At 1010 Broad St.
Opening: Thursday, February 9, 2006 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Artist's Talk: 6:00 pm

Introduction by Vanessa Robertson

Live Jazz from 7:00 pm

Exhibition continues until February 28, 2006

Eric Metcalfe was a co-founder of the Vancouver artist-run centre Western Front (1973 to the present) of which he continues to be a member. Western Front is a crucible for the making of media art with an emphasis on experimentation.

Metcalfe's start was in Victoria - St. Michaels School, Oak Bay High School, and the University of Victoria from which he received an undergraduate degree in 1969. Special influences fro him were Bill West, Jan Zach, Pat Martin Bates, Richard Ciccimarra, Max Bates, Flemming Jorgensen, Don Harvey, John Dobereiner, and others.

Metcalfe's Dr. Brute alter ego (1969-1975), which expressed itself in performance, had something to do with the fluxus movement which embraced the spontaneous creation of art from materials at hand. "Leopard Reality" (1969-1974), a collaborative project involving video, performance and installation, looks at notions of public taste. "Steel and Flesh" (1980), "Sax Island" (1984) and "Duster" (1994) - all three are in the National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of Modern Art, New York - further explore societal values. The Vancouver Art Gallery in its recent "Classified Materials" exhibition (October 15, 2005 - January 2006) exhibited his video, photographic and sculptural piece "Howard Hughes Inc." (1977). "The Attic Project (2001-2002) consisting of replicas of 5th and 6th century B.C. Greek vessels was a bogus piece to critique museum seriousness. "Laura", curated by Lorna Brown, originated in 1999 at Artspeak Conceptual Art Gallery in Vancouver and deconstructs the 1944 film "Laura" by Otto Preminger. Currently "Laura" tours western Canada.

The exhibition at Winchester Galleries on Broad Street features gouaches in bold pop-like patterns. The lyricism, surprise and humour which these paintings evidence render them not inconsistent with his installation, performance, and media-based art. The exhibition also commemorates the 40th anniversary of Metcalfe's first solo art show (1966) which was held in Victoria at Pandora's Box Gallery on Wharf Street.