• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • About Harcourt House
    • History
    • Contact
    • Donate
  • Studios
    • Apply for Studio Space
    • Tenant Artists
    • Artist in Residence
  • Exhibitions
    • Current & Upcoming
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Education
    • Drop- in Life Drawing
    • Workshops
    • Adult Art Enrichment
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • 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
  • Call for Submissions
  • Drop- in Life Drawing
  • Apply for Studio Space
  • Home
  • Donate

Hilary Mussell

Hilary Mussell: The Vermillion Border
The Art Incubator Gallery: March 5 – April 17, 2021
Harcourt House Artist Run Centre, 3rd floor, 10215 – 112 St, Edmonton

The Vermillion Border is the exhibition of the most recent textile and fibre-based sculptures by Hilary Mussell, an Edmonton-based multi-media artist and art educator. The project explores the relationship between nature and human body.  Though the title of the exhibition points to the demarcation area between the extremely sensitive tissue of the lip and the adjacent normal skin, it actually metaphorically refers to the fragility and vulnerability of the human body and the artist’s continued exploration and testing of the body as a container and reaction site.  As Mussell says  “… We all contain openings in our bodies that are our connection to the air and water, and the big wide world. Our skin sweats, our lips gasp, and our intestines push out waste. Heat and fluid rush in and out, and something we typically think of as so solid, is just a cluster of intangible empty spaces and holes …”

The body possesses several meanings and has taken a central form in various arts. For some artists, the symbolic and ritualistic significance of the body is inspired by traditional values. For others, the body has reclaimed its identity, or alternatively the psychic self, deriving from the contemporary values of the individual. 

Mussell describes the body as a ‘place’: a place of experience, emotion, memory, and imagination. In this exhibition, the artist invites us to rediscover this interior realm, the space we each inhabit, through a series of encounters that heighten our attention to our bodies and our surroundings. These works  are part of the artist’s early and ongoing material examination of the body as a vessel and site of alchemical change. As the artist states: “…. I have been making vessels that contain hidden spaces and air. I like to make them translucent, because although you cannot see inside a person, we have just as many holes, and are just as delicate. All of them have mouths that I give focus to and make the nerve endings stitch by stitch …”  For Hilary Mussell, the body is a container for perception and a unique place for personal journeys.

 

Artist’s Biography

Hillary Mussell is an Edmonton-based multi-media artists and educator.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Alberta (2012) and has been recipient of numerous scholarships and grants from the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Edmonton Arts Council. Her impressive body of works has been presented in several exhibition projects and selected for the Public Art Program in Edmonton (presented at various LRT transit stations) and in Shafer, Minnesota (Franconia Sculpture Park).   Hilary Mussel has been active as an art educator at numerous arts and cultural organizations in Edmonton (Nina Haggerty Center for the Arts, Art Gallery of Alberta, Art Gallery of St. Albert) and participated in several artist residencies (Ortona Armoury in Edmonton, Creative Practices Institute in Edmonton, and Franconia Sculpture Park in Shafer, Minnesota, USA).

hilarymussell.com

 

mussellInstall2
mussellInstall5
mussellInstall3
mussellInstall6
mussellInstall1
mussellInstall4
mussellInstall7
mussellInstall8

Top Image: Opening (Detail), 2019, wire, fabric
Courtesy of the Artist

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

Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Threads
  • YouTube
Become a Member

Copyright © 2025 · 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