Exhibition: September 2021

Reindeer Man

New work by Alex Rydlinski

First Thursday Opening Reception: September 2nd, 5-7 pm

The new show “Reindeer Man” featuring paintings and etchings by Alex Rydlinski is on view starting September 2nd in the gallery. For over a year, Rydlinski has been collaborating with Fairbanks reindeer farmer George Aguiar on this exhibition, which offers a look into the life of an independent reindeer farmer, specifically on Aguiar’s Archipelago Farms. Through a series of paintings and etchings, the exhibition moves through the reindeer life cycle from birth to slaughter, with a clear focus on the human trials throughout. Aguiar generously granted the artist full access to the farm, resulting in images of gritty sincerity, and an honest insight into this uniquely northern lifestyle.

Alex Rydlinski and George Aguiar will be giving a joint artist talk in the gallery on Tuesday September 7th at 7pm

Alex Rydlinski

Alex Rydlinski is a painter and printmaker from Fairbanks, currently living in Kenai, AK. He spent over a decade living in Texas and traveling the country while writing and performing music, as well as making illustrations. He learned to paint in oils by studying masterworks in books and museums, and in 2017 he studied in Norway with the master painter Odd Nerdrum. Rydlinski continues to be possessed by the aim of joining sincere ideas with sincere craft, and considers the Northland wild his ideal backdrop for dramatic narrative paintings.

I first became aware of Reindeer George in 2015 when my buddy Simon started helping out at Archipelago Farms. It was easy for me to romanticize the simple, dignified way of life that I saw in his photos; while I was stuck in Texas traffic they were hauling buckets of feed through the snow, surrounded by these mythical animals. I stored the idea that the reindeer farm might provide good source material for paintings down the line. In 2019 I found myself back in Alaska, it seemed like the perfect time to finally collaborate with George. He agreed, and we both dove in.

My idea was to present the reindeer lifecycle from birth to slaughter, keeping the real focus on the human trials throughout. I wasn’t sure what kinds of images would emerge, other than people in the quiet rituals of manual labor, like in the paintings of Millet and Breton. I was initially concerned that my pictures might end up too safe, with too little at stake, like so many thrift store farm paintings. Those concerns disappeared on my first fact-finding mission, when I accompanied George to the slaughterhouse. In that small, wet room, full of blood and the smell of rumen, there was a sober dose of reality worth sharing.

After that I ditched all preconceived ideas and let the pictures come naturally from spending time on the farm, lending a hand, and talking to George. I found his world to be one of many small dramas, endless troubleshooting, and people working with—and struggling against— nature. George was a true collaborator. He granted me access to all aspects of the farm, even the grittier, darker corners, and nothing was off limits for depiction. George loves his work wholly and owns it, and so he doesn’t wince at any part of it.

These paintings and etchings aren’t meant to be a biographical account of George’s life, and they are far from being a complete account of all the work done at the farm. These are a few selected scenes that I found particularly poetic, and they attempt to transmit the sense of humanity that I witnessed during my time at Archipelago Farms. I never got any better at farming, and George never got any better at painting, but we hope you enjoy this collaboration, made by two people with sincere devotion to their respective crafts.

George Aguiar

George Aguiar of Archipelago Farms grew up on a large dairy farm in California’s Central Valley, where his father was the herdsman.  His family immigrated from the Azores islands and maintained many of their traditions, including many cultural food traditions.  From a young age George raised rabbits, pigs, cows, and goats, and realized early on that he wanted to be involved in the animal production world.

This career goal led George to pursue a B.S. in Natural Resource Management at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which eventually led to his employment by the Reindeer Research Program. Here George acquired his introduction to not only fenced reindeer at the Fairbanks Experiment Station Reindeer Research Program herd, but he also applied these research concepts on the free range herds owned by Native Alaskans on the Seward Peninsula.  During his work with the Reindeer Research Program, George acquired his graduate degree, which placed emphasis on reindeer production.

George founded Archipelago Farms in 2009 with the purchase of 6 reindeer from British Columbia.  After partnering up with a local farmer to share expenses and pool resources, they made the 1,500 mile journey, and the reindeer found themselves nestled on a small farm in the Goldstream Valley.  In 2014 George went back for an additional 6 reindeer to ensure enough genetic diversity for future production goals.  Currently he maintains the herd between 30 and 50 head.

As the farm grew, so did the all-too familiar challenges of feed and infrastructure costs associated with production agriculture in a sustainable business model.  At one point the dream seemed to be over.  Feed was too expensive, and the herd was not large enough to cull animals while maintaining a critical herd population.  Then a yearly lease opportunity with the long running Riverboat Discovery suddenly made itself available.  It was enough to keep operational costs manageable while exploring other opportunities.  Eventually, bookings at events for the halter-trained animals became regular.  Local businesses such as HooDoo Brewing Co., Compeau’s, and Toy Quest all began hosting events, and reindeer were requested for functions at schools and military bases.  Reindeer have even partaken in weddings, private parties, and concerts.  Eventually the herd became big enough to collaborate with local restaurants.  229 Parks Restaurant and Tavern, Hungry Robot, and Lemongrass were three of the first to provide Archipelago Farms’ reindeer on the menu locally in Fairbanks.  Alaska Interior Meats and Mid-Town Market have made it possible to distribute product throughout the community as well.  Boreal Winds, a soap maker in town, collaborated by utilizing reindeer tallow and milk in some of her soap lines.  Eventually, live animal sales both in-state and out-of-state became an expected means of income.  These collaborations with other businesses, plus the support shown by the community, has allowed Archipelago Farms to survive and stick around for the foreseeable future.

Most recently, a collaboration between George Aguiar and Alex Rydlinski has allowed for some of the daily farm trials and tribulations to be presented visually via etchings and paintings.  Not only did Alex make it his priority to involve himself with the farm and its challenges throughout the year, he also strived to understand the animals’ natural disposition and life cycle to most accurately depict some of the less-talked-about intricacies of this lifestyle, and all of the human struggle and emotion that is often times dismissed.

Selected work from “Reindeer Man”