Aganetha Dyck (born September 12, 1937) is a Canadian sculptor residing in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

. Dyck is best known for her work with live

honeybee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosmo ...

s, that build

honeycomb A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic Beeswax, wax cells built by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen. beekeeping, Beekee ...

on objects that she introduces to honeybee

hives Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and does not leave any long-lasti ...

. In 2007 Dyck was awarded both Manitoba's Arts Award of Distinction and Canada's

Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts The Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts are annual awards for achievements in visual and media arts in Canada. Up to eight awards are presented annually with the prize amount is $25,000 Created in 2000 by then Governor General Adrie ...

Personal life

Dyck was born Aganetha Rempel, in 1937, to

Mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...

parents in

Marquette, Manitoba Marquette is an unincorporated community in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands in the Interlake Region of Manitoba, Canada. It is located approximately 46 kilometres (29 miles) northwest of Winnipeg. History The post office opened in 1871 as Ba ...

, a

French-Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...

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 Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada, after Saskatoon and Regina. It is situated near the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because ...

, in 1972 where Aganetha Dyck enrolled in art courses. At the Prince Albert Community College Dyck studied pottery, batik, Salish weaving, and art criticism. Dyck began to

crochet Crochet (; ) is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread (yarn), thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term ''crochet'', meaning 'hook'. Hooks can be made from ...

, and was trained in Salish weaving by a local weaver. While at Prince Albert, Dyck had the opportunity to be mentored by Professor George Glen and studied

Art History Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

. The family returned to Winnipeg in 1976. Between 1980 and 1982 Dyck studied Art History at the

University of Winnipeg The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gr ...

. Together Aganetha and Peter Dyck have three children; Richard, Deborah and Michael.

Career

Dyck's 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. ''Close Knit'', completed between 1975 - 1981, took inspiration from a dryer accident with a piece made of wool. Various pieces of wool clothing were then intentionally shrunk for this work. A 1984

Winnipeg Art Gallery The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is an art museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Its permanent collection includes over 24,000 works from Canadian, Indigenous Canadian, and international artists. The museum also holds the world's largest collect ...

exhibition of Dyck's 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. 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 National Gallery of Canada (french: Musée des beaux-arts du Canada), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the l ...

. The work took 10 beekeeping seasons to create. Another collaboration with bees is ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (1995 - 2000) where various pieces of sports equipment are turned into beehives. (Her work with honeybees has drawn attention from the press, and Dyck has been featured in the ''CBC'' television show ''

The Nature of Things ''The Nature of Things'' (also, ''The Nature of Things with David Suzuki'') is a Canadian television series of documentary programs. It debuted on CBC Television on 6 November 1960. Many of the programs document nature and the effect that hum ...

'', with

David Suzuki David Takayoshi Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department at th ...

. 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." Even as Dyck began her artistic practice by referencing the domestic objects and tasks with which she was most familiar, she continued to employ traditional signifiers of womanhood through the collaborative creation of honey-comb encrusted high heels, handbags, and even a wedding gown. Dyck's work with bees has been featured in

Troyes Troyes () is a commune and the capital of the department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within the Champagne wine region and is near to ...

, Paris,

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...

, and at the

Yorkshire Sculpture Park The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is an art gallery, with both open-air and indoor exhibition spaces, in West Bretton, Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It shows work by British and international artists, including Henry Moore and Barbar ...

in England. A selection of her awards includes the

Manitoba Arts Council , type = Council , formed = 1965 , headquarters = 525 – 93 Lombard Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3B1 , budget = $10.2 m CAD (2020) , chief1_name = Roberta Christianson , chief1_position = Chair , chief2_name = Randy Joynt , chief2_position = Exec ...

Award of Distinction (2007), Governor General`s Award in Visual and Media Arts (2007), Winnipeg's Art City Star Award (2013), Winnipeg Art Council's Making a Mark Award (2014). Dyck's show "Collaborations" was featured at Burnaby Art Gallery 2009 In 2018'', Close Knit'' was included i
''Thunderstruck: Physical Landscapes''
a Canada Council exhibition about contemporary dance. Dyck sits on the board of directors of Plug In Gallery, and has served as a mentor in

Mentoring Artists for Women's Art Mentoring Artists for Women's Art (MAWA) is a feminist visual arts education center based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Created in 1984, this non-profit organization encourages and supports the intellectual and creative development of women in the visual ...

. The

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba. It includes textual records related to her art career, and artifacts.

Selected works

*''Close Knit'' ((1975‑1981)), Canadian Council Art Bank. *''Closest to Her'' (2007), National Gallery of Canada. *''Queen'' (2007), National Gallery of Canada. *''Glass Dress: Lady in Waiting'' (1992‑1998), National Gallery of Canada. *Hive Drawing #2 (2008), Burnaby Art Gallery.

Awards

* Manitoba's Arts Award of Distinction (2007). *

(2007). * Spotlight on 40 years: Artwork from Canada Council Art Bank (2012). * Art City Star Award, Winnipeg (2013). * Making a Mark award by the Winnipeg Arts Council (2014).

Select exhibitions

* 2009 – ''Aganetha Dyck: Collaborations'' (solo),

Burnaby Art Gallery The Burnaby Art Gallery (abbreviated as BAG) is an art museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The museum is located on the northern periphery of Deer Lake Park, situated off of Deer Lake Avenue. The museum occupies Fairacres Mansion, a histor ...

, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. *2011 – ''Guest Workers'' (solo),

Confederation Centre Art Gallery The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG; french: Musée d’art du Centre de la Confédération) is an art museum that forms a part of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The art museum pavilion f ...

, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. *2014 – ''Surreal Transformations'' (two-person show with Richard Dyck),

Art Gallery of Algoma The Art Gallery of Algoma (AGA) is an art museum in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The museum occupies a facility, situated near the shoreline of St. Marys River. The museum was formally incorporated on 7 July 1975, and in 1980, moved to it ...

, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. *2014 – ''You've Really Got a Hold on Me''
Oakville Galleries
Oakville, Ontario, Canada. *2014 – ''Aganetha Dyck: Honeybee Alterations'',

Ottawa School of Art The Ottawa School of Art is a non-profit art school in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The school offers a one-year certificate program, a three-year diploma program, art camps, and general interest courses, as well as providing exhibition s ...

, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. *2017 – ''Cross Pollination''
516 Arts
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. *2017 – ''AlterNation''
Kamloops Art Gallery
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. *2017 – ''Animal Intent,''

apexart Apexart is a non-profit art space located in Manhattan, New York, that focuses on challenging the gallery system and democratizing the process by which art is curated and exhibited. The organization was founded by Steven Rand in 1994. Exhibit ...

, New York, USA. *2019 – ''Displacement,''

Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size. Designed by Franc ...

, Vancouver, BC. *2019 – ''Something More Than Nothing'',

The Reach Gallery Museum The Reach Gallery Museum is a public art gallery and museum located in Abbotsford, British Columbia. It exhibits artwork from across Canada and around the world. The Reach is also the regional archival repository and houses a significant collectio ...

, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, and touring to the Art Gallery at Evergreen Cultural Centre, Coquitlam, BC.

Collections

Dyck's work is held in the collections of the

, Ottawa, ON; the

, Burnaby, BC; Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI; Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, SK; Kelowna Art Gallery,

Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word ''ki� ...

, BC; Oakville Galleries, Oakville, ON;

, Vancouver, BC;

, Winnipeg, MB; Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery,

Owen Sound Owen Sound ( 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers on an inlet of Georgian Bay. The primary tourist attract ...

, ON; Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina, SK; Manitoba Arts Council Art Bank, Winnipeg, MB; Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, ON;

Glenbow Museum The Glenbow Museum is an art and history regional museum in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The museum focuses on Western Canadian history and culture, including Indigenous perspectives. The Glenbow was established as a private non-profi ...

, Calgary, AB;

Art Gallery of Guelph The Art Gallery of Guelph (AGG), formerly the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, is a public gallery and adjoining sculpture park in Guelph, Ontario. The AGG has a collection of over 9,000 works and focusses on research, publishing, educational progra ...

, Guelph, ON; and the Art Gallery of Windsor, ON, amongst others.

References

External links

Aganetha Dyck's personal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dyck, Aganetha 1937 births Living people Artists from Manitoba Canadian women sculptors Canadian Mennonites Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts winners People from Interlake Region, Manitoba University of Winnipeg alumni 20th-century Canadian sculptors 20th-century Canadian women artists 21st-century Canadian sculptors 21st-century Canadian women artists Mennonite artists