An autistic mother known for her past propensity for LEGO-based artwork brings a new, tactile art exhibition to Maple Ridge this weekend that puts magnifying glasses, colour lenses, and viewfinders in the hands of her audience.
The latest works of Katherine Duclos, a Massachusetts-born and New York-trained artist who now resides in Vancouver, is being featured in the City of Maple Ridge’s first-ever curated exhibit at The ACT Arts Centre. The show is called “Reappraisal.”
The city took over management of The ACT and its gallery on Jan. 1. On Jan. 24 will unveil this solo exhibition by Duclos, confirmed Russ Brummer, the city’s manager of arts, culture, and events.
“’Reappraisal’ reflects the city’s commitment to accessibility, engagement, and inclusive creative practices,” Brummer said, enthralled by the interactive work.
“We’re proud to open this new chapter of The ACT Art Gallery with an exhibition that welcomes curiosity, play, and multiple ways of experiencing art.”
“Reappraisal” encourages visitors to reconsider what holds value – materially, emotionally, and socially – while the artist reflects on her own values in relation to art making, gender, and societal expectations.
As an autistic person with ADHD, Duclos translates a constant stream of sensory experiences –colour, light, texture, and sound – into deeply personal, multi-sensory artworks.
For her, interaction is central to accessibility and understanding.
Duclos received her master of fine arts in painting and drawing from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 2011. She moved from New York City to Vancouver in 2017, where she maintains an active multi-media studio practice.
She said she shifts direction in “Reappraisal”, trading rigid grids for soft, tactile fibres sourced from her childhood. Curtains, vintage crochet, and window screens form the foundation of installations – sculptures, paintings, and digital works that reconstruct memory and help the artist orient herself in the present.
Designed with families and young visitors in mind, the exhibition includes the interactive elements Duclos calls “tools for viewing,” such as hand mirrors and magnifying glasses. And, a scavenger hunt encourages close looking, while regulation stations invite visitors to arrange and compose using materials from the exhibition itself.
There is a free opening reception Saturday, Jan. 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. Then, the exhibition runs through until March 21, with the gallery open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and select evenings, at 11944 Haney Pl.