ARTIST PROFILE
Michael Burtch
Michael Burtch is personally fascinated with the human figure and has always had an interest in dance and music, which is shown in his sound structures. He has an extremely broad taste in the arts, which are not limited to the visual. This not only helps in his work as an art historian, but also in his role as curator of the Art Gallery of Algoma.
His sculptures of the human body are strongly influenced by the movements of modern dance. A good example of this is Corpus Mobilis which was commissioned for the front of the new John Rhodes Centre.
What moves Michael is work where there is an element of mystery, work that is multi-dimensional and can be read on different levels. He believes that art should contain a secret that is up to the viewer to decode, and that art should also speak to the human condition. He is not particularly fond of 'art for arts sake' as this speaks to a very narrow audience.
Michael Burtch looks within himself for a multiplicity of meanings, and this is reflected in his pieces. One of the hallmarks of his work is contradiction, particularly in Primal which, while being symmetrical, appears to be unbalanced, creating a sense of impending movement. The crouching position of the figure is both protective and exposed at the same time. "Not all figures move from the outside," he says. "Some move from the inside." He is currently working on a figure which, while appearing to be very still on the outside, expresses movement from within.
Many of Michael Burtch's works are made of cement or fibreglass, as he enjoys using materials that are utilitarian rather than precious. He sees beauty in the materials we are exposed to every day, such as rusted steel and concrete.
Mr. Burtch attended Manitoba's Brandon University where he studied art education, followed by a BA (Hons) in Art History from Queen's University. He has been curator/director of the Art Gallery of Algoma since 1981, and he has worked as an Adjunct Professor at Algoma University College (where he teaches Canadian Art History) since 1983.
Examples of Michael's work have been installed at the
Water Tower Inn, General Hospital, St. Veronica's, and the John
Rhodes Centre, and also at the corner of Gore & Queen Streets
and at the waterfront.
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