06/06/2026
Next Week at the Chester Art Centre: FISHERS, An Exhibition by Curtis Botham
Join us for an Opening Reception next Friday, June 12th from 5-7pm to view this exhibition from a CAC Artist-in-Residence alumni. Complementary snacks and refreshments will be offered to all guests.
This exhibition will feature large-scale charcoal drawings depicting the labour and processes of Nova Scotia’s commercial fishing industry.
Botham started this project in 2022, while in Chester Art Centre’s Artist-in-Residency program.
"The artworks in this series were made using sketches and photos that I’ve accumulated on fishing boats, processing plants, and docks. They aimed to cut through the often-idealized, touristy depictions of quaint fishing villages, instead depicting the unromanticized, real labour and processes of an industry that’s so quintessential to maritime culture, but often taken for granted. The work was made in a hands-on, documentary way, with a keen sense of passive observation showing each stage of the seafood industry from ocean to plate.
Since my Chester residency marked the beginning of the project, it’s fitting to display the finished project in the same place. The impressive scale and high degree of detail in the work encourages people to spend a long time with each piece; I’ve been told routinely how much time they spend soaking it in. People involved with the fishing industry have remarked on feeling seen by even the more mundane aspects of the drawing; I’ve had so many long discussions about their own experiences at sea, so I know the work can make an impact."
We hope to see you in our gallery this month to view this impressive exhibition from a local favourite.
