Through attending various arts gatherings over my years with IMAGO I have been able to meet many who are active in the world of faith and the arts. Sandra Bowden was one of those I met and her very fine collection of nearly 60 works by Marc Chagall is now available to a Toronto audience. The art of Marc Chagall draws the viewer into an imaginative world that steps beyond the limits of a merely realistic account of things. His works are sensual, filled with emotion and they always tell a story. Chagall believes the biblical narrative has a universal significance across cultural and religious differences.
He was not very interested in being “modern” and once expressed his wish “to stay wild, untamed…to shout, weep, pray.” We are pleased to partner with Wycliffe College to host this impressive collection of works. Sandra Bowden is scheduled to do a talk in the gallery space the week of September 11. And on Thursday evenings a guest speaker will reflect on one of the works and the story it tells.
An Exhibition
May to October 2023
Marc Chagall (1887-1985) is perhaps the foremost visual interpreter of the Bible in the 20th century. His Vision of the Bible combines his Jewish heritage and modern art, giving us a rich tapestry of symbol and imagination.
IMAGO, in partnership with Wycliffe College, is delighted to bring to Toronto a fascinating exhibition Marc Chagall and the Bible from the Bowden Collections. The exhibition – running from May to October, 2023 – showcases over 55 etchings and lithographs by the legendary artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985). This collection of prints by Chagall, curated by art collector and visual artist Sandra Bowden, is being presented to the Canadian public for the first time.
“Since my early youth I have been fascinated by the Bible, it has always seemed to me and it seems to me still that it is the greatest source of poetry of all time. Since then I have sought this reflection in life and in art. The Bible is like an echo of nature and this secret I have tried to transmit.” – Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall and the Bible contains over 55 etchings and lithographs of Chagall’s graphic works, including ten of the 105 etchings that together constitute a suite of work for Marc Chagall’s Bible (1932–39, 1952–56), a monumental project spanning 25 years. Also included are all 42 brilliantly colored images from his 1956 and 1960 suites of Bible lithographs, printed by Mourlot and published in Paris by Tériade for Verve as special editions devoted exclusively to Chagall’s original lithographs.
Admission is FREE and tickets are not required.
For Exhibit Hours and Events, Please Visit Wycliffe College Website