A horse is a horse, of course, and no one can talk to a horse, of course, unless of course the horse is the work of Vancouver artist Mary Ann Liu and on display at the Unit/Pitt Gallery. Mary Ann’s horse is a life size ceramic sculpture, in complete realistic detail. You may not actually want to talk to it but you’re bound to be impressed by its size. Mary Ann is a recent art school graduate who says she has chosen realism as a vehicle because she feels that it is an accessible art language and makes work more understandable to the general public than would abstract or conceptual art.

Realism is also the mode chosen by Ray Alton, another young Vancouver artist. Ray has used the ‘dead’ format of realistic painting to portray his favourite subject, the dinosaur. Ray has been working on the dinosaur theme for six years and is known around town as the ‘dinosaur man’. Realistic painting, extinct? What a perfect form then for Ray’s colourful depictions of these primitive beasts.

Mary Ann and Ray’s show will be opening at the Unit/Pitt Gallery, 163 W. Pender St, Monday, April 9th, 8:00 p.m. Please come down and enjoy the work of these two very talented young artists. The show will run from April 9 to April 21 and the gallery hours are noon til 5:00 Tues to Sat.