What Makes Art Canadian? Ray Cronin on Alex Colville

The drive Alex Colville (1920–2013) had to make sense out of life—which marked his entire mature career, from his time as an official war artist until his death in 2013—is at the heart of his significance as an artist. He was intent on creating a world of order from the reality of chaos, always aware of the essential and tragic fragility of this Sisyphean task. Colville was a thinker as much as a maker, and his sustained, rigorous approach to creating images is a remarkable legacy. Alex Colville: Life & Work examines this significant Canadian figure, tracing his impact on the cultural life of Canada.

Ray Cronin is a writer and curator living in Halifax. From 2001 to 2015 he worked at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia as a curator and as director and CEO. He currently is vice president of TOTAL Museum and Fine Arts Services. He is the author of numerous essays for catalogues and books, as well as articles for Canadian and American art magazines and newspapers. He is a founding curator of the Sobey Art Award.

To read Alex Colville: Life & Work by Ray Cronin, visit www.aci-iac.ca.