Winnipeg's connection with artist Marc Chagall on display at WAG

The National Gallery of Canada has loaned the Winnipeg Art Gallery works from 20th-century artist Marc Chagall, for one of three new exhibits.

Chagall: Daphnis & Chlo showcases 42 ofChagall's lithograph prints, widely considered to be the crowning achievement of his career as a printmaker. The WAG currently owns an important print of Chagall's but for many the exhibit on loan from Ottawa will be a greatopportunity to see his work.

Andrew Kear, the gallery's curator of historical Canadian art says Chagall's work is important and that these pieces represent some ofthe most significant print projects that Chagallcreatedin his career.

"He is one of theearly modernists,European modernists, who [was]exploringabstraction, expressionism, cutting edge forms ofartisticexpression."

Chagall is unique, he said.

"He incorporates personal narrative, stories from his own culture, his Jewish culture, European culture and unabashedly brings those into modern art."

Not allmodern artists do that, expainsKear. He says thatmanyartists resisted the lure of personal stories and instead made things about the art form. Chagall's pieces are oftensentimental and some are evenabout love. Kear saidit's a different side of modernism.

While researching the 'Chagall: Daphnis & Chlo' exhibit,the galleryfound a convoluted and interesting connection between Chagall andformer WAG director Dr. Ferdinand Eckhardt. The Chagall & Winnipegexhibit uses letters, photographs and paintings to weave together the story of the friendshipbetweenChagall's wifeand the wife of theWAG director.

The third exhibit,Esther Warkov: Paintings, 1960s-80s,features Winnipeg artist Esther Warkov. The gallery has been collecting her work since the 1960s and presented her first solo show in 1964. The gallery has almost 50 pieces from the distinctive Manitoba artist and this exhibit showcases her work from a period of time when she was emerging on the national and international arts stage.

Kear said the art ofWarkov and Chagallhave some commonalities.

"From a distance, [Warkov's artwork]appears to be telling a story. There are figures that are interacting. There seems to be some kind of narrative. But the longer you look at it the more you get confused.You're sort of scrambled by it. There's a story there, but it's this kind of partial story. It's [like]this strange dream," said Kear.

Both Chagall exhibits run until Sept. 11 and the Warkov exhibit runs until Oct.16. The WAG is hosting a talk and tour on May 28 at 3p.m. with Sonia Del Re fromthe National Gallery of Canada,and on June 8th there is an Art for Lunch talk with Kear.