Everyday Object

When does an everyday object become fine art? When someone famous says it is.  Andy Warhol’s depiction of Campbell’s soup cans comes to mind as the ultimate reference of a household item that is synonymous with “high art”, which is collected, sold and hung in museums.

Many artists in the 20^th Century have followed suit, but none so prolifically as Damien Hirst who arguably is the most famous living artists today. Just as many have argued that silkscreen prints of soup cans is not ‘art’, so too have people snickered at the often scientifically morbid fascination Hirst has with preserving dead animals.

His notoriety is not only based on his subject matter, but also that he considers himself more as a businessman than an artist. Interestingly he has refused representation by the major art houses, and has chosen to sell directly to the major auction houses instead, therefore cutting out the middleman. Few artists have the shrewd ability to sell and market their own work, let alone catapult their careers in order to fetch millions of dollars for a single work of art during their lifetime.

Most notable was the sale of a shark killed in Australia, preserved in formaldehyde and encased in glass, that sold at Sotheby’s for $100, 000, 000 pounds. Now a shark is definitely not an everyday object, but preserving a dead animal, and calling it art is a far cry from soup cans.

Although Warhol and Hirst each explore very different subject matter they both had the technical know-how in creating their work, yet the question remains as to whether there is real creativity and artistic mastery present in the art they have produced?

I would argue that Hirst skirts a very fine line in creating a valuable contribution to the evolution in art (regardless of whether the art world values it as such) versus a scientific display of dead animals that people must now accept as commonplace in museums.

Gastown reenacted

“Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971”, (2008) by Stan Douglas

Front and centre when you walk through the large doors of the inner atrium doors of the Woodward’s building you are confronted with a controversial piece of art, for which the developers should be commended.

The light box photograph taken by renowned Canadian artist Stan Douglas entitled “Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971”, (2008). The photograph is a cleverly designed reenactment of the Gastown Riots, also known as “the Battle of Maple Tree Square”, which occurred when city police violently broke up a peaceful, pot-smoking demonstration on Water Street.

The photograph depicts the police violently busting up a demonstration—beating protesters, charging crowds on horseback, arresting dozens of people, while others take in the scene from the sidewalk; many smaller vignettes illustrating the larger story.

This riot led city officials to rezone Gastown, which was then being overtaken by Kitsilano hippies residing in industrial spaces, to then be zoned as strictly commercial.  How very ironic as the Woodward’s building is now predominantly high-end residential condos, perhaps being sold to the very community that was once driven away.

 While many crisp new apartment lobbies are filled with paintings, prints or sculptures of safe and recognizable artwork and not something that could perhaps offend, it is a reminder to all to recognize the art that has been purposely place for our enjoyment.

Spraypaint

"I Love You" 2010, by Fiona Ackerman

Colour and composition are what generally attract me to abstract paintings; so when a recent group show was displayed at the Diane Farris Gallery showcasing artist Fiona Ackerman, I was instantly drawn to her work.

Upon moving to Vancouver from Montreal, Ackerman swore that she would never become a landscape painter; but yet her work refers to and is inspired by the natural surroundings and the many “environments” experienced by us all.

Her approach to each canvas begins loosely, by continuously building, layer by layer over many months, as if participating in a larger conversation of drips, marks, and strokes to come to a final and lasting conclusion.

“There is a transformative moment in the process of making a painting when a metaphorical horizon emerges. Suddenly the painting has direction and the mess of colours and shapes begin to function in relation to one and other.” says Ackerman

The most vibrant work entitled “I Love You”, resonated profoundly with me as I searched for the letters of the works title, but also her use of spraypaint as a medium.

More often found on the sides of buildings than on canvas, the spraypaint for me, blends what we all understand as everyday “street art” with that of “high art” that is found in art galleries and museums. A pairing which for me, is sheer brilliance.

Colour and composition are what generally attract me to abstract paintings; so when a recent group show was displayed at the Diane Farris Gallery showcasing artist Fiona Ackerman, I was instantly drawn to her work.

Upon moving to Vancouver from Montreal, Ackerman swore that she would never become a landscape painter; but yet her work refers to and is inspired by the natural surroundings and the many “environments” experienced by us all.

Her approach to each canvas begins loosely, by continuously building, layer by layer over many months, as if participating in a larger conversation of drips, marks, and strokes to come to a final and lasting conclusion.

“There is a transformative moment in the process of making a painting when a metaphorical horizon emerges. Suddenly the painting has direction and the mess of colours and shapes begin to function in relation to one and other.” says Ackerman

The most vibrant work entitled “I Love You”, resonated profoundly with me as I searched for the letters of the works title, but also her use of spraypaint as a medium.

More often found on the sides of buildings than on canvas, the spraypaint for me, blends what we all understand as everyday “street art” with that of “high art” that is found in art galleries and museums. A pairing which for me, is sheer brilliance.

Winter Pond

Winter Pond #3  (Courtesy of Equinox Gallery)

A pond with raindrops rippling means fall is here. As water descends from the sky and kids go back to school, new art shows are opening all around town.

Gordon Smith at the age of 91 is still producing magnificent and modern representations of nature as he sees it. Spending much time photographing trees, thickets and ponds he comes back to the studio to then create large works on canvas, which are now on display at Equinox Gallery on South Granville.

Included in the sold out show, were colourful spring and fall scenes, but what struck me most was a longer canvas entitled “Winter Pond #3” tucked upstairs in the gallery and how intricate the detail the effect of rippling water. Not unlike the Impressionist painters who were trying to illustrate the playfulness of light, the work instantly reminded me of Monet’s water lily paintings, which I was blessed to have seen in person on my trip to Paris last year.

In Smith’s work we can see how the light is captured when a ripple occurs with the reflection of the branches and sky above. Unfortunately a small rendition of the painting does not do it justice, but the up close it is superb.

People may look at this painting and see a very dark and dreary display of winter, but I would implore you to realize how incredibly talented an artist must be in order to create a modern work so tactile that you feel you could step into it.

Tavi

Adults just don’t understand. When the youth of the world are eager, engaged and excited to explore a subject or past time far beyond the norm of what their peers are doing, it is often met with criticism. Tavi Gevinson is one of these so-called youths.

In 2008 at the age of 11 from her bedroom in Chicago, she began writing a blog entitled “Style Rookie” to explore her passion and love of fashion.  It wasn’t the fabulous life of models or the glitzy parties that drew her in; it was the creativity and artistic expression created by the famous fashion houses that spurred her to create many scrapbooks and written posts.

Her voice and style are so articulate that many in the industry have accused her of having others write for her.  On the other hand, she has risen in popularity and been asked to write articles for French and Teen Vogue, as well as a guest correspondence at NY fashion week for Fashion Television.  Recently she graced the cover of POP magazine, which was designed by the infamous contemporary artist Damien Hurst.  All this before her 14^th birthday!

So what is it about this so-called “precocious” teenager that gives her validity in the cultural hotbed of fashion? I feel it is because she brings youthful, down to earth and unabashed realism to a hyper-sexualized, egocentric and plastic industry.  Her wealth of knowledge about fashion is astonishing, and not about teen-wear but about real icons such as Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood just to name a few. Her own playful fashion style is also an ode to her creative nature, as seen in the pink bow she wore for a show she attended recently.

The new generation is increasingly embracing being ‘different’ without being fake. They resist the urge to be like everyone else their age, grade or community. Their need and want to share their creativity and passions with the world is something to be embraced, even if it is not fashionable.

Kooza

The lights go out and a creative and magical world is revealed, an experience only found in a tent. Where else would you be with 2500 other people but at Kooza, Cirque de Soleil’s new show? Having seen their other Vancouver show visits I was once again spellbound by the mystery and intrigue of what this masterful group of musicians, entertainers and athletes can do.

Playful and theatrical, this artistic reinterpretation of the circus invites the audience to take in the sights, sounds and movement on stage and throughout the Big Top. As my senses were heightening I realized how important they were to my enjoyment of the whole experience.   

While watching Kooza, a story based about a character named Innocent - a loner trying to find his place in the world, I found myself also feeling quite alone with my thoughts and feelings while taking in the show. My eyes kept being drawn to the beautiful set designs and exquisite costumes, let alone the sleek and chiseled bodies of the performers. What was moving still was the often-melancholy music that flowed in intervals between intense rock music and quiet vignettes with funny clowns. 

This sensual rollercoaster of the senses is the beauty of what Cirque de Soleil continues to add to the world of visual mastery and entertainment; something that all should experience at least once in a lifetime.

 

Driftwood

Beach Tangle by Gordon Smith

Driftwood has never looked so beautiful. The instillation “Beach Tangle” 2009, by Gordon Smith on display at the West Van Community Centre, highlights the beauty of collected flotsam and jetsam we take for granted along the west coast. 

I was lucky to have witnessed the work of art in progress, to which many close friends brought over found objects for him to incorporate… amongst them a bright orange tire.

In situ at West Van Community Centre

Although technically a sculpture, it reads like one of his iconic painting, incorporating many layers of colour and texture. The tactile nature of this piece makes you wish you could run up and touch it, really inspect it.

It makes you wonder from where the wood drifted; either lost logs from a boom or broken branches from windstorms. Each piece has a story of its passage from the root of the forest to a beautiful work of art that showcases the next chapter in the life of a forest.

Naked

Tagging people in photos on Facebook is risky. If it is a good photo of you, you are pleased to be recognized, and if it is a terrible photo you might consider un-tagging yourself.

Thus when I was recently tagged in a photo of the Sydney Opera House in the background, and what looked like to me an infestation of shrimp I was bemused.  Having never been to Australia, and not knowing what this photo was about, I needed to understand why this would be of interest to anyone.

What my research unearthed was that the infestation of shrimp was actually a sea of naked bodies lined up in front of the iconic Australian landmark, and was taken by New York photographer Spencer Tunick. As it turns out, this was the latest of his photos from his travels around the world, soliciting thousands of volunteers to pose nude on mass, early in the morning, in front of famous landmarks.

So is this art? Why would anyone want to see thousands of naked bodies outdoors in front of buildings or places of interest? After all it is illegal to be outdoors without clothes in many countries, and the photographer has been arrested many times for taking such photos. So why do artists continue to make art with naked bodies, and why do we continue to accept, appreciate and acknowledge them as art?

I believe it comes down to our humanistic questioning of the human form and it’s place in society. We walk around all day in our own flesh and bones and we all have flaws - things we would change about our bodies and things we hide with clothing, accessories and makeup.

What I find fascinating about these photos by Tunick, is that on mass we do not objectify or pick out the body flaws of the participants. Instead the viewer is asked to see how the colour and composition of many human forms together play with the landscape or architecture surrounding it. It shows the amazing juxtaposition between the softness of the human form against the harsh landscape. Thus the viewer can appreciate it as an art form and not feel uncomfortable with personal issues of body image.

Although I was not a willing participant in the actual photo at the Opera House, I am thankful for friends who introduce me to new images and ideas about art. 

MoMA on my mind

New York city has been on my mind a lot this week. It started while watching my new favorite show called "How to Make it in America" which is set in NYC and captures the raw desperation of breaking into a career in the Big Apple when I happened upon a link to "Every Painting in the MoMA on 10 April 2010".

Out of the many of works of art in this photo montage, every few seconds I am hit with an image that moved me to the core when I saw it in the flesh for the first time at the age of 18.

It is one thing to see reproductions of art in magazines, books and even prints, but it is quite another to see them up close. I will never forget coming within inches of the luscious texture on the canvas of “Starry Night” by Vincent VanGogh.

Coming face to face with a work of art that was made, touched and conjured up by creative marvels such as VanGogh, Picasso or Pollack is like no other experience; the likes of which often brings me to tears.

What moves me when visiting galleries such as the MoMA is that we get to experience and take in modern masterpieces that were not created with our viewing pleasure in mind, but yet we reap the visual benefits of their genius.

Original works of art should be seen up close.. but as I rarely get to New York, I will continue to visit with some of my favorite paintings through this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3QHkFc3NZw

The shock of Miss Mao

Walk through a park or to work in the lower mainland and you will most certainly be engaged in a dialogue with public art.

The Vancouver Biennale pursuing the theme of “in-TRANSIT-ion” started in 2009 and on until 2011 is an exhibition with an emphasis on physical movement of people and changing our societies view towards public art.

Photo by Danielle Dewonck

I remember the moment I first came across one of the sculptural pieces of the biennale, while working in Richmond before the Olympics. The buzz was that just outside the hotel was a giant reproduction of Lenin’s head with a tiny figure balanced with a high-wire walkers pole on top entitled “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head” by Beijing artist brothers Zhen and Qiang Gao.

My initial reaction was one of astonishment that an art piece such as this would be placed in the epicenter of Asian culture in Richmond just before the Olympics; and that city officials would embrace starting such a conversation when under the spotlight on the world stage.

After visiting Beijing and the center of their art district called 789 just before the 2009 Summer Olympics, I was pleasantly surprised that many artists from China were producing politically charged and controversial art such as this and increasingly being recognized internationally for their artistic contributions.

If public art starts the conversation, I enlist you to seek out, enjoy and perhaps stop to questioning what story might it tell rather than simply whether you love it or hate it.

 

Rennie Collection

Rooftop patio outlined with poppies

My excitement and anticipation in visiting the Rennie Collection at Wing Sang in Chinatown, comes close to stepping into the Guggenheim Museum in New York for the first time; I knew it would change my perception of how the history of architecture relates to showcasing art.

Bob Rennie’s reputation as an avid art collector and recently acquiring the Wing Sang building in Chinatown, has kept me keenly interested in seeing the outcome of the specific renovations created to house his real estate development offices and revolving art collection.

Previously only close art and business associates were given access to the site until this year, when it was decided to open the doors to the public on a small scale.

Entrance to the main gallery space at the Rennie Collection

As a privately funded space, visitors are asked not to take photos, but I couldn’t resist taking a few of the rooftop garden and the beautiful old walls of the original building he kept in tact.

The current show of American sculptural painter Richard Jackson, is thought provoking and well worth the visit, as you soak in the dialogue between preserving the history of Chinatown and  showcasing how it can be transformed in a modern way.

 

Time Magazine: Aisha

A disturbing photograph has power. It draws the viewer in with its beauty and composition, and then repels you when you take in the graphic content.

Watching Charlie Rose I happened upon his interview with the editor of Time Magazine in regards to the very shocking new front cover photo of Aisha, an 18-year-old girl who under the Taliban regime, had both ears and nose cut off by her husband and brother in law.

This photograph holds so much weight in terms of how it portrays the political and social unrest in Afghanistan, and the inequality of the sexes. However what interests me is how the photographer has made the viewer feel about the subject matter.

What I find fascinating is that I first noticed how beautiful she was, how the composition and the colours of her clothing shape and accentuate her face. My eye was then drawn to her disfigurement, which is indeed shocking. It made me question why someone would want to destroy something so beautiful.

Powerful images such as these are what sell magazines, newspapers and art in galleries. What is it about images that shock and make us uneasy, that draws us in closer, and compels us to purchase them? I believe it is the storytelling behind them that intrigues us, and urges us to find out more about the artist and the subject matter. Like it or not, it starts the conversation.

Video of the photographer speaking about the photographs of Aisha (photo not available)

http://205.188.238.109/time/video/player /0,32068,294175100001_2007267,00.html

The Future of the VAG

After sitting through a 3 hour informational session on the very topic, many arguments were made against the move of the Vancouver Art Gallery from the current location at Hornby and Georgia, how it will affect the core of the city, and what is to be done with the current historical building.

There are people who believe that the almost final decision to relocate the gallery to the bus depot location on Georgia and Cambie is unwise as it is outside of the tourist area, and that constructing a new building is financially irresponsible due to the economic conditions we are facing. This is especially poignant in a city, which draws from a very small pool of philanthropic donors and seemingly exhausted tax dollars.

The overarching theme in the end is that people dislike change.

Change is scary, and it means we must move outside of our comfort zone to accept something that potentially we aren’t given a say for or against.

I argue that change is inevitable, whether you buy in, or sit on the sidelines. Traditionally younger generations embrace technology and change, and older generations cling to the status quo.

Whether the art gallery should move or not is irrelevant, as by the fall the government will most likely accept the current proposal, an international architect will be found and a new gallery built on the proposed site.

What is relevant is whether a purpose built art gallery will do justice to the art the gallery has in its vaults? Will it draw tourists and residents of the lower mainland and BC through the doors, and will it be able to draw high-end exhibits shared with the major art galleries around the world?

As scary as change is to the cultural fabric of our city, I believe it should be embraced. 

Link to more info on the new site: www.newvanartgallery.com

 

Great art in 2 days?

Project Runway is for fashion what Work of Art: The Next Great Artist is for visual art; both shows explore the artistry of up and coming artists and both share the same production company. As to be expected this show follows the reality TV formula in terms of structure and character selection, making viewers decide who should win and who should go home.

The intrigue of this series for me is not the characters, but rather the art that the contestants produce. Artists are given less than two days to create masterpieces to be shown in a gallery space and are then critiqued on their marketability and artistic merit.

What I continue to question as I watch is whether two days is enough time to create a work of art worthy of public consumption?

I believe many artists would agree that this is not enough time to complete something they are truly proud of; as often you need to walk away from a piece and come back to it at a later date to reflect and approach it with a fresh eye. The artistic process is as individual as DNA and thus different artists, no matter what the medium, work with different approaches and timelines.

In a competitive world that perpetuates deadlines, do we need to hold the visual arts up and compare it to the driven nature of business in order for it to be relevant to the average viewer? Or do we value art in all its forms because it gives us time and space to stop, think and create.

Work of Art: The Next Great Artist airs Wednesdays at 10pm on Bravo

Vancouver Gallery Hop

Saturday May 29^th, 2010 marked the date of a citywide gallery hop put on by the Canadian Art Foundation, with organized tours and talks with an emphasis on getting the city excited about art in our community.

Although Gastown is THE upcoming place to be in terms of art, culture, fashion and gastronomy, it still shows its less polished side, which deters many from exploring it. This grittier side however is what artist Andrew Owen portrays in his solo exhibition “As it is, and/or/neither/nor” on now at the Marion Scott Gallery. The gallery, usually laden with Inuit art, took a leap of faith to display the photo realist work by Owen and hosted a few dozen of us for a talk on his work by novelist Timothy Taylor.

What caught my attention upon entering the gallery was the sequential photo display of different people in a vivid and tactile cityscape. Capturing a portion of the person’s face, then having them hold that photo of themselves for another portrait, and on the sequence goes, begging the question of why we take photos of people in landscapes or with landmarks behind them.

Link to Canadian Art website

Link to Marion Scott Gallery website

Link to Andrew Owen's website

"Re-photo-cubic people solos - Toronto" 2004-2010, by Andrew Owen

 

Digital Orca

"Digital Orca" 2010, by Douglas Coupland

As I found myself inevitably wasting time flipping through friends photos on Facebook, I happened upon wedding photos taken at the new convention centre, and in the background was a sculpture I was sure I hadn’t seen on my endless walks throughout downtown during the Olympics.

So I ventured down to the site of the cauldron, (which by the way they are keeping in situ, and they lit again on Canada Day an will again on other important dates in the future), with camera in hand, to see this sculpture up close and personal. What I found were black and white metal cubes stacked to form an almost life-sized killer whale breaching (or jumping out of the water). 

In contemplating why artist Douglas Coupland would chose this form as opposed to a more common pose in west coast art in which a whale is leaping forward, I decided to look up the definition of ‘breaching’. “Whales are more likely to breach when in groups, suggesting social reasons, such as assertion of dominance, courting or warning of danger”. In coming back full circle back to the title of the sculpture “Digital Orca”, and although the artist gave his own soft interpretation of the reason behind his cubic and pixilated orca, what resonated with me is that this whale was breaching alone.

In the digital age of sitting alone, at home, in front of our computers for social interaction, I can’t help but think that we like whales seek to ‘breach’ as we yearn to relate to others; even if it is just to look at photos of people and places we may never know.