WaterViews: Reflections from Our Blue Planet 2026

WaterViews: Reflections from Our Blue Planet Exhibition Reception: October 10 | 1-4pm Arts students and instructors from Portage College, the University of Alberta, and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, explore our ancient connection to water through themes of conservation, environmental sustainability, and its medicinal and healing qualities. Curated by Pierre Oberg, Royden Mills, and Carl-Johan Skogh and organized by the Community Gallery for the Art Gallery of Alberta. Organized by Portage College, University of Alberta, University of Gothenburg, Art Gallery of Alberta Like lakes in the boreal forest mirroring the ever-changing world above and below the surface of the water, the participating artists in our art exhibition have created artworks in various media which reflect on our multi-faceted and vital relationship with water. Arts students and instructors from Portage College, the University of Alberta, and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, dive deep into this ancient connection we have with water and explore various topics including water conservation, the environmental impacts and sustainability of water, and the medicinal and healing qualities of water.In addition, the artworks are created from a diverse range of rural, urban, regional, provincial, international, and multi-cultural perspectives.We welcome you to join us as we go with the flow and explore various water views, while reflecting for a moment on our beautiful blue planet. - Pierre Oberg, Curator of WaterViews: Reflections from Our Blue Planet It has been said that water, and our oceans, unite us more than they divide us. We live on a blue planet, and our bodies are made up mostly of water. For all life on Earth, water is essential. It creates a sense of connection, but also brings with it a responsibility—one that concerns us all. To pick a flower, swim in the sea, feel the rain fall on our faces, or drink a glass of water are simple yet unique experiences. Reflecting on the symbiotic relationship we have with water and our oceans is fundamental to creating a sustainable future. We hope that this exhibition can inspire us to reflect, while revealing and celebrating the diversity that exists around and within us. - Carl-Johan Skogh, Curator of WaterViews: Reflections from Our Blue Planet Elbows up, Separation from Canada, polarizing leadership affecting change; These are disturbing things in our era that inspire us towards feeling alone or hopeless sometimes. We go to escape through recreation, a swim, a bath, a skate and water is often supporting that rejuvenation. This exhibition is possibly about hope rejuvenation and recreating familiar feelings between people. Maybe it is the philosopher, the poet, musician, dancer and the artist who are charged with trying to leave honest observations about what they value in life so that even just one other person might find that art and feel less alone in the face of things in life that would try to separate us. What is it in us that ties us, makes us feel kinship and ties to others. Maybe an art-work can allow us to feel we are not the only one who felt a certain way in the large and challenging world. In that way art saves lives, by having even just one other person see that they are not quite so alone. Maybe it is more than just ideals and brain waves that draw us together? Water links us beyond words, and maybe even beyond science. Is it possible that feeling the physical attachment, withing our bodies and literally inside out heart, we know that we belong to something bigger than us? We value love and food, seeing new things and expanding our horizons, some of us take economics and wealth very seriously, but we cannot not even exist for long without water. Maybe within the fibers of our own bodies every molecule is whispering that that moisture in our heart has water that was someplace else before it came there. Maybe the breath you took that changed to steam on that cold day when last we met became a part of a cloud that rained in my garden, and the carrot I just ate delivered moisture that was in you my friend! We are so certainly one with earth and everyone might be considered my family and a part of my blood quite simply through water. These Artists care, and they dedicated effort in order to have somebody else feel connection. This art Gallery has gotten behind this community and so we build radiating connection to province, country and collaboration. Thank you to all who have given us this opportunity and kept our world’s water to this point it is our turn to honor it in our best way. - Royden Mills, Curator of WaterViews: Reflections from Our Blue Planet