Challenge your Perception at Gallery@501

Gallery@501 is pleased to present “The Problem with Perception” by local artist Gerry Dotto. This exhibit is on at Gallery@501 from January 21 until March 1, 2025.

In “The Problem with Perception”, Gerry Dotto uses street photography to explore common perceptions, themes of communication and sense of personal space with a focus on urban environments. He is drawn to subjects that are in a constant state of change, bringing attention to what we see but may typically ignore.

Perception is about becoming aware of something through the senses and interpreting it from experience.

“Viewers automatically use perception as a core means of understanding and engaging with visual art,” says Kris Miller, Gallery@501 curator. “Dotto knows every individual has their own unique way of perceiving what they experience, and his work engages viewers in questioning some of our own perceptions.”

One series explores the simplicity and universality of road signs, where viewers can be desensitized to distortions in symbols and words communicating the message. Another series focuses on a dynamic landscape of an underground parking lot. His newest series involves self-portraits in empty washrooms, connecting to personal spaces and our expectations for those spaces.   

The exhibit also features a few sculptural pieces and a chance for visitors to see behind the scenes in Dotto’s artistic practice. The first room one enters is a mock studio environment with sketchbooks, books about artists that inspired him and plans for projects.

Join the artist for an artist talk and public reception at Gallery@501 on Saturday, January 25 at 1 p.m. Admission to the public reception and the gallery is free.

For more information, visit strathcona.ca/ArtGallery.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595