Searching for Realism is a winding exploration of Nova Scotia, Canada and it’s contemporary realist artists, their curators and their exhibition “Capture 2014: Nova Scotian Realism.” The film invites us to join in the curatorial journey through artist’ studios across the province and culminates with the exhibition opening at Dalhousie University Art Gallery.
Produced and initiated by PLANS, Professional Living Artists of Nova Scotia, this film explores the genre of realist painting in Nova Scotia from the point of view of the artists themselves who took matters into their own hands and organized this record-breaking exhibition.
Realism often finds itself on the uncomfortable fringes of the art establishment, overlooked and under-appreciated by public art galleries. Although Nova Scotian realist painters enjoy broad popular appeal, their paintings have not been surveyed for decades. The film is a celebration of realist painting and a call for new collaborations between contemporary artists and public art institutions.
Free admission.
Director Biography:
Filmmaker Peter Murphy and his wife Anna Syperek have three daughters, Rose, Susannah and Noella. They live and work out of their home on the shores of St.Georges Bay just outside of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Anna Syperek is a visual artist working in oil, watercolour and printmaking.
SeaBright Productions is the name of Peter’s company, a production company that has produced 9 major nationally broadcast productions and 11 general released DVD/VHS productions, as well as numerous locally commissioned productions, from tourism to family violence. (see Filmography)
Before getting involved with moving images, Peter was a still B&W photographer documenting rural life and exhibiting his work in various galleries across Canada. He has been awarded a number of grants for his photographic work including a Canada Council Grant. As well, he was very involved in historic photographic processes, including photo gravure, and started the only authentic wet plate collodian tintype studio in Canada at the historically recreated village of Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia.
Eventually he jumped from the oldest image-making technologies to one of the most recent, digital video production – and SeaBright Productions was born. Now after 20 years or so, SeaBright has established itself as a major source of productions dealing with Celtic music and culture, especially Cape Breton music.
SeaBright’s productions are well known for portraying an authentic way of life and a unique culture in an entertaining and informative style.