Oh Canada! To be honest, occasionally I forget just how lucky I am to live so close to another country. I can practically see Canada from my bedroom window. I can hear freighters bellowing as they cross the river that divides us, and sometimes the GPS on my phone switches over to kilometers because it picked up a canadian signal. Even though it is so close, it is still fun to imagine living in a country that enjoys cute names for currency, has socialized healthcare, possesses a vast and untamed wilderness, boasts incredible cities that speak different languages and carries a much lower violent crime rate. To give us a first-hand look upon the mysterious north, The Elaine L. Jacob Gallery at Wayne State University invited Sandra Dupret to curate the show “Oh Canada! Beyond Trees and Water.” The exhibition included five Canadian artists to explore “Canada’s cultural, societal, physical and environmental landscapes.” Of the artists, Mary Anne Barkhouse, Michael Belmore, Lisa Baggio and Andrea Graham, I was most impressed by Elinor Whidden, I thought her work really expressed the attitude of the show. Whidden uses sculpture, found objects and performance to connect pieces of Canada’s past modes of transportation to its present. According to her artist’s statement, she “investigates myths about the Western Frontier as a way to critique to contemporary car culture.” Using scavenged parts of cars, she creates new and authentic tools for survival. Her “Side-view Mirror Musket,” “Rear-view Walking Stick,” “Windshield Wiper Tent”and snowshoes made of tires accompany her on real life journeys across old trade routes set amidst striking Canadian landscapes. For the exhibition, she presents the physical objects alongside large, framed images of them in use, adding depth and intrigue to their presence. I feel we often overlook the connection that Canada has felt toward car culture, and it is very interesting to view her investigations.

Though I felt a personal connection to the raw element of Whidden’s work, the rest of the show is of equally high caliber. Baggios large-scale paintings on the healthcare system had an allure with muted colors and figures reminiscent of the ones in Diego Riveras murals at the DIA. The show runs until Dec. 16, 2011. The Elaine L. Jacob Gallery is located at 480 W. Hancock, Detroit, Mich. 48202. Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.