When Janzen locks onto an idea, he sinks his teeth into it with painterly gusto, exploring every conceivable nuance the topic has to offer. He seems to excel at themes demanding an inquisitive mind and has the ability to deliver eye-appeal while instilling the significance of the image.
Janzen's delight in this topic is obvious. His residency was prolific; 38 paintings of various mediums on surfaces ranging from oval, square and vertical canvases, to vintage wooden-handled saws and circular saw blades fill the gallery.
There is a paradox in pairing the chaos and human recklessness implied by a dump with heavenly skies and mountainous backdrops, but therein lies his entry point for the viewer to investigate the work.
While a wall of 50 photographs expose the harsh reality of our habits of consumption, the paintings are more poetic with a painterly beauty. With images that attract rather than repel, the work swiftly engages eyes and invites the viewer to jump into work Lumber Pile depicts the mist-shrouded Exshaw landfill set against the mountains, what Janzen describes as the "most beautiful dump," while
Demmitt Mattress Pile and
Fridge Garden offer more sobering evidence of consumer folly. Platforms toys with the notion of putting garbage up on raised stages once the landfill space is exhausted.
Skies of crimson, lemon, azure and cornflower are focal points offering an atmospheric element while lifting the viewers sightline above the horizon.
Janzen's wish is that the show might encourage the viewer to look at things differently.
"I hope that their lens changes a little bit so that next time they look at that image, they bring a different context to it."
As a side note, the brighter side to Janzen's landfill jaunt was his discovery that waste disposal is very well managed in Alberta.
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