Tom Burrows (Canadian, b. 1940) has been a leading figure in Vancouver’s art scene since the 1960s. In addition to his photography and sculptural works with aluminum, fibreglass and porcelain, he is known for his research into squatting and homelessness. Burrows’ primary artistic focus since the late 1960s has been creating polymer cast panels, which he began experimenting with while attending Saint Martin’s School of Art in London (1967-69). Burrows returned to Vancouver where he became a founding faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s newly formed Bachelor of Fine Arts program, where he taught until 1974. This period coincides with him living at the Maplewood Mudflats in North Vancouver. In recent years, part of Burrows practice has been the creation of almost monochromatic panels that revive the modernist concern with the material nature of the object reduced to issues of surface, scale and the occupation of space. His work is represented by Bau-Xi Galleries, Toronto and Vancouver (since 1995) and Foster White Gallery, Seattle (since 2004); prior to that, his work was represented by the Isaacs Gallery, Toronto until it closed in the early 1990s. Burrows has had solo exhibitions in London, Rome, Tokyo, Berlin, New York and across Canada. His work is included in private, corporate and public collections in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The 2015 exhibition at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery was the first major survey of Burrows work.
Join us at the Bau-Xi Gallery as we celebrate the launch of Tom Burrows. The retrospective on one of the most influential artists in the West Coast art scene over the past forty years, Tom Burrows, and the exhibition that preceded the book, presents work by the artist from his early career to the present. The book is a timely refocusing of attention on an artist who has made an immense contribution to the development of art in Vancouver, not only as an artist but as an educator and activist as well. Burrows’s work, which demonstrates an interest in process and new materials, has encompassed a number of disciplines including sculpture, early performance art, video, painting and iconic hand-built houses on the Maplewood Mudflats and Hornby Island. Currently most well known for his innovative monochromatic cast polymer resin “paintings/sculptures” produced during the last forty-five years, the book examines the full breadth of his career with works from the Belkin’s permanent collection as the basis with other works from the artist, collectors and public institutions.The artist, Tom Burrows, and curator, Scott Watson, will be in attendance.
Tom Burrows has had solo exhibitions in London, Rome, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, Edinburgh and across Canada. His work is included in private, corporate and public collections in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Catalogue Details
2018, Figure 1 Publishing with Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver
210 pages, b/w and colour, hardcover
$50.00 CAD
ISBN 978-1-927958-88-9
With essays by Tom Burrows, Gordon Payne, Ian Wallace and Scott Watson.
Tom Burrows (Canadian, b. 1940) has been a leading figure in Vancouver’s art scene since the 1960s. In addition to his photography and sculptural works with aluminum, fibreglass and porcelain, he is known for his research into squatting and homelessness. Burrows’ primary artistic focus since the late 1960s has been creating polymer cast panels, which he began experimenting with while attending Saint Martin’s School of Art in London (1967-69). Burrows returned to Vancouver where he became a founding faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s newly formed Bachelor of Fine Arts program, where he taught until 1974. This period coincides with him living at the Maplewood Mudflats in North Vancouver. In recent years, part of Burrows practice has been the creation of almost monochromatic panels that revive the modernist concern with the material nature of the object reduced to issues of surface, scale and the occupation of space. His work is represented by Bau-Xi Galleries, Toronto and Vancouver (since 1995) and Foster White Gallery, Seattle (since 2004); prior to that, his work was represented by the Isaacs Gallery, Toronto until it closed in the early 1990s. Burrows has had solo exhibitions in London, Rome, Tokyo, Berlin, New York and across Canada. His work is included in private, corporate and public collections in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The 2015 exhibition at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery was the first major survey of Burrows work.
The exhibition by Vancouver/Hornby Island artist Tom Burrows presents work by the artist from his early career to the present. The exhibition is a timely refocusing of attention on an artist who has made an immense contribution to the development of art in Vancouver, not only as an artist but as an educator and activist as well—in 1975 he received a United Nations commission to document squatters communities in Europe, Africa and Asia, a work that is now in the Belkin’s collection. Burrows first rose to prominence in the late-1960s and was included in several exhibitions at the UBC Fine Arts Library, an institution that was seminal in encouraging Vancouver’s growing and now vibrant art community. Burrows’ work, which demonstrates an interest in process and new materials, has encompassed a number of disciplines including sculpture, early performance art, video, painting and iconic hand-built houses on the Maplewood Mudflats and Hornby Island. Currently most well known for his innovative monochromatic cast resin “paintings/sculptures” produced during the last forty-five years, this exhibition examines the full breadth of his career with works from the Belkin’s permanent collection and others borrowed from the artist, collectors and public institutions.
[more]Once again, we are pleased to welcome the UBC Contemporary Players to the Belkin Art Gallery for a concert inspired by the exhibition Tom Burrows.
[more]Join leading UBC scholars, artists, curators and critics in a series of midday conversations. In this series, guests will address Tom Burrows, an exhibition of works by the Vancouver/Hornby Island artist from his early career to the present.
[more]Tom Burrows discusses his exhibition at the Belkin Art Gallery. Watch the talk online.
[more]Join us at the Bau-Xi Gallery as we celebrate the launch of Tom Burrows. The retrospective on one of the most influential artists in the West Coast art scene over the past forty years, Tom Burrows, and the exhibition that preceded the book, presents work by the artist from his early career to the present.
[more]