The Toronto Raptors have arrived in New Brunswick — their portraits, that is.
A new exhibit featuring 17 oil-on-linen paintings of the team is on display at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton.
Tom Smart, director of the gallery, said the exhibit is the brainchild of creative artist Joanne Tod, who happens to be a friend of his.
“The portraits show the characters of the fellas and they’re all different sizes relative to how tall the players are,” said Smart. “The largest portrait is [Marc] Gasol and they go down from there.”
Smart said he first saw the paintings at the Nicholas Metivier Gallery in Toronto this spring — before the Raptors began their historic playoff run.
“As the Raptors went through the playoff run and then won the championship, I thought ‘I wonder if they’re still available,'” he said. “So I called the gallery and asked if they were available and they said ‘as a matter of fact, yes they are and would you like to show them’ and I said ‘yes.'”
#WeTheNorth? Try #WeTheEast! The Beaverbrook Art Gallery is excited to announce a surprise exhibition– fresh off the truck from Toronto, NBA Champions the Toronto Raptors, have arrived in Fredericton!
Read more here: https://t.co/YDeq4RxTEP@CBCNB @FredTourism @MetivierGallery pic.twitter.com/Xgkl4SCNje
— Galerie d'art Beaverbrook Art Gallery (@BeaverbrookAG) June 27, 2019
Smart said Tod’s paintings give a privileged, courtside access to the people whose athletic choreography brought Canada together.
Several years ago, Tod painted portraits of each Canadian soldier who died in Afghanistan, which were shown in venues across the country.
Tod’s latest work does more than just tell a story about an NBA Championship-winning team, Smart said.
“It’s also a story about the new Canada,” he said. “A Canada that is diverse, Canada that is engaging, that’s inclusive, and enjoys a sports team and is a country of champions.”
Fredericton will be the exhibit’s only stop — Smart said it will go back into a private collection or art gallery at the end of summer.
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