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A weekend in Saskatoon, SaskatchewanIt’s true: Saskatoon has emerged as one of the country’s leading art cities.
Play Artists gather in clumps, according to well-known Saskatchewan painters Dorothy Knowles and William Perehudoff (yes, we’re related). Saskatoon has a paricularly vibrant patch of painters. There’s something inspiring about the unfiltered light and wide open space, which becomes clear on a visit to the Mendel Art Gallery, itself an ode to 1960s Modernism. (Even Joni Mitchell, who grew up in Saskatoon, has exhibited her paintings at the Mendel.) Other spots are tucked away in unexpected places, like the Darrell Bell Gallery in the historic Avenue Building. On trendy Broadway Avenue, we found Charley Farrero’s textured ceramics among pieces by other local artisans at Handmade House. Nearby, the Saskatchewan Crafts Council Gallery displays work that blurs the line between the arts and crafts. On the other side of the river, a recent restoration of the ornate 1930s-era Roxy Theatre signals a rebirth of the Riversdale neighbourhood, brought about by the redevelopment of the nearby riverfront. Sniffing the scent of change, other arts groups, such as AKA gallery and the French theatre company La Troupe du Jour, have already moved in. Snack With its black tablecloths, black-clad waiters and cement-block wall, Pesto’s hovers between modern minimalism and ingenious simplicity. The colour is on the plates: Entrées like wild halibut wrapped in thinly sliced herb potatoes and drizzled with orange beurre blanc burst on the plates like wildflowers in a summerfallow. The focal points of the Ivy’s fire-and-water decor are a round stone fireplace and a glacial-looking waterfall of textured glass and steel, making it both the hottest and coolest place in town. The dessert of the day – we loved the poached white peach brûlée – is alone worth a visit. Relax In the early 1950s, Montreal artist Goodrich Roberts painted a cityscape from the château-style Delta Bessborough – one of several works commissioned to dispel the myth of Canada as a hinterland. Our corner room overlooks much the same view: the South Saskatchewan River framed by bridges in both directions. The Bess (as locals call it), with its red tapestry brick and copper dormers, is such a prominent landmark that artists don’t know whether to paint it, paint from it or deconstruct it. Write to us: letters@enroutemag.net |
