Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and widely familiar to Canadian audiences, Martin Bennett this subtle and stunning exhibition, entitled "When I Can No Longer Fall In Love For The First Time," consists of representational monochromatic works on canvas based in part on the story of Bennett's grandmother. Bennett investigates personal histories and the possibilities of doubt. His process incorporates photo-mechanical reproduction and digital, as well as analog manipulation of a painting, working the surface of the canvas so that images evoke an earlier time. Bennett begins with photographs taken on his travels that are rendered in black and white, then sanded down to reveal the texture of the canvas. These purposely ambiguous works evoke memories, and their extremely detailed titles direct their meaning. For example "Static Image Painting/Grey/38/Grove Avenue/Hanwell/London/This Is The House Where Nellie Taylor Gave Birth To Beryl Taylor/1921" depicts the number 38 on the facade of a brick building. From the title the significance of the location is gleaned. The exhibition has conceptual overtones that are grounded in a solid idea and rendered with exacting precision.
