Garry Neill Kennedy “…And Still Counting” Painting Auction
AND STILL COUNTING
The Khyber Arts Society and the Halifax Regional Municipality commissioned Halifax artist Garry Neill Kennedy to make an artwork of the 27 plywood inserts that temporarily replaced the windows while undergoing restorative replacement and double glazing. The building, the former Church of England Institute (now known as the Khyber), is a significant Halifax Heritage Property. It has been occupied by many different community oriented organizations over the past 30 years but most notably by the Khyber Arts Society for the past 15 years. The building has also houses the main office for the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.
For this artwork, And Still Counting, Kennedy has simply counted the number of windows and then numbered the panels sequentially in brightly coloured paints. The numbers begin at the ground level (left) with number one and continue to the top floor with the final count, number 27.
Using everyday household paint Kennedy selected his colours for their names-names that are related to the Khyber building itself (Turret Brown, Archeological Treasure, Restoration Rose); or to its neighbor, the Neptune Theatre (Stage Fright or Playhouse Plum); or to Barrington Street (Party Place or Have no Fear); or to the city of Halifax (City Song or Council Bluff); or to the Province (Provincial Majesty or Ships at Sea) and so on. The colour forms the foreground of the panel/painting that follows.
The font for the numbers is Superstar Shadow, a typeface that Kennedy has used in many of his textual artworks, the original idea for which was derived from the bold black and white numbers painted on the bows of the navy ships that enter Halifax harbour.
Now having been replaced with new windows, Kennedy’s plywood paintings will be sold by Sotheby’s auction house in spring 2012. For more information about this auction, please contact the Khyber ICA by phone or email.
TEL: 902 422 9668 FAX: 902 404 3661 EMAIL: info@khyber.ca
Photo: Tanya Busse
Kennedy with Mayor Kelly
