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Two of Adad Hannah's images at the Richmond Art Gallery’s show “The Decameron Retold” surrounded by some of the props from the shoot.
Photo by Chung Chow
New exhibit at Richmond Art Gallery brings the renaissance to life
Published 2:35 PST, Fri February 15, 2019
Last Updated: 2:12 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021
The most important thing about the
outstanding exhibit that just opened at the Richmond Art Gallery is that you
should go see it.
And, once there, stand in front of the
floor-to-ceiling projector screens to let the beauty of the image soak in.
As you do that, you will notice these
stunning re-imaginings of Renaissance art have local Richmond people in
costume, posed within the scenes of 14th century Tuscany.
Those people occasionally blink or fidget
just a little. When that happens all the beauty suddenly expands to include the
fourth dimension: time.
It makes the paintings all the better
rounded, real. As much as these tableaux vivants—carefully posed recreations of
the colourful art of the Decameron—please the eye, they also delight the soul
in some inexplicable way.
Tableaux vivants were a common pastime in
Victorian days as after-dinner entertainment. Famous scenes from history or
literature would be recreated by those assembled, often using whatever was at
hand, much as young children today play dress-ups and act out plays for
assembled after-dinner guests.
The gallery says about two thirds of the
people who posed for the installation are from Richmond. It’s a treat to see
what looks like classical art with someone from up the street in it. Take your
time with this exhibit as the videos are five minutes long, then they sometimes
change to the same scene with different be-costumed people.
Adad Hannah’s The Decameron Retold is a
newly-commissioned work by the Richmond Art Gallery. It is based on Giovanni
Boccaccio’s 14th century work, The Decameron is a collection of novellas
comprising 100 tales told by 10 young women and men sequestered in a villa
outside of Florence to escape the Black Plague.
It is a visual recreation from a time long
past, of sitting around the camp fire telling stories. Only, the style and
grace show the era and place as unmistakably Tuscan.
The jewel-like tones so familiar to anyone
who has seen the paintings of the masters, will find these vibrant reproductions
of the ethos of Boccaccio’s writings really sing with grace, beauty and peace.
In some cases, those Renaissance hues came
from semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli, which was ground, mixed into oils
with binders and then carefully layered into the art work. They were vivid.
These pieces are no less vivid.
Produced with a New Chapter grant from the
Canada Council, Adad Hannah’s The Decameron Retold offers the finest in
inclusive art at our City of Richmond gallery.
Admission is free though donations are always
welcome.
Suitable for all ages, the show runs until
April 20.
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