Drink from the river documents Brenda Draney's 2023 solo exhibition of the same name, organized and circulated by The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto, and presented at the Arts Club of Chicago and the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), Edmonton. The publication includes installation views of the exhibition at The Power Plant, and original texts by the exhibition's curator Jacqueline Kok and writers Graham Foy, David Garneau, Ken Lum, and Souvankham Thammavongsa.

This richly illustrated catalogue features a selection of existing and newly commissioned works that examine the complex nature of intimacy. Referencing her own memories and experiences living in Edmonton, Draney explores the layered meanings embedded in everyday motifs and situations. However, instead of simply reproducing these elements, the artist is more interested in addressing how their meanings can shift when filtered through individual interpretation. By deliberately leaving blank spaces in her paintings, Draney leaves room for viewers to deeply reflect on the subject matter presented.

Drink from the river thus not only considers how memory shapes identity but suggests that nostalgia—the pain stemming from the desire to recreate something from the past—can lead to a more profound understanding of oneself. Draney's commitment to representing critical moments from her life and the life of her community, as seen in her conscientious and sensitive approach to painting, makes her one of the most notable contemporary artists of her generation.

With texts by: Graham Foy, David Garneau, Jacqueline Kok, Ken Lum, Janine Mileaf, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Carolyn Vesely

Designer: Studio Markus Weisbeck

Publisher: The Power Plant / Hatje Cantz Verlag

Year: 2023