Aganetha Dyck
| Aganetha Dyck | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 Marquette, Manitoba |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Prince Albert Community College, 1974-1976; University of Winnipeg, 1980-1982 |
| Known for | Sculpture, Drawing |
Aganetha Dyck (born 1937) is a Canadian sculpture artist residing in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dyck is best known for her work with live honeybees, that build honeycomb on objects that she introduces to honeybee hives. In 2007 Dyck was awarded both Manitoba’s Arts Award of Distinction and Canada's Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts.
Dyck was born Aganetha Rempel, in 1937, to mennonite parents in Marquette, Manitoba, a French-Canadian farming town 50 kM north of Winnipeg. She married Peter Dyck, a mennonite merchant from Winnipeg, in 1958. The family moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in 1972 where Aganetha Dyck enrolled in art courses. In Prince Albert Dyck began to crochet, and was trained in Salish weaving by a local weaver. The family returned to Winnipeg in 1976. Between 1980 and 1982 Dyck studied Art History at the University of Winnipeg.
Together Aganetha and Peter Dyck have three children; Richard, Deborah and Michael.
Dycks early work is described as transforming domestic processes into fine art, thereby validating activities that are traditionally considered feminine. In her early work Dyck used household materials such as buttons, wool fabrics, and cigarettes. A Winnipeg Art Gallery exhibition of Dycks work featured several hundred jars of buttons prepared and cooked using different culinary techniques.
Dyck was trained to crochet in the Salish style by a weaver in Prince Albert, Manitoba. After accidentally felting some of her woven work, she began to design felt sculptures, such as Close Knit ((1975‑1981)), Skirt Issue (1981) and Forest (1975‑1981), as well as sculptures that combined felt art with found objects, such as 23 Suitcases (1981).
Dyck is best known for her work with honeybees, which began in 1989 when she rented beehives, and is described by her as a collaboration. She was inspired when she came across a store sign made out of honeycomb. Dyck places objects into beehives, or beehives into objects, and allows insects to build honeycomb on the objects, sometimes over the course of years. This work is considered to be exemplified by Glass Dress: Lady in Waiting (1992‑1998), currently held at the National Gallery of Canada. The work took 10 beekeeping seasons to create. Her work with honeybees has drawn attention from the press, and Dyck has been featured in the CBC television show The Nature of Things, with David Suzuki. Dyck has collaborated with beekeepers and entomologists in making her sculptures. In addition to appreciating the beauty of the honeycomb, Dyck hopes that "people will realize the importance of the honeybees’ work."
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