The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum hosted a closing reception for Kevin Ei-ichi deForest’s exhibit The Record Shop on March 28, with the Manitoba-based artist in attendance to discuss his work.
The EAGM also held their movie trivia night at the same time, and there were many in attendance during both events.
DeForestis a professor at the University of Manitoba who teaches in the visual art program. He has been an instructor for the past 12 years.
He has travelled and lived around the world, but has since returned to Canada to teach and also be closer to his parents, who also live in Manitoba. He said he has been involved with art most of his life but has been doing it professionally for about 30 years.
As for the type of art that DeForestdoes, he noted he does a lot of work with popular culture with his imagery.
“My mom is Japanese and my farther is Swiss, they were both first generation and they both moved to Canada many years ago. With my art I like to speak about the fact that I am coming from this mixed background and that doesn’t often get talked about,” said DeForest.
“It is something that becomes invisible and it is important to me, and I don’t see it represented very much, so I am trying to provide that with my work. My work is kind of light with humour involved, but at the same time it is something important I want to talk about, these ideas of being different and your identity,” he added.
DeForestwas not able to attend a reception for the exhibit back in January, but was able to make it for the closing reception for his work.
“My art has travelled around a bit. I think this might be the first time I have shown my art in Saskatchewan, but it has been seen in every other province so it’s been great coming here and showing my art,” he added.
