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PREVIEW BY KATHERINE YLITALO
Curator Michael Parke-Taylor dove into archives and libraries for five and a half years in preparation for the comprehensive retrospective of polymath artist, writer, critic and advertising executive, Bertram Brooker (1888-1955) at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Bertram Brooker: When We Awake! presents 150 of his works, a cornucopia with a medley of formats and styles: paintings, drawings, illustrative panels, sculpture, book design; geometric abstraction, realism, cubism, narrative graphics and delicate portrayals of plant life.
Thoroughly illustrated with detailed discussions
Consider the accompanying catalogue an engaging armchair curatorial tour, an important contribution to Canada’s art history and a beautiful publication. Parke-Taylor connects the dots between Brooker’s diverse output. His text offers context and fascinating references alongside images of the art that show texture and details clearly. Threads that seem to link Brooker’s wide-ranging explorations include his inherent optimism, the experience of cosmic consciousness, a quest for unity in art and dialogue between art and writing. ■
Bertram Brooker: When We Awake! by Michael Parke-Taylor, Figure 1 Publishing with McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2024
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