KITCHENER - Local artist James Olley interprets urban space in his exhibit, Transitions, which will be hosted by the Rotunda Gallery at Kitchener City Hall for the month of July.

Olley's work focuses on the social interactions and architectural spaces that reflect the familiar urban and suburban spaces found in common North American society.
He studied fine arts as an undergraduate at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in Halifax, and achieved a master of fine arts at University of Waterloo in 2008. His exhibit reflects the changing dynamics of urban space, particularly in Kitchener.

''While illustrating familiar urban and suburban spaces showcased in the exhibited works, Kitchener like many sprawling urban spaces is evolving and undergoing continual changes,'' he says. ''The intention of Transitions is not just to illustrate the dynamically changing city of Kitchener, but also to explore how the people of this city inhabit and coexist within these social spaces.''

Olley recently underwent a residency at the Vermont Studio Centre and represented Toronto's Angell Gallery at the Pulse Art Fair in New York.
He received the 2008 Emerging Artist Grant from the Ontario Arts Council, 2008 Best Painter Award (student category), Robert Pope Painting Award and the Sylvia Knight Award for excellence in fine arts.

Olley has collaborated with artists in Glasgow, Scotland and he has had his work exhibited locally and internationally.

''As a Canadian artist residing in an urban area that is undergoing revitalization at its core and expansion at its periphery, I feel an exploration and interpretation of the urban dynamic is important to understanding how our society operates within such circumstances,'' Olley says. ''I am interested in the ways people inhabit space and the inherent tensions and energies generated within the complexities of our dynamically changing and evolving urban space.''

Where: City of Kitchener Rotunda Gallery, City Hall
Artist: James Olley
Name of exhibition: Transitions
Date: July 2009
Artist's reception: Thursday, July 2, from 5-7 p.m.