Snakes and Ladders: Recent Paintings by Harlan Johnson, Alex Livingston and Leslie Sasaki

Vigorous brushwork, saturated colour and biomorphic imagery characterize this exhibition of 28 figurative paintings by Harlan Johnson, Alex Livingston and Leslie Sasaki, all of whom have strong connections to this region. Their individual approaches to the problem of reinvesting painting with “content” derive partly from personal biography and partly from literature, both fiction and non-fiction, relating to culture, myth and natural history. All three artists employ allegorical, metaphorical and emblematic devices and an eclectic range of images. Curated by Susan Gibson Garvey, this exhibition has been supported by the Canada Council Exhibition Assistance Program and the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture.