Maxwell Bates

×

Expand

Maxwell Bates, “Party,” 1976, charcoal and oil on canvas (Collection of the Canada Council Art Bank)

The In Crowd, an exhibition of Maxwell Bates’ social paintings at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum, is a welcome and bracing look at this singular Canadian artist. Bates, until he suffered a major stroke in 1961, had been an important painter but was best known for his architecture – Calgary’s St. Mary’s Cathedral (1954-7) his most important building. His architectural career meant that painting was an activity that took up evenings, vacations and spare time.  

The stroke led to the closure of his architectural practice in Calgary and a move to Victoria in 1962. Bates’ stroke had left him disabled but he was able to return to painting. His arrival in the B.C. capital was catalyzing. He became central to a group of artists, The Limners, that socialized and exhibited together. Always a keen observer, Bates turned his attention to his new social and cultural milieu. The paintings vividly demonstrate his wit, wonderful handling of paint and interest in colour and pattern. 

×

Expand

Maxwell Bates, “The Hostess,” 1973, oil on canvas (Collection of the Canada Council Art Bank)

Bates worked in the tradition of Charles Baudelaire’s The Painter of Modern Life. He is a flaneur, an incisive observer, rather than an active participant (Bates himself never appears in these images). He notices everything but not judgmentally. It is up to viewers to make their own judgments and conclusions. If you know the personae within The Limners you can often name the people but they are not portraiture, seeking instead to capture the essence of social gatherings – that strange isolation that occurs even as you mingle. A strikingly attired woman is often the central focus but never in an exploitive or demeaning manner. What is constantly evident is Bates’ wonderful sense of pattern – few artists use stripes to the advantage that he does.

The 27 canvases in the exhibition, from public and private collections throughout Canada, were executed between 1966 and 1978. (Bates had another major stroke in November 1978 that ended his painting career.) He died in Victoria in 1980.

×

Expand

Maxwell Bates, “Yellow Reception,” 1972, oil on canvas (Collection of University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries, gift of Myfanwy Spencer Pavelic)

Although not a comprehensive look at Bates’ career, the exhibition is overdue. Bates chose an individual path, concentrating on expressive figural painting. There are three knockout paintings here – Reception 4, 1971, Party, 1976, and Cocktail Party, 1977. Each is an unforgettable visual demonstrating enormous skills with colour and pattern and his incisive eye. In Cocktail Party even the figure with her back turned has a distinct character. The red and white stripes of her dress contrast brilliantly with the disarray of her coiffure. Each character is an individual but they do not communicate, occupying their own psychic spaces. Bates’ fondness of acidic colours is evident in Reception 4 – the pink background is strident but kept in check by framing elements and the use of contrasting patterns in similar colour – a polka dot dress and striped chair. Who these people are, their relationship, is uncertain but Bates creates visual drama. We are left with questions not answers. Party is painted expressively, sets up a whole string of possible narratives and works brilliantly as a composition. Other canvases offer their own visual rewards.

Maxwell Bates: The In Crowd convincingly reconfirms Bates’ painting genius. ■  

Maxwell Bates: The In Crowd is on view at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary from Feb. 8 to Sept. 30, 2020.

PS: Worried you missed something? See previous Galleries West stories here or sign up for our free biweekly newsletter.