National Art Treasure Returns to Alberta Thanks to Anonymous Collector

Masterpiece by John Brocke (1953-2009) returns to Alberta after 23 years in storage.

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John Brocke (1953-2009) "Epoch"

John Brocke (1953-2009) "Epoch" Oil on Linen, 72” x 180”, 1991/92

It has been more than 23 years, but John Brocke’s masterpiece, Epoch, has finally come home. Earlier this year Douglas MacLean and Glenbow Museum negotiated its return for a major retrospective on the artist, titled Myth Making: The Art of John Brocke. The six foot by fifteen foot painting was recently purchased for an undisclosed ‘six figure’ amount by an anonymous Calgary collector and will be staying in Alberta. This represents a record amount paid for the artist’s work. The private collector would very much like to have the painting accessible to the public and is seeking the right location to have it displayed.

Gallery owner, Ian Loch commented, "Loch Gallery is honored to announce that this masterpiece by John Brocke has returned to Alberta after a long wait. It was an absolute pleasure to have sold this painting and help bring it back to Alberta”.

Following the unveiling of Epoch in a prominent 1992 Toronto exhibition, Robert Fulford, in his review for Canadian Art, described Brocke's work as "another sort of mythology. His 'Epoch' depicts four men and four horses trudging through a forest that might be medieval if there were not a helicopter hovering above. His other-worldly narratives with their hugeness and meticulous detail create an eerie drama."

High regard for Brocke’s work also came from one of Canada’s leading contemporary artists, Calgarian, Ron Moppett. Moppett recently gave his reaction to Brocke’s work after seeing the Myth Making exhibition:  “Your John Brocke exhibition is totally wonderful! I thought I knew his work but I was truly astonished. The 'EPOCH' painting is a masterpiece… the BROCKE show was a revelation.”

John Brocke was born in Edmonton in 1953, raised in both Edmonton and Dawson Creek. He lived and worked in Calgary and later in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia where he tragically passed away in 2009 as a result of an automobile accident. A graduate of ACAD, he also taught and inspired many students at the institution. With his large scale, extraordinary, realist canvases of small, textured brushstrokes, combined with his ability to capture beauty in the ordinary and mundane, Brocke has made a lasting and significant contribution to Canadian art.  Myth Making: The Art of John Brocke, which showcases virtually all of his life’s work as an artist, continues at Glenbow Museum until September 13, 2015.

Report courtesy of Loch Gallery