Reece Terris has been mentioned in this blog before but todays post will shine the light on Reece in his role as an Artist. Terris has been published for his work internationally, nationally and locally (ie. Canadian Art, Canadian Architecture, Vancouver Art Gallery, Georgia Straight…) when you google him take your pick of articles to read as there’s plenty to choose from.

I’m so happy to have his work in my collection and see how the pieces communicate with the likes of Sonny Assu, Lawrence Paul Yuxwelupton, Anida Yoeu Ali and others; he is in good company. Today we’re going to look at 3 works in the collection and one extra treat, which speaks to “Reece Terris renovating the art world” where we could say “Reece Terris is renovating the art of Madonna in the Project 851 world”.

Let’s start with American Standard from 2004. Read about this piece and get your mind blown with the great balance of clever witty art reference and the real world. That type of balance is exquisitely achieved in Terris’ work and only one reason I’m fond of his art — so I suggest you read the link that goes with this work that hangs appropriately in my bathroom:

Next let’s move to the living room and see the stunning Work Camp, Art Camp piece. This installation/ public art work was created in Austria while Terris was on an Artist Residency. The piece then was on exhibition in the public art gallery in Liechtenstein and now hangs in my home.

The final piece to share of Reece Terris’ work is “Good Bye Work” which too is appropriate for the space it occupies; that being, by the office in my home (smile). Loving the guys who were here working and happy to see them socially as the primary relationship now is what I think when I look at this piece. The story in the Vice article gives a quick reference to the work. Swing on by and I’ll tell you more…

It would be awesome to have more of Reece’s work and when I win the lottery he’s the guy I’m calling up to do a profoundly crazy installation for the public on this site.

Until then I can enjoy the installation he helped me with which was the Madonna in the Wall on the inside of the house. This piece developed from a dinner conversation with Marianne quite sometime ago. I was inspired by Michelangelo and the pieces in Florence where figures emerge from stones. The Madonna was purchased at an auction of Hugh Pickett’s estate and lived in my old place for some years. It wasn’t a problem for me to imbed her into the wall and when Marianne got her head around what I was saying she jumped on it like white on rice. Reece, was the man of magic that made it happen and took my original idea to another level.

The plan, originally was to have the backside of Madonna’s head come out of the wall; so the front was on one side of the wall and the back coming out the other side. Reece and I discussed the idea. When he was making alterations to the alabaster bust before she went into the wall he discovered an aesthetic challenge. Thank you City of Vancouver and all those silly regulations regarding codes etc,— that is a big drink in a big glass conversation for another time. The challenge being the look on the backside because of wall thickness: it resulted in a complete change of the backside.

Reece suggested flattening the back of her head and framing it into the wall. This would let more light come through as well as make the backside more conducive of a contemporary art piece. I LOVED IT!! The result is fabulous and subtle. It is not totally complete as there’s one more element to be tracked down to close the circle of Madonna in the wall.

Thank you Mr. Reece Terris, the artist, for being a part of Terris Lightfoot Contracting which made this project a masterpiece come to life!!