Chris Cran | Space #1

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Chris Cran, “Space #1,” 1996

oil and acrylic on canvas (Collection of the Kelowna Art Gallery) (Gift of the artist in memory of J.R. Cran, 2001)

Chris Cran’s Space #1 was acquired by the Kelowna Art Gallery in 2001 and remains a striking example of the blurred lines between reality and illusion. This work embodies Cran’s signature approach, which merges elements of Pop Art, photo-realism, modernist abstraction, and optical art. By manipulating visual perception, Cran challenges viewers to question the nature of reality as they navigate the space. The interplay of light and shadow in Space #1 creates a dynamic environment where surfaces seem to shift and transform, evoking a sense of both familiarity and disorientation. Cran’s mastery in creating visual tricks encourages viewers to engage deeply with the work, questioning their own perceptions.

Chris Cran is a graduate of the Alberta College of Art and Design and was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2002. He has exhibited extensively across Canada and internationally, including Chris Cran: Surveying the Damage, 1977-1997 at the Kelowna Art Gallery. His work is held in many public and corporate collections and he is represented by TrépanierBaer Gallery, Clint Roenisch Gallery, and Wilding Cran Gallery.