what makes people’s spirits soar. t's something way more powerful than drugs or alcohol. The essence of art is the making of it; it’s not the object itself. Creative enjoyment gives you a sense of what the universe is, and that it operates under the law of creation, and is a phenomenon of wonder. And when you make art, you actually have that experience. You get caught in something hat’s missing in our society is a sense of very big and very interesting and very joyful. creative engagement with anything. Society wants some culture because it’s a “civi- lized” thing to be cultured. But right now with the We live in economic ruling class trying out this globalization strategy and since the dominant classes have ord always vee art to == their ae you have this % death ct new thing that education must principally serve fab) the economic needs of society. Art education has- ao culture J n't escaped that. Our Institute might have a girl’s Sane 5 name but it’s not a “girl’s school” any more, if it 3 of global a ever was one. = 5 . © capitalism [5 =e w AVIpourutods hy does someone want an art educa- tion? It’s a hell of a privilege, of course, but why does someone want it? It’s because alt is in which the stock market -— an abstract thing made up of invisible, electronic storage bins — is what is propping us up. This makes the non- To make something commercial, fine art component of purely and simply the art school it’s most subversive — out of the creative urge to and crucial — element. do — they are the tools that many people used to have in their hands. If you don’t understand that It’s chasing wonder. Art education can basic aspect of life — give someone a genuine sense of engage- that somebody has ment. created and _har- vested the food that keeps you < y ANS ON and that. some- body has built the shel- ter that you exist in everyday alive everyday, — and if you don’t directly Art Schooling & Art Making according to december 1997 / planet of the arts 5 Qn aie WV W gore _ pity 1% sn participate in that you are further and further ‘a you always want© peshing be away from what connects you to the universe in that sense. Anything that isn’t natural is cultural — it has our head, eye and mind applied to it. Art is the intelligent version of hand-eye-mind, and so that’s not going to do anything but enrich the world. : Y ki . In Renaissance Florence, people had the ——— ae if you really meant it the first time, resources and the willingness to create art. Imagine Vancouver similarly full of art, so that the ee sou welegmc Sonne, cls : : : breaking the ones you created. sidewalk you walked down was considered a visu- 8 y Everything is in motion, nothing is fixed. ©! al phenomenon, not just considered an engineer- ing thing to get the dirt out of the way. Imagine that on multiple levels all around you there were engagements with art. rt school for me was a glorious time. You are free to think anything you want and to act upon it, and hopefully to be in a position to follow it up after you leave art school. But if you are not even developing that pattern while you are in school, weil you are missing the education. It dismays me that young people will come to art school — under the illusion of course that they are covering the actual cost ($10,000 per year) with their tuition payments — and waste huge amounts of time posing, and farting around, and talking about rock and roll, and bullshitting about what t- shirt they bought and what concert they are going to. Hell, you are in a gold mine of ideas and potential here. | don't know why people aren’t slit- ting their wrists because every sec- DRAWING BY FRED PETER / PHOTOGRAPH BY JONATHAN LANDER ond counts and Gary Coward is a Technical Assistant in the School of Foundation and Critical Studies at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. they haven't got enough time to carry out their ! projects. Compilation and design by Jonathan Lander and Harald Gravelsins. Art Schooling & Art Making according to what makes people’s spirits soar. fs something way more powerful than drugs or alcohol. The xsence of arti the raking of i; if not the object ite Creative enjoyment gives you a sense of what the tnivere i, and that it operates ‘under the iw of eretion, and ia phenomenon of wonder. And when you make art, you actully creative engagement with anything have that experience. You get caught in something ‘very big and very interesting and very oy Society wants some culture beasts ai ze thing tobe clare. But right now with the F -conomic rating class trying out this loblization We live in strategy and since the dominant clases have always used art to frther thei ends you have this % death culture new thing that eduction must principally serve the economic needs of society. Art education has nt escaped that. Our Insitute might havea girs ame but is nota "gis schoo! any more, if tion? I a Kel ofa prvi o g 2 of global 3 3 capitalism euoneusuey) ev Ayrpourur0s oF course, but why does someone want it I's because fn which the artis stock market = an tract thing made up ‘of invisible, electronic storage wnalieng, dla’ ip dtl aaah ial oats eee es the art school i the creative w and cri ~ clement like ? iy pope ud He Soest tundniand at sive someone genie sense of engage body has ment created and har. Ke oe th fot HCP that hops you ed alive everyday, body has built th ter that you exis in everyday = and if you don't dicey © enough time to december 1997 / planet of the arts 5 participate in that you are farther and further say from what connects you tothe universe in that sense Anything that isnt natura seultural — it has ‘our head, eye and mind applied to it. Art isthe imtligent version of hand-eye-mind, and so that’s not going to do anything but enrich the world, In Renaissance Florence, people had the if you really meant tthe first ime, then you welcome somebody else breaking. the ones you created Everything i in motion, nothing i fixed. resources and the willingness 10 cteate at Imagine Vancouver sisal full of at so that the Sidewalk you walked down was considered a visu al phenomenon, not just considered an engineer. ing thing to get the dirt out of the way. Imagine that on multiple lee all around you there were engagements with a. A schoo forme was a orios time You are FLEE to think anything you WAN ana 10 ACT upon it, and hopefully tobe in a position to school. But if you are not even developing that ptern while you well you are missing Ie dismays me that young people will come to art school — ‘unde the illusion of course that they are covering the act $10,000 per yest) with thee tuition of time posing, and farting around, and taking ab ol and bullshitting about what rock gold mine of ideas and potential here. 1 don't know why people aren't it because every fond counts and they haven't got ary Coward i Tecnica Assistant in the Schoo of Foundation ad Catal Studies ee ‘he Emily Car institute of Art and Design. Projet Jonathan Lander and Ha