Press Release - For Immediate Release
Cariboo artist Claire Kujundzic invited to Spain
Claire Kujundzic, an artist from Wells, BC, has been invited to exhibit her pine beetle based art at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) conference in Spain from May 23-28, 2011 during the UN's International Year of the Forest.
IUFRO brings together forest pathologists from all over the world every
two years. This year, designated as UN Year of the Forest, the conference
takes place at the Montascleros Monastery in Cantabria, and is hosted by
the University of Valladolid in Palencia. The topic is “Global change
and forest diseases: new threats, new strategies.”
“
I’m very excited to have this opportunity to share my work with another
international audience,” says Kujundzic, whose work includes a previous
installation in the athletes’ villages in Vancouver
and Whistler during the 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic
Games. “I’m also really looking forward to the responses of
scientists who are studying forest diseases.”
Forest diseases affect all of us, not just scientists and
wood producers. The Mountain Pine Beetle infestation currently affects
16.3 million hectares
of forest and 675 million cubic metres of wood in BC, making it one of
the most critical outbreaks in the world. Devastation on this scale has
impacted the economy, culture and environment of every community in the
Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, large and small.
The Cariboo-Chilcotin’s designation as “Canada’s Forest
Capital” in 2011 recognizes the primary importance of forestry
to our region and our provincial economy. It’s especially fitting
that an artist from the Cariboo will be presenting her work at IUFRO
2011.
Dead pines have become a potent symbol of the fragility of the environment, and Kujundzic has used a variety of techniques in her “Message from the beetle” paintings to depict what it feels like to live in the midst of such rapidly changing forests. The result is an evocative series of large canvases, including “trees” up to twelve feet tall. The visual depth and feeling of her work will both delight and inform conference delegates, as well as illuminate the impact of the epidemic on our province.
Although the IUFRO will cover Kujundzic’s conference fees, accommodation and meals, they are not able to include her travel costs, so she has embarked on a unique fundraising initiative:
Her goal is to present each conference delegate with a gift of a reproduction of her work sponsored by someone in Canada, and the sales will help cover some of her travel costs. In return, each person who sponsors a gift of art from the Cariboo will also receive a special photo print of Claire’s art on display at IUFRO.
This is a unique opportunity for Canadians to participate in bringing
our culture to this important global conference. Each sponsor will personally
raise the awareness of our region on the part of delegates.
And in turn
each delegate will hopefully become inspired by BC’s culture and
environment as expressed
through Claire’s art.
To sponsor one of these art gifts for
a delegate, contact Claire in Wells at 250-994-2332
or
You can also make a gift donation online here.
more images from Claire's Message from the beetle series
Track our fundraising progress on Claire's blog: Message
from the beetle.
That's where you'll also find reports & pics
from Spain following the IUFRO conference.
Distribution of the artworks through any means including electronic, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.
