Constructing Space

12 September 2026 — 8 November 2026

Constructing Space at Oeno Gallery showcases the superb works of David Cantine, Milly Ristvedt, Charles Robb (Charles Robert Bush), Otto Rogers, and David Sorensen. These five celebrated Canadian artists treat abstraction – the visual language of expressive form, marks and colours – not as an escape from structure but as a way of creating it.

In painting, space is defined as the distance, area, and depth within and around the forms of an artwork. The canvas is two-dimensional so artists use perspective, optical illusion, composition, and colour to create a sense of depth and structure. Space defines the visual impact of a painting. The relationship between positive space (the subject) and negative space (surrounding or empty areas) is key to a painting’s composition. Together, they establish balance, guide the viewer’s eye, and even affect the emotional weight of the work. Space contributes to the rhythm, balance, and harmony of a composition.

“Since 1990, Milly Ristvedt’s paintings have shared a common structure built around a central element: the grid. Present before, but in a less obvious manner, grids allow her to face the colours of her dreams head on, and contain them within the four walls of a square. The grid is a dynamic structure, not a rigid one, and can even give way to colour.” Éric Devlin, gallerist and curator

Through grids, formal pictorial architecture, planes, and colour fields, each artist constructs spatial experiences that are not simply represented but deeply felt, inviting viewers to engage with their work on a visceral level.

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, September 12, 2-4 PM

2274 County Road 1 Prince Edward County, Bloomfield

oenogallery.com