Saskatoon

Paris of the Prairies

University Bridge is one of several crossing the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon

As every watermelon knows, Saskatchewan is celebrated as the Paris of the Prairies. I am guessing this is because of its boulevardier culture which must flourish between the melting of the snow around now and the arrival of the mosquitoes next week.

But enough of the hurtful gags. Saskatoon is the most prettily situated of the prairie cities, along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. The great 20th century travel writer, Jan Morris, once described it as “Canada’s happiest surprise”.

I was originally planning to blow through Saskatoon on my way to a restful evening among the big box stores and fast food restaurants in Lloydminster. However, after an earlier post on the magnificent collection of Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, my friend and loyal reader, Scott, told me that he was interested to visit the Remai Modern gallery in Saskatoon after reading about it in the New York Times.

Readers: you ask and I respond! I checked myself into the lovely Alt Hotel—a rare departure from my usual low-rent motels—right across the street from the Remai, and I was among the first in the door in the morning.

When you step into the lobby, you are immediately surrounded by Nick Cave’s Spinner Forest, an astonishing array of mobiles. To get some feel of the effect, take a look at the YouTube video I’ve linked to here.

The Remai, which opened in 2017 may be best known, surprisingly enough, for its Picasso collection. It apparently has the largest collection of his linocuts in the world, though I was more drawn to the Picasso ceramics on display.

One of Picasso’s ceramics currently on display at the Remai Modern

My personal feeling is that smaller Canadian galleries often do better by focusing on areas where they have a comparative advantage over older and better endowed European and American institutions.

Right now, there’s a display of large format photographs by Stan Douglas, which the guide calls “hybrid-documentary”, whatever that means.

Stan Douglas photo of Vancouver Canucks riot

But to me the most compelling exhibit in the Remai was a collection of Métis art, ranging from the nineteenth century to the current day, including many of what they call “grandmother artists”.

Late nineteenth century saddle and saddle blanket by unknown “grandmother artist”.

The modern works often incorporated beadwork or were influenced by that tradition. There was a large pointillist painting by Christi Belcourt, a favourite artist of mine (I have a couple of her prints) and a series by David Garneau, an artist I had not heard of, on the theme of Métis knowledge and education.

One of a series of paintings by David Garneau

I wouldn’t go quite so far as got say that you have to visit Saskatoon to see the Remai Modern. But I would definitely say that if you visit Saskatoon, you must visit the Remai.

The Remai Modern’s building honours Frank Lloyd Wright’s “prairie style” and offers lovely views of the South Saskatchewan