. Concordia University. Montreal. Quebec. Carleton University Art Gallery. Ottawa. Ontario. The Hart House. University of Toronto and other venues across Canada In the summer of 2003 Graham Metson and Cheryl Lean moved from Ottawa to Prince Edward County Ontario where he keeps a busy schedule in his spacuious new studio Graham Metson is represented by Gallery De Novo. Ketchum. Idaho Han Art. Montreal. Quebec. Oeno Gallery.. Carrying Place Ontario Studio 21. Halifax. Nova Scotia. . Virginia Miller Gallery. Coral Gables. Florida... Victoria Boyce Galleries. Tucson and Phoenix. Arizona His work can be seen on line at grahammetson.com. Metson's work is the subject of numberous articles and reviews. HUGO ADAMI