From now until Dec. 22, nearly 100 works of art from the 麻豆传媒 and University of King鈥檚 College communities will be on display at the 麻豆传媒 Art Gallery.
The 69th annual Student, Staff, Faculty and Alumni (SSFA) exhibition features all types of art 鈥� paintings, textiles, videos, sculptures 鈥� from 10 students, 13 staff, 12 faculty, and 22 alumni representing the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Architecture, Engineering, Health, and Medicine, Facilities Management, Dal Libraries, and more.
鈥淚 hope people recognize the diversity of people they might know, but didn鈥檛 know they made sculptures or quilts,鈥� says Pamela Edmond, the gallery鈥檚 director and curator. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also multigenerational 鈥� from students to retired faculty. Visitors are always surprised by the range of work and the diverse creative skills that people have.鈥�
Related reading: The social life of art: Get to know Pamela Edmonds, the 麻豆传媒 Art Gallery's director and curator
While the exhibition is non-juried 鈥� meaning that pieces are not selected or curated but submitted through an open call for works 鈥� clear themes emerge each year.听
Visitors are first greeted by a collection of landscape pieces. Another section features works on the theme of spirituality, mandalas and energies. There are sections for psychedelic art, collage work, portraits, and pieces inspired by plants and flowers.
Below are a few pieces in the exhibition, which is open Wednesday to Sunday each week. Visit the for more information.
Melanie Zurba, The Two Foxes Within
Melanie Zurba is an associate professor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies and College of Sustainability and head of the .
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听Related reading: Meet Melanie Zurba, social scientist
鈥淎rt has always been a part of my life. I come from a very artistically oriented family, but because of my academic pursuits, it鈥檚 kind of ebbed and flowed. I would say right now, it鈥檚 in full flow,鈥� says Zurba, who submitted two pieces to this year鈥檚 exhibition.
Her first ceramic piece, The Two Foxes Within, features one fox pulling at a fishing net found at Peggy鈥檚 Cove (ghost gear) while the other sits off to the side in contemplation.
鈥淭he piece is actually a bit of a self-portrait,鈥� says Zurba. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a reflection of my own experience as an environmental professional, where sometimes I feel like I know exactly what I need to do, but it comes with a lot of emotion. It comes with determination, hope, anger, and maybe some frustration.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 someone who also believes in regard for more than the human world, so in a way I hope that my work shows that it鈥檚 not just our struggle but their struggle too.鈥�
The clay used for the sculptures was foraged from the Parrsboro area in the Bay of Fundy. After the exhibition, Zurba plans to return to photograph the foxes there.
Zurba鈥檚 second piece, Fissured, is a raku-fired ceramic piece using cord and driftwood. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 have as much of a narrative as the foxes, but it does convey a message about being human and looking at our connection to the environment. While at times broken, it is still very much there, interlaced and interconnected.鈥�
For a behind-the-scenes look at how the pieces were made, check out
Sakshi Walia, Roses
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Sakshi Walia is a third-year psychology student and a two-time contributor to the SSFA.
Her first acrylic on canvas piece, Roses, was inspired by Valentine鈥檚 Day with an underlying theme.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not so much about the roses as the number four. There are four flowers,鈥� says Walia. 鈥淭o me, [the number four] symbolizes stability and balance 鈥� like four pillars or a family of four. And from that family perspective, there鈥檚 one bigger rose that represents one person with a bigger responsibility.鈥�
Her second piece, As above, so below, explores meditation and reflection inspired by the book Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul.
鈥淚 feel like art is just like reading a book. Every time you read a book, it鈥檚 impossible to learn the exact thing. You always end up learning something new,鈥� says Walia. 鈥淭he same applies to whoever is creating it. They bring their own life experience. I just want people to enjoy it and make their own meaning.鈥�
Peter Dykhuis, Relic #1
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Peter Dykhuis was the director and curator for the 麻豆传媒 Art Gallery from 2007 until he retired in 2022.
Related reading: Why I Do It in the Fall 2021 edition of DAL Magazine
His encaustic (hot wax) on collaged paper and objects, Relic #1, is what he calls a confessional piece.
鈥淎 lot of my works are autobiographies, but I鈥檓 not the one writing them. It鈥檚 what other people have written about me,鈥� says Dykhuis. 鈥淭he theme of this piece is that it鈥檚 all medical records 鈥� paperwork, blood requisitions, post-cataract surgery instructions, a positive COVID-19 test.鈥�
Dykhuis recently traveled to Italy where he was inspired by heraldry 鈥� the design and display of coats of arms 鈥� and the concept of mortality as he explored tombs and crypts.
Relic #1 is the beginning of a collection that will be showcased at in January 2026.
Reflecting on the opening reception on Nov. 28, 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be surrounded by people that feel safe and confident in showing their work. It鈥檚 not a competition, it鈥檚 a celebration. And all of these people who are rock stars in some other faculty have this cool side talent too,鈥� Dykhuis says. 鈥淚 congratulate Pam for putting together a really great and entertaining SSFA.鈥�
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