CALGARY.- Glenbow Museum brings you the art event of the summer! The BIG Gift: Calgary Celebrates Art from Canadians is opening at the museum on July 26th! Come feast your eyes on approximately 200 works of contemporary art – including painting, sculpture, videos, art installations and photography. The range is stunning.

The idea for this exhibition was sparked after hundreds of donated artworks began arriving at the museum’s doors last December. The art came in from supporters across the country in a spontaneous show of affection for Glenbow’s newly appointed President and CEO Jeff Spalding, and the museum’s renewed commitment to art.

Glenbow’s Art Curators knew immediately the demand to see this art, and a sampling of other donated works, would be through the roof! They began planning this exciting exhibition, including where to show these magnificent works.

“This is a huge exhibition so we had to extend it beyond Glenbow’s four walls,” said Glenbow Art Curator Quyen Hoang. “The museum is partnering with two of our city’s premier galleries, the Illingworth Kerr Gallery at the Alberta College of Art and The Nickle Arts Museum at the University of Calgary, to celebrate and show these offerings.”

The offerings have swelled over the last several months and to-date, over 900 artworks have been donated to Glenbow. Most of the gifts are by Canadian artists and were donated by Canadians, including 14 Alberta donors.

The BIG Gift: Calgary Celebrates Art from Canadians showcases work by both emerging and internationally renowned artists from near and far in this exhibition including work by Kim Adams, Evergon, David Hockney, Raymonde April, Peter von Tiesenhausen, Chris Cran, Mary Scott, Edward Burtynsky and Jonathan Forrest. There’s also a giant fiberglass green soldier by Douglas Coupland. Known for his books and for popularizing the term “Generation X”, Coupland is also a visual artist. His Green Soldier Number One is a six-foot version of a molded plastic toy soldier and is a striking sight in Glenbow’s gallery.

“This three-venue show is unprecedented,” said Jeff Spalding, Glenbow President and CEO, “Not only is the content of the show extraordinary, the spirit of partnership, first with donors from across the nation and now with these two great galleries, is outstanding.