Issue No. 2, September, 1978
Comment

At registration Bob Evermon circulated the follow-
ing note:

“Many of us at the art school refuse to go along with our

bureaucratic label Emily Carr!

(1) We find this label extremely biased and visually
racist to the people of British Columbia;

(2) The name misinforms the public, and disregards the
many excellent areas outside the painting depart-
ment.

More than anything the native Northwest Indians of
British Columbia have had the greatest visual impact on
this area. We are a province of many peoples; the people
of the north have also shaped our look, as well as the
great Oriental and Russian heritages. We must remember
that Columbus did not discover North America, nor did
Emily Carr bring art to the West Coast.

The art school excels in many areas: photography,
graphic design, sculpture, film, ceramics, printmaking, as
well as painting. Our visual responsibilities are many to
the people of British Columbia.

AND TO THE MANY PEOPLE OF THIS PROVINCE
WE ARE THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COLLEGE OF
ART.... (B.C.C.A.)

Support our petition to change our name.”’

This raises the name game once more. The name
was announced at a public meeting on Granville Island
by Pat McGeer, Minister of Education, and Federal Jus-
tice Minister Ron Basford. It took everybody by sur-
prise, particularly as we had been led to understand that
we could choose our own name and we had recommend-
ed the British Columbia College of Art.

On January 22, 1978 a telegram was sent to Pat
McGeer from the Faculty Association and Student So-
ciety, which said:

“We ask that the name arbitrarily decided by the cabinet
be changed back to the British Columbia College of Art,
as originally recommended.

The cabinet decision was announced publicly with-
out any prior consultation with students, faculty, staff,
administration and the government appointed advisory
board.

The name British Columbia College of Art was
selected to reflect the college’s new mandate to serve as
a province-wide centre for art and design education, to
give the college a geographical location nationally and
internationally and to identify the college’s relationship
with other senior provincial art institutions, i.e. Alberta
College of Art, Ontario College of Art and Nova Scotia
College of Art and Design.

The name announced by the cabinet fails to meet
the above criteria and, perhaps more importantly,
gives no indication of the multi-disciplinary nature of
the college’s art and design curriculum.

Although Emily Carr has been an important influ-
ence on painting in British Columbia, the use of her
name places an undue emphasis on only one aspect of
the school’s curriculum. ”

The students demonstrated and marched through
town, more letters were sent to the Minister and endless
telephone calls were made in an effort to arrange a meet-
ing in Victoria. During one of these calls an employee in
the Minister’s office said they had been “flooded” with
letters of protest from the people in the B.C. art world.

Finally a meeting was arranged on March 9, 1978
between Dr. McGeer and representatives of the stu-
dents, faculty, administration and advisory board. We
requested that the college be called the British Columbia
College of Art, and the campus on Granville Island be
named after Emily Carr, thus leaving the door open for
expansion of the college and its facilities and for hon-
ouring other notable British Columbia artists in the
future.

All this was put in a letter circulated to cabinet.
Our error was to believe we were dealing with reasonable
people when we were actually dealing with politicians,
who see themselves as incapable of making errors of
judgment.

McGeer’s final letter of April 27, 1978 would seem
to bear this out:

“In spite of the arguments raised by members of
your Student Society, ahd by the College faculty, other
students and friends of the Institute, Cabinet has deci-
ded to reconfirm their (sic) desire to have the new Col-
lege of Art named after British Columbia’s well-known
artist, Emily Carr.”

And what of Emily Carr in all this? What she would
feel we can only surmise. She was a rebel, hating the
hypocrisies of the society in which she found herself;
her courage and integrity in pursuing her work against
all odds is unquestionable. Maybe we'll all be laughing

ourselves sick at the mileage other people make out of us
when we're safely dead.

A prophet in her own land, she was always poor and
could not afford durable materials. For how long will
the staff of the Vancouver Art Gallery have to wash cars
in an effort to get enough money to have her works
restored?

Instead of spending all those dollars on Captain
Cook, should the provincial government not be helping
to preserve for the people of British Columbia the only
heritage left to us by Emily Carr? Or will we ultimately
be left asking what’s in a name?

Jill Tebbitt

...the Dean of Instruction

This academic year is going to be one of the most
important in the life of the College. Already we have
moved from being a municipal art school to a provincial
college of art and the implications are already upon us,
changes and developments are under way. This year the
Outreach programmes begin and within weeks work is
scheduled to start on the new building.

The budget for the building is about five and a half
million dollars, with an additional amount for the move
and change over. The drawings and design are virtually
complete; there are one or two items of information
outstanding, but nothing to hold up the work. Some
delays have been caused by various regulations and bu-
reaucratic practice, we are in fact a few weeks behind
schedule. Last week we had the first meeting with the
management group who will deal with the contracting.
Jim Bruekelman and | spent an afternoon down on the
Granville Island site taking photographic records before
the old buildings come down.

The original construction of wood columns will be
retained, the old skin removed. The new building will be
in the Granville Island industrial tradition. This will be
no middle-class sculptural architecture but just about the
biggest tin shack in Canada, a creative factory! The date
for completion is August 79, so that we can start work
in September; let’s hope there are no construction and
labour problems and a mild winter.

With the new building students will be able to see
the college as a total resource; new relationships and
areas of integration will be possible. There is no lavish
expenditure on social areas, the money is largely going
into workshops and studio facilities, but there will be a
student kitchen/lounge area and plenty of space for stu-
dent shows in the large concourse area. The new gallery
will be used for external shows and the new curatorial
programme.

From the very first discussions, relations with the
architects have been excellent; cooperation between fac-
ulty and architects on this complex logistical exercise
has been very effective. We have supplied the necessary
detailed information and we have received the best
advice available from first class consultants.

We would like to express our deepest thanks to the
people at Makara Publishing and Design Co-operative for
doing our typesetting and photographic work, and also
to Press Gang Printers who are doing our printing. They
have been very helpful in getting this venture off the
ground and we much appreicate their good work.

gm

Altogether this should provide a great stimulus, but
of course it takes more than a new building to make a
good school. This will also be a year when programmes
develop and change, and maybe thinking and ideas will
be changing too. The new five year plan will be publish-
ed shortly so everyone will have the opportunity to dis-
cuss new directions as well as consolidation and improve-
ment of existing programmes. We must all be concerned
for the pursuit of excellence in whatever we are person-
ally committed.

The new major programme in Alternative Studies

photograph by Jamie Jenkins

has begun this semester, | hope it will justify itself with a
vigorous, experimental and exploratory approach; |
know the staff involved are looking forward to this new
opportunity; | hope the students feel the same way.

| have already started discussions with individuals
and groups to prepare the implementation of my part of
the five year plan, and these dialogues and discussions
will continue throughout the year. | hope to visit de-
partments as often as possible, and will continue to do
some teaching in Foundation and in the new Alternative
Studies programme.

Don't forget that effective student representation
on all College Committees is absolutely vital; take your
share of responsibility when necessary. Really use the
school, learn from each other, question yourselves and
others. Have a good year!

—Tom Hudson

r 7

IN A
Material Requirements

In an effort to avoid publishing an all-white minimal issue,
we need material.

The X is going to look different all the time, as design ex-
periments are done, different typefaces used, it can be made into
a poster, etc. We want to get illustrated features on individual
students and instructors and their work; interviews with visiting
instructors; details of student shows; opinion, comment, letters
to the editor.

Copy should be typed in double-spacing on one side of the
page; there is no limit to length, although the editors reserve the
right to edit and shorten copy.

Photographs should be black-and-white, preferably printed
on matte paper. Pen and ink drawings reproduce well; pencil is
OK so long as it is not too fuzzy or pale; woodcuts, litho, prints
of all sorts generally reproduce well.

When the editors are announced, then problems such as
getting copy typed can be sorted out. If we sent handwritten
copy to the typesetter she would throw us and our copy into
the garbage!

Issue No. 2, September, 1978
Comment

‘At registration Bob Evermon circulated the follow:
ing note:

“Many of us at the art school refuse to go along with our

bureaucratic label Emily Carr!

(1) We find this label extremely biased and visually
racist to the people of British Columbia;

(2) The name misinforms the public, and disregards the
‘many excellent areas outside the painting depart-
‘ment.

‘More than anything the native Northwest Indians of
British Columbia have had the greatest visual impact on
this area, We are a province of many peoples; the people
Of the north have also shaped our look, as well as the
‘great Oriental and Russian heritages. We must remember
that Columbus did not discover North America, nor did
Emily Carr bring art to the West Coast.

The art school excels in many areas: photography,
graphic design, sculpture, film, ceramics, printmaking, a5
well as painting. Our visual responsibilities are many to
the people of British Columbia
AND TO THE MANY PEOPLE OF THIS PROVINCE
WE ARE THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COLLEGE OF
ART... (B.C.CA.)

‘Support our petition to change our name.””

This raises the name game once more. The name
was announced at @ public meeting on Granville Island
by Pat McGeer, Minister of Education, and Federal Jus-
tice Minister Ron Basford. It took everybody by sur-
prise, particularly as we had been led to understand that
Wwe could choose our own name and we had recommend:
ed the British Columbia College of Art.

(On January 22, 1978 a telegram was sent to Pat
McGeer from the Faculty Association and Student So-
ciety, which said

“We ask that the name arbitrarily decided by the cabinet
bbe changed back to the British Columbia College of Art,
4s originally recommended.

The cabinet decision was announced publicly with-
‘out any prior consultation with students, faculty, staff,
administration and the government appointed advisory
board,

The name British Columbia College of Art was
selected to reflect the college's new mandate to serve as
' province-wide centre for art and design education, to
give the college a geographical location nationally and
Internationally and to identify the college's relationship
with other senior provincial art institutions, ie. Alberta
College of Art, Ontario College of Art and Nova Scotia
College of Art and Design.

The name announced by the cabinet fails to meet
the above criteria and, perhaps more importantly,
‘gives no indication of the multi-disciplinary nature of
the college's art and design curriculum.

Although Emily Carr has been an important influ-
‘ence on painting in British Columbia, the use of her
‘name places an undue emphasis on only one aspect of
the school's curriculum.”

The students demonstrated and marched through
town, more letters were sent to the Minister and endless
telephone calls were made in an effort to arrange a meet:
ing in Victoria. During one of these calls an emptoyee in
the Minister's office said they had been “flooded” with
letters of protest from the people in the B.C. art world.

Finally @ meeting was arranged on March 9, 1978
between Dr. McGeer and representatives of the stu:
dents, faculty, administration and advisory board, We
Fequested that the college be called the British Columbia
College of Art, and the campus on Granville Island be
named after Emily Carr, thus leaving the door open for
expansion of the college and its facilities and for hon:
‘ouring other notable British Columbia artists in the
future.

All this was put in a letter circulated to cabinet.
(Our error was to believe we were dealing with reasonable
people when we were actually dealing with politicians,
‘who see themselves as incapable of making errors of
judgment.

MeGeer's final letter of April 27, 1978 would seem
to bear this out:

“In spite of the arguments raised by members of
your Student Society, and by the College faculty, other
students and friends of the Institute, Cabinet has daci-
‘ded to reconfirm their (sic) desire to have the new Col-
lege of Art named after British Columbia’s well-known
artis, Emily Carr.””

‘And winat of Emily Carr in all this? What she would
feel we can only surmise. She was a rebel, hating the
hypocrisies of the society in which she found herself;
hher courage and integrity in pursuing her work against
all odds is unquestionable. Maybe we'l all be laughing

‘ourselves sick at the mileage other people make out of us
when we'te safely dead,

‘A prophet in her own land, she was always poor and
could not afford durable materials. For how long will
the staff of the Vancouver Art Gallery have to wash cars
in an effort to get enough money to have her works
restored?

Instead. of spending all those dollars on Captain
Cook, should the provincial government not be helping
to preserve for the people of British Columbia the only
heritage left to us by Emily Carr? Or will we ultimately.
be left asking what's in a name?

Jill Tebbite

the Dean of Instruction

This academic year is going to be one of the most
important in the life of the College. Already we have
moved from being a municipal art schoo! to a provincial
college of art and the implications are already upon us,
changes and developments are under way. This year the
Outreach programmes begin and within weeks work is
Scheduled to start on the new building.

The budget for the building is about five and a halt
million dollars, with an additional amount for the move
‘and change over. The drawings and design are virtually
‘complete; there are one or two items of information
‘outstanding, but nothing to hold up the work. Some
delays have been caused by various regulations and bu:
reaucratic practice, we are in fact a few weeks behind
schedule. Last week we had the first meeting with the
management group who will deal with the contracting.
slim Bruekelman and | spent an afternoon down on the
Granville Island site taking photographic records before
the old buildings come down,

The original construction of wood columns will be
retained, the old skin removed. The new building will be
in the Granville Island industrial tradition. This will be
no middle-class sculptural architecture but just about the
biggest tin shack in Canada, a creative factory! The date
for completion is August 79, so that we can start work
in September; let's hope there are no construction and
labour problems and a mild winter,

With the new building students will be able to see
the college as a total resource; new relationships and
areas of integration will be possible. There is no lavish
expenditure on social areas, the money is largely going
into workshops and studio facilities, but there will be a
student kitchen /lounge area and plenty of space for stu-
dent shows in the large concourse area. The new gallery
will be used for external shows and the new curatorial
programme.

From the very first discussions, relations with the
architects have been excellent; cooperation between fac-
ulty and architects on this complex logistical exercise
has been very effective. We have supplied the necessary
detailed information and we have received the best
‘advice available from first class consultants.

ee
We would like to express our deepest thanks to the
people at Makara Publishing and Design Co-operative for
doing our typesetting and photographic work, and also,
to Press Gang Printers who are doing our printing. They
hhave been very helpful in getting this venture off the
ground and we much appreicate their good work,

Altogether this should provide a great stimulus, but
of course it takes more than anew building to make a
‘900d school. This will also be a year when programmes
develop and change, and maybe thinking and ideas will
bee changing too. The new five year plan will be publish
ted shortly so everyone will have the opportunity to dis:
‘cuss new directions as well as consolidation and improve.
ment of existing programmes. We must all be concerned
for the pursuit of excellence in whatever we are person-
ally committed,

‘The new major programme in Alternative Studies

‘photograph by Jamie Jenkins

has begun this semester, | hope it wil ustty itself with a
Vigorous, experimental and exploratory approach; |
know the staff involved are looking forward to this new
‘opportunity; I hope the students feel the same way.

| have already started discussions with individuals
‘and groups to prepare the implementation of my part of
‘the five year plan, and these dialogues and discussions
will continue throughout the year. | hope to visit de-
partments as often as possible, and will continue to do
some teaching in Foundation and in the new Alternative
Studies programme.

Don't forget that effective student representation
Cn all College Committees is absolutely vital; take your
share of responsiblity when necessary. Really use the
School, learn from each other, question yourselves and.
others. Have a good year!

—Tom Hudson

Material Requirements

In.an effort to evo publi
we need materi

“The X #s going to ook different al the time, as desin ex
periments are done, diferent typefaces used, ican be made into
1 porter, ote. We want to get lustrated features on individual
‘fudents ‘an instructors and thoi work: interviews with visting
instructors; details of studont shows; opinion, common, letter
{0 the esitor.

‘Copy should be typed in doublespacing on one side ofthe

iso limit to length elthough the editors reserve the

fond shorten copy.
Photographs should be black-ond-whi
‘on matte paper. Pen and ink drawings reproduce wel; eel it
‘OK so long a itis not too fuzzy or pale; woodeuts, litho prints
ofall sorts generally reproduce wel

Wihen the editors are announced, then probloms such as
getting copy typed can be sorted out. If we sant handwritten
Copy to the typesetter she would throw US end our copy inte
the barboge!

ing an all suhite minima sue,