Cathy Dobson
Sarnia’s Darryn Doull has the determination and talent to contribute to the legacy of art in Canada.
Those are high words of praise from the adjudicators of a prestigious curatorial residency program announced this month.
Doull, 26, has been chosen for the first Fogo Island Art Young Curator Residency, an international honour that will see him at the remote island this winter.
Doull has been assistant curator at Lambton County’s Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery (JNAAG) since 2010. Before that, he volunteered at the former Gallery Lambton and had two summer student work terms there.
It’s safe to say Sarnia’s public art gallery has shaped Doull’s career, which is about to take a temporary turn in Newfoundland.
That’s where he and one other young Canadian curator will collaborate with a contemporary arts venue called Fogo Island Arts.
“This is a huge opportunity for me to reorient my perspective,” Doull said. “I hope to do a lot of writing while I’m there and work closely with the community.”
Doull said he found out in July his application had been chosen for the month-long residency but was asked to keep quiet.
“It was a big secret burning a hole in my pocket for a while,” he said. “I’m hugely honoured. I can’t wait to get out there.”
He has chosen to leave for Fogo Island in late February when the weather will guarantee a peaceful – and very beautiful – landscape for Doull to focus on.
The first Fogo Island Art Young Curator Residency was created by the Hnatyshyn Foundation, a private charity established by Canada’s 24th Governor General, the late Ramon John Hnatyshyn, to assist emerging and established artists.
It’s also meant to emphasize the importance of the arts to Canadians.
During the residency, Doull will work closely with Fogo Island Arts staff, international artists-in-residence, and community members.
They’ll develop exhibits and publications, similar to the work Doull does in Sarnia.
“It’s wonderful for Darryn to be recognized on the international stage,” said JNAAG curator Lisa Daniels. “His innovation in community-based programming, together with his passionate and rigorous approach to curating, is what sets him apart now.”
Doull graduated from St. Patrick’s High School and earned a degree in studio art at the University of Guelph.
To learn more about Fogo Island Arts, visit www.fogoisland.ca.