• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • About Harcourt House
    • History
    • Contact
  • Studios
    • Apply for Studio Space
    • Studio Artists
    • Artist in Residence
  • Exhibitions
    • Current & Upcoming
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Education
    • Life Drawing
    • Workshops
    • Adult Art Enrichment
  • EVENTS
    • Harcourt House Events
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer
    • Employment Opportunities
    • E-Newsletter
    • Call for Submissions
Harcourt House Artist Run Centre

Harcourt House Artist Run Centre

Promoting Contemporary Visual Arts Since 1988

Promoting Contemporary Visual Arts Since 1988

  • Contact
  • Life Drawing
  • Apply for Studio Space
  • Home

Adrian Cooke: The Devil’s Rope


March 4 – April 9, 2022

The Main Gallery

Adrian Cooke’s work has always been directly influenced by the impact of activity in the landscape, and by how man-made forms, patterns and textures, indigenous and unique to the prairie region, transform our relationship with our surroundings and inform our sense of place. He continues in this vein through the exploration of one of the most iconographic elements of the prairies – barbed-wire, the “Devil’s Rope”. The sculptures and watercolours are inspired by the twisted, coiled wire and sharp barbed knots that make this material so prevalent and practical as a form of control in our landscape and on the world stage.

Barbed-wire in contemporary society has meanings and symbolism with both historical and political connotations. Controversial since its inception in the mid-nineteenth century, it was first used as a means of dividing property and controlling and isolating people and animals. Further, it was used as a tool of repression and manipulation in times of human conflict. A man-made creation, barbed-wire encroaches and divides, transforming our interaction with our environment.

The sculptures are carved from laminated sheets of wood which are glued, cut, shaped, burned and sanded, then hand-rubbed with multiple layers of enamel stain that creates a textured faux-bronze appearance, reflecting the nature of barbed-wire which is often rusted and worn from the elements. This interpretation of The Devil’s Rope expresses how Cooke sees human interaction continually reshaping and redefining our relationship with each other and our environment.

Artist’s Biography

Adrian Cooke is an artist/sculptor with a consistent record of both solo and group exhibitions across Canada since 1974. After graduating with honours from the Alberta College of Art in Calgary, Alberta, Adrian pursued post-diploma studies at the New York Studio School in New York City. Canada Council Grants provided Adrian with the opportunity to travel abroad where he worked in the historical atmosphere of England and Italy. He has also participated in summer sessions at the Banff Centre, Alberta and Emma Lake, Saskatchewan.

Cooke was a long-time employee of the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery and Art Department, and has always been a strong supporter of the arts. He is a continuing member of Southern Alberta Art Gallery, and has acted as juror and advisor to various arts groups in Alberta.

Among the institutions that include his work in their collections are: City of St. Laurent, Quebec; Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt, Toronto; Concordia University, Montreal; The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia; Halifax; the Canada Council Art Bank; The Glenbow Museum, Calgary; the Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton; and the University of Lethbridge.

Cooke continues to live and work in Lethbridge, Alberta, pursuing exhibition and artistic opportunities related to his sculptural pursuits.

adriancooke.com

Opening Performance Friday, March 4th, at 7 pm

In the spirit of collaboration and support, Harcourt House has partnered with the Edmonton’s vibrant contemporary experimental music and dance community to inaugurate a collaborative pilot project with the launch of this special performance. The opening night will feature a presentation of music for solo violin by two internationally renowned Canadian contemporary composers: an Alberta-born and New York-based Erin Rogers and her composition “The Shape of Things” and Piotr Grella-Mozejko (pron. Pyotr Grella-Mozheyko), an Edmonton-based Canadian-Polish composer and multi-media performer and his composition “Kristall-Traum III: Musik für Aleksandra B.”. Their compositions musically delineate the shapes of the forms of the works in the exhibitions and perfectly align with the character of both shows. Both compositions for solo violin will be performed by Tatiana Warszynski, a Canadian-Polish violinist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a former concertmaster of the Edmonton Chamber Players. Tatiana’s performance will be animated by a very impressive choreography/dance by Marynia Fekecz, a Polish-born and Edmonton-based choreographer and dancer. Harcourt House is grateful to Erin Rogers and Piotr Grella-Mozejko for a generous donation of their composers’ honoraria to Harcourt House in support of this pilot project.

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share via Email Share via Email

Top Image: Tendril (detail), enamel/wood/metal reinforcing, 2017
Image courtesy of the artist

Presenting Partner:

Footer

HARCOURT HOUSE ARTIST RUN CENTRE

3rd Floor, 10215 – 112 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5K 1M7
info@harcourthouse.ab.ca
780.426.4180

GALLERY/OFFICE HOURS

Monday – Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sundays & Statutory Holidays: Closed

E-Newsletter

Find Us On Kayak Travel Guides
Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Become a Member

Copyright © 2022 · Harcourt House Artist Run Centre

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT