Mad Hatter art exhibit unique

If you have noticed a change at the location of the Ponderosa Motel on Highway 97 near the Parkinson Rec Centre, you might have wondered how it came to be known as the Mad Hatter.

For that, you can thank the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan and the UBCO Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.

"The Mad Hatter: Through the looking Glass" is the result of a collaborative partnership between the two, and made possible with the help of Albert Weisstock from Witmar Holdings Ltd., who donated the old Ponderosa Motel property for this unique project.

This major art event is curated by renowned local artist and UBC professor Byron Johnston and will serve as a fundraiser in support of the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan’s Community and Youth Programming.

“This is a great opportunity for students graduating with a bachelor fine arts degree from UBC Okanagan campus to be exposed to the art world outside the institution.” says Johnston.

The exhibit features the work of first, second, third and fourth year sculpture students from the UBC Okanagan campus who have transformed the old motel into a distinctive installation art experience.

"This kind of art is installation art, which the public doesn't get to see a lot of. You get to walk in to it, it's conceptual and you get to experience the art. It's a really different event for the Okanagan." says UBCO fine art student Nicole Ensing.

Installation art is a genre that incorporates any media, including the physical features of the site, to create a conceptual experience for the viewer.

"What is really cool I thought, is it brought UBCO Fine Art students off of the campus. We actually got to go to class every day at the hotel. It was fun to be out in the community doing art." says Ensing.

"It became bigger than what it started as. We started off as a small fund raiser, and it just became bigger and bigger."

Mad Hatter: Through the Looking Glass is on view by donation until March 14.

The exhibit is located at 1864 Harvey Avenue, next to The Parkinson Recreation Centre and open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.