On Friday night I attended the opening of the Joan Jonas exhibition We Come From the Sea at Eltuek Arts Centre. The place was jammed from wall to wall with people, many who had traveled from great distances to be there for Joan’s first big Nova Scotia opening.
Not that I know her, because I don’t, but I was Joan adjacent numerous times this weekend as I traveled, once again, to the west side of the Island with Erika Shea, the deeply kind and compassionate President/CEO of New Dawn, and her colleague Ardelle Reynolds. I went to high school with Ardelle and I find her to be a wonderful conversationalist - smart as a whip as well as insightful and funny.
August art pilgrimages have become a tradition for us and this is our third in a row. We were in Inverness because Joan was also opening her exhibition at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts. This opening was crammed as well and it was clear that Jonas was on home turf here, surrounded by her people. She has lived part time in Inverness County for more than fifty years and she expressed her gratitude to the place and the people for helping shape her work.
Both openings were beautiful events and I was pleased to be there, pleased to be Joan adjacent, although I didn't speak to her. I just stood next to her and smiled when our eyes met. I am rather socially awkward, and I find these big events with crowds of people to be fairly overwhelming. Joan is almost 90 and barely reaches my shoulder, but she has a large presence, a steady commanding voice, and a strong personal style. I can tell you without hesitation that she is formidable.
Some of the people I knew at the Inverness opening were mentioning that they felt awed by seeing Joan Jonas sitting next to Philip Glass in Inverness on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I didn’t see Glass and Jonas sitting together but I did see Philip Glass, now at a very advance age, leaving the opening with the support of family and friends while I was sitting outside speaking with Fenn Martin, an acquaintance from my BFA days, now faculty at St.FX.
It was a true pleasure to speak with Fenn and a true and rare pleasure to be in the presence of contemporary art giants like Glass and Jonas. I was also thrilled to see my beautiful, gifted friend Caitrian MacNeil at the opening. As we were walking together through the gallery, headed over to greet our friend Carrie Karsgaard, people kept stopping us to say: “You look beautiful Cat!” She did, she always does!
In the flurry of art opening elbow rubbing, I kept being invited to the after party by people I ran into. David Diviney, a curator at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia even made it a point to write down the address for me on a card, but we still didn’t go. The group I was travelling with preferred the beach and so we went to the beach. It was a beautiful, clear, hot sunny day and the water was refreshing - not too warm, not too cold. I swam next to a lady named Susan from Whycocomaugh who told me that it was her first time swimming in the ocean because she was facing a fear. I told her that I thought she was very brave to tackle her fear of the ocean head on in such a way. She was too nervous to stay in the waves by herself so we exited the surf together and said our goodbyes as we approached dry land.
I thought later, when I was back at home and writing in my journal, that I probably should have figured out a way to get to the after party. Honestly, though, I was all socialized out and I also think that bobbing on a gentle sea was a fitting way to end a weekend in which the beauty, mystery and importance of our oceans and seas was a central feature.
Thank you Joan! Your sense of playful stroy telling, sensitivity to the centrality and importance of our dance with the natural world, and the generosity evident in your work won’t be forgotten by anyone who was in the room on Sunday.
PS - I had a fantastic dinner and long winding talk with artists and emeritus NSCAD faculty Bob Bean and Barbara Lounder on Thursday night by the light of a hazy red sunset. It is always a joy to spend time with such well read, interesting and thoughtful people. They are so inspiring and I was happy we could meet before the frenzy of the opening at Eltuek.
PPS - I saw the sculptor John Macnab for the first time in many many years at the opening in Inverness and I was absolutely delighted to see him. We used to have studios down the hall from one another on the Halifax waterfront. John introduced me to the film maker Neal Livingston, who seems like a character and a half. So much fun! I also ran into artist duo Erik Moskowitz and Amanda Trager at both openings. I loved their installation Double Song Portrait at Eltuek two years ago. It was my favourite exhibition installed there up to this point. I think they are lovely people too!
PPPS - Cape Breton fiddle royalty, Ashley MacIsaac, played for us! How lucky were we?
