22 Planet of the Arts / December 1996 The Concourse Gallery Make Of It What You Will by Harald Gravelsins Same side of the street as the concrete factory, only a little further east. Through the wide doors next to the cross walk, and just past Darlene. These are the kind of directions that get 50,000 people a year to the displays of student art in the Concourse Gallery. The Concourse Gallery represents Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design to the world. : With the search for private and . corporate donations gearing up, receiving the world into our school to see what we do here will get more and more important. The Concourse space brings out the full range of Emily Carr's strengths and weaknesses in the domains of art and design. To begin with, its architecture reveals at once that the north building’s origins are industrial rather than educational. The build- ing itself is a statement about the transformative ambitions of artists and art-making. Look to the Concourse Gallery if you. want to see the school hang out its dirty laundry, literally and figuratively. Most galleries provide for the appreciation of beauty in the quiet, still air of delightful contem- plation. To many of the faculty, staff and students at Emily Carr, the Concourse Gallery often made over into an obstacle course of dividers and floor installations that sepa- rates classrooms and studios from ‘the cafeteria. The art on display in the Concourse sp ace changes at least every nine days. Blocking the way of hungry people is one curatorial strategy to get them to look at your work before it is taken down to make way for the next show. A surefire alternative to get hungry art students to linger among the work on display in the Concourse Gallery is to set up dis- plays of food among the art. This is done occasionally at Concourse show openings. Among the best spreads of food in the Concourse Gallery so far this year was the now legendary Part- Time Students’ Reception for Ron Burnett. According to well-placed sources, at this reception food and beverages were consumed at the rate of $10 per minute for at least half an hour. Art work at the reception consisted of paints and brushes available to be used on table tops covered with paper for this purpose. A second piece was a combined performance and hap- pening instigated by the Emily Carr Handbook Group. About 50 students attended this reception, with about 30 enjoying it at any given moment. The per- formance/happening, which includ- ed a minimalistrealist table display and attendant, drew in dozens of students and apparently caused outrage among some student politicians. The animosity of these student politicians points to the larger objectives of the Concourse space. These objectives are to provide stu- dents with opportunities to make curatorial choices about what work to put in a show and how to hang and install and perform it. Concourse exhibitors and show organizers open themselves to public scrutiny and public response within a highly visited and highly visible venue. No piece of art will please everyone, and so the artists showing work can expect criticism. The location and visibility of the Concourse Gallery are why the exhibition policy stipulates that “potentially sen- sitive material be placed where it is neither visible nor accessible from the street.” Other ways of handling such work are warnings to the public, rele- vant artists’ statements, and infor- mation to viewers about contacting the Community Relations office in order to forward a response about work on display. Each September students are alerted to the opportunity to orga- nize a Concourse Show. Proposals are vetted by a committee headed by Greg Bellerby, coordinator of the Concourse space and curator of the adjacent Charles Scott Gallery. Besides Bellerby, the committee includes a faculty member, a staff member, and at least two students. This year the committee faced the task of selecting nineteen shows from among 39 proposals. Some students rebuffed by the selection committee from using the Concourse space choose to place work in the atrium of the south building. This was done by organiz- ers of a show entitled Relics, and - ironically, perhaps - another show with the title Outside In. In selecting an ensemble of shows for the Concourse pro- gramme, Bellerby and his commit- tee seek range and balance: shows addressing a specific theme or con- stituency in contrast to departmen- tal or medium-based shows; serious — themes in contrast to humorous ones; open calls for work with large numbers of contributors in contrast to closed shows with a handful of participants. Any work by students and of interest to the school community will be consid- ered by the selection committee. Proposals are evaluated for the level of coherence and degree of organization they demonstrate. Naturally, gaps arise between promises made to the selection committee and their fulfillment. Once in a while, a proposal disinte- grates sometime after being accepted by the selection commit- tee. It becomes obvious to the Emily Carr community when this has happened because suddenly there's a week of clear sailing between the cafeteria and the front door. Sufficient notice would allow Mr. Bellerby to contact wait-listed proposals and replace shows that ANO I'M Now PASSIONATE, REBELLIOUS, MY PIECE 1S WW THE moos. Concourse SsHow, C ‘= ae APS x = eck an untimely death on the drawing board. The interpersonal dynamics involved in hanging a Concourse - show become more apparent the longer you have been at the school. The organizers of the show tend to get their work placed in more central locations. Friends of organizers get the next best place- ments , and so on. This isn’t to say that an assertive person can’t overcome these alliances. And it isn’t to say that aesthetic consideration are disre- garded entirely when deciding placements in the gallery. It’s just that softlyspoken, shy people will find their work next to.a ventila- tion pipe or electrical panel more often than other people. Another variation on the effect of interpersonal dynamics isthe acceptance of works into the show that don't have a clear relationship to the theme of the show. Some show organizers are willing to curate submissions are decline work of this kind. Many aren’t, especially if an open call for sub- missions is made and the organiz- ers are fretting until the last moment whether people who promised work will come through. When it turns out that there is plenty of work to display, few are willing to play the role of turfing work from the show. In this situation, the gallery gets congested but people avoid making enemies. These conditions of entry into Concourse shows allow a show to change shape in response to events at the school. Within days of a show going up, non-aesthetic con- cerns can upstage the art that was initially proposed to go into the space. One example of this is a March 1994 show devoted to drawing that turned into.a protest against Emily Carr's allegedly patri- archal scholarship process in the Studio Division. The anti-Disney component in the recent Re:Action Show might be another example. As with life, so with the Concourse Gallery: in large ways it becomes what you make of it through your passion, intelligence, imagination and commitment. ‘@ RE:ACTION STATEMENT 22 Planet of the Arts / December 1996 The Concourse Gallery Make Of It What You Will by Harald Gravelsins Same side ofthe street as the concrete factory, only alittle further east. Through the wide doors next tothe cross walk, and just past Darlene. ‘Thede are the kind of directions that get 50,000 people ayear to the displays of student art in the Concourse Gallery. The Concourse Gallery represents Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design to the world ‘With the search for private and corporate donations gearing up, feceving the world into our schoo! to ee what we do here will get ‘more and more important. The Concourse space brings out the full range of Emily Carr's strengths and weaknesses In the domains of art and design, To begin with, its architecture ‘eveats at once thatthe north buildings origins ae industrial rather than educational, The bulld- ing itself isa statement about the ‘vansformative ambitions of artists ‘and art making, ‘Look tothe Concourse Gallery if {you want to see the school hang, Cutts dirty laundry literally and figuratively Most galleries provide forthe appreciation of beauty in the ‘Quet, stil air of delightful contem- plation, To many ofthe faculty, Staff and students at Emily Car, the ‘Concourse Gallery often made over into an obstacle course of dividers ‘and floor installations that sepa- ‘ates classrooms and studios from the cafeteria. The art on display inthe Concourse sface changes atleast every nine ay Blocking the way of hungry people is one curatorial strategy to ge them to look at your work tefore iis taken down tomake tay forthe nest show “a surefiteaterntive to get hungry art students to linger {mong the work onal nthe Goncourse Galery tot Up plays of food among the art. This is {ne ecasonally at Concourse Show openings. ‘among the bes spreads of food inthe concourse Gallery so fr tis Year as the row legerdany Par Time Students Reception for Ron Burmett According to well placed furces at this reception food and irverages were consumed atthe facets parinkw rat lea fal on hour artwork atte reception consisted of paints and Eraser eeiable to be td on tabletops covered with paper for this purpose second plece war 8 combined pertormance and ap pening instigated bythe Emly Cae Fandbook Group. TAbout 0 stents attended this reception, with about 30 enjoying itat any given moment. he per formancehmppering, whic nc da minmalteais table play gluciedanediadocere of Students and apparent caused ‘outrage among some student politicians. The animosity ofthese student politicians points to the larger ‘Objectives of the Concourse space. ‘These objectives are to provide stu dents with opportunities to make ‘uratorial choices about what work ‘to put ina show and how to hang ‘and install and perform it. Concourse exhibitors and show ‘organizers open themselves to Public serutiny and public response ‘within a highly visited and highly ‘sible venue, ‘No piece of ar wil please everyone, and so the artists Showing work can expect criticism. “The location and visibility of the Concourse Gallery ae why the exhibition policy stipulates that “potentially sen- sitive material be placed where it neither visible nor accessible from the street.” ‘other ways of handling such work {are warnings tothe public rele ant artist’ statements, and infor: imation to viewers about contact ‘the Community Relations office in ‘order to forward a response about ‘work on display. ach September students are alerted to the opportunity to orga- nize a Concourse Show. Proposals. ‘are vetted by a committee headed by Greg Bellerby, coordinator of the Concourse space and curator of ‘the adjacent Charles Scott Galley. Besides Bellerby, the committee includes a faculty member, a staft ‘member, and atleast two students. ‘This year the committe faced ‘the task of selecting nineteen shows from among 39 proposals. Some students rebuffed by the selection committee from using the Concourse space choose to place ‘workin the atrium of the south building. This was done by organiz- ers of ashow entitled Relics, and ironically, perhaps another show with the tle Outside in. In selecting an ensemble of shows for the Concourse pro: gramme, Bellerby and his commit- tee seek range and balance: shows addressing a specific theme or con- Stituency in contrast to departmen- ‘al or medium-based shows serious themes in contrast to humorous ‘ones: open cals for work with large numbers of contributors in contrast to closed shows with a handful of participants. Any work by students and of interest tothe school community wil be consid- ‘ered by the selection committee Proposals ae evaluated for the level of coherence and degree of ‘organization they demonstrate. Naturally, gaps arise between promises made to the selection Committee and their fulfilment. ‘Once in a while, a proposal dsinte- grates sometime after being accepted by the selection commit: tee It becomes obvious to the Emily Cae community when this thas happened because suddenly there's a week of clear sailing ‘between the cafeteria and the front door. Sufficient notice would allow. Me. Bellerby to contact waitisted proposals and replace shows that ‘greet an untimely death on the ‘drawing board. The Interpersonal dynamics involved in hanging a Concourse show become more appatent the longer you have been atthe ‘school. The organizers of the show ‘end to get their work placed in more central locations. Friends of ‘organizers get the next best place ments, and s0 on. This isnt to say that an assertive person can't overcome these Bllances. And it isnt to say that aesthetic consideration are dsre- garded entirely when deciding placements inthe galery. It’ just ‘that softiyspoken, shy people will find their work next toa ventla- ‘tion pipe or electrical panel more often than other people. ‘Another variation onthe effect of interpersonal dynamics is the acceptance of works into the show that don’t havea clear relationship tothe theme of the show. Some show organizers are willing to Curate submisions are decline work of this kind, Many aren, especially if an open call for sub- ‘missions fs made and the organiz- rs are freting until the last ‘moment whether people who promised work wil come through. ‘When it turns out that there is plenty of work to display, few are willing to play the role of In this situation, the gallery gets congested but people avoid ‘making enemies These conditions of enty into ‘concourse shows allow a show to change shape in response to events ‘at the school. Within days of a ‘show going up, non-aestheticcon- ‘ems can upstage the art that was initially proposed to go into the ‘space. One example of this isa Match 1994 show devoted to ‘rawing that turned into a protest ‘against Emily Car’ allegedly pate ‘archal scholarship process in the. ‘Studio Division. The ant-Disney ‘component in the recent Re:Action Show might be another example. ‘As with ife, so with the Concourse Gallery: in large ways it becomes what you make off through your passion, intelligence, Imagination and commitment. “®. RE:ACTION STATEMENT