The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) is hosting an art exhibit that functions as much as a documentary of life in communities like Estevan as an artistic project. Boom, a photography exhibit in Gallery 2 at the EAGM, features an assortment of pictures that document communities in the southern Prairies that are affected by the ups and downs of boom-and-bust related economies, since their fortunes are closely tied with resource-based economies. EAGM director Amber Andersen is the curator of the exhibit, a collection of photographs by Rick Pelletier and Valerie Zink. 鈥淚鈥檝e been interested in curating this for a while, because it is something that truly spoke to my experience, particularly when I came to Estevan in 2011, which was truly the height of the boom here,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淚 was really drawn to Rick and Valerie鈥檚 work because their work 鈥β�
is neither critique nor is it endorsing anything.鈥� Andersen said that their work simply captures what it鈥檚 like to be thrust into an economic upturn, or on the other end of things, an economic bust. Although the works feature oil boom photography, Andersen noted that the collection entails areas that have seen economic upturns from any industry. 鈥淚t looks at years gone by, when maybe there were, say, stronger farm communities, or industries that aren鈥檛 thriving like they once were,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淧laces where you have an influx of people, and then a rapid depopulation of people.鈥� Both photographers鈥� pieces make observances of the kinds of flow that happens during and after a boom. 鈥淭his exhibition focuses on the humans and the communities, themselves. I think both artists speak to that,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a topic that is complex and not a straightforward narrative.鈥� Many of the photos聽
in the collection contain very human moments, such as one depicting a couple in one another鈥檚 arms at the CanStay Motel, living arrangements made from shipping containers to cope with the shortage of housing in the Estevan area during the last oil boom. Andersen noted that both photographers who collaborated to create Boom have fairly divergent backgrounds, bringing different perspectives to the collection. 鈥淩ick is currently living in B.C., grew up in the Maritimes and has always loved to travel and do photography as he travels,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淗e focuses on questions like, 鈥榃ho has been here before?鈥� and 鈥榃ho is coming here after?鈥� observing the land and the people on it.鈥� Zink, who grew up in Alberta, and currently resides in Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle, shoots all of her photography in Saskatchewan. A lot of her work features pictures of the Estevan area. Andersen said Zink鈥檚 photos originate in Saskatchewan, while Pelletier focuses聽
both on Saskatchewan and Alberta. 鈥淰alerie鈥檚 works focus more on the human component. She has a lot of figures in her work, whereas Rick is dealing with the community in the larger sense,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淗is works don鈥檛 have humans in them, but you get a feeling of them being very much about people.鈥澛�
One commonality that both artists鈥� photos have, Andersen noted, is that there is a sense of place in both of them, and that all of their work 鈥渦nmistakably Prairies.鈥� Boom has been on tour for about a year, and Andersen said it has been featured deliberately in galleries in a number of rural locations and smaller cities.
鈥淚鈥檓 just really happy it to curate this show. It鈥檚 a great topic of discussion and it鈥檚 nice to get it out there,鈥� said Andersen. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an interest in the industry that drives this. It鈥檚 about asking, 鈥榃ho are these people, where are they from and where are they going?鈥欌�� Boom will be on display at the EAGM until April 21.
