36 planet of the arts / october 1997. THE INSTITUTE iy NOowle, d. é la Se. 7 ~} “athe ower. Se : abous tue, nd b Ss Usness Ncly dj co. bj = (e) = fe “ng the relish Ning ‘ae : Te all Titish iver. Aalities umb Si > ang, Y Word ulge ¢ lovers Say des; a Mage a Sion for ree Se = ae hibit Printeg mg €mb Stitute Th Iss book arles il ry fF, in : it o e Caller ¥ — ler "Octo er e, ay 2 fi. : nN th ay Americ, Irst t tute’, 5 e : Co ~) ‘ The “xibit jn N, tt A seco IS exh 18In of Orth chance to i del}, Oe, sh i 6 é clights S Wel] beyon Elves y © hint th, the Gallery fe) : oe d has Within Know) ing hi curator. Claim ee, Ww the e Or], area OF o 18Ner, SOme of t Ooks Aig mititg i 6rap gee OS ign Fences tne none, Pee Mitiog - OVatons Action Ords te Sin th y Teadj zg: Wh is g Pictur, S h image ‘0 8 Si ee PParent from Icult = easing pene ithe Which Cty te - = eb “Mernet g “comes Vvely e Dstry, In Ne ng YI Ct edo Case dj, i T des; im Issues ; t in design, and are 4 Wed in. MS Visito, = gin St D addi Nied } Seth = — Copy 8eneroy, ?0unted | : €r te 2 40a ed ea, « CT] ti fa Peron hroy A rae displaye d = Yong Nd co Y Cases rer 1. . e. Materia) l ign sp SaV0ure WVailable : Hea, Pic Ez ily Tous] nd allows 2 ked boo sti ari Sraphic Wer t ti 0. Se; Dsu, ts j, ith; €xhibj ; Ous Je N th Within ¢p, = ibit digs ' Positioned ; Ts br . e se P CO. raph Ogeth sla a Ols 5 bre Swis ‘ 1 S : ers righ Anstitys gna id : nese esther i a artist, Th Printmaker. Its, Bor Ns ti : el q a Othe Z On. Con e ~ T © bri 0. Emi] Tidge, té Porar Inst; tut throtigh a historically attuned curriculum and the use of leading edge show has provided great satisfaction to Greg Bellerby, curator charles H. Scott Gallery, for three reasons. One is that relatively tions are centred on design, and the Swiss book design show larly good because both the casual viewer and the specialist given the opportunity to tour the exhibit along with the “The material in the show is great on its own, but the personal con- tact and conversation with Greg bring out even more about the nature and context of the exhibits in a really enjoyable way,” enthuses Gallery supporter Sylvia Iredale. Bellerby concurs that these personalized tours have been very successful. Finally, books are one of Bellerby’s enduring passions. “T love the contact and interaction with the book as a physical object. I love the relationship of the text to my eye. I love that I can move around the book at my own pace. I love the physicality of it — the colour, the feel of the paper, the smell.” When not at the Gallery, Bellerby admits to spending sever- al stimulating ‘hours at a time in Vancouver’s many book stores and libraries. Arts Council of Switzerland. ©! plement a membership program by which supporters of The tour of the Swiss book design exhibit was organized by the Vancouver Gets Third Major Drawing Exhibit Binning Show Succeeds Matisse, Géricault by Harald Gravelsins Ninety-eight percent of us do it, according to the latest research on the doodling behaviour of North American adults. Moreover, doodling rates stay fairly high in people’s later years. What this means is clear: most of us can tell a good line when we meet one. Vancouverites will be treated to the third major exhibition of an artist’s drawings to open this sea- son when the Charles H. Scott Gallery at the Emily Carr Institute presents the works of B. C. Binning. The Binning exhibit, Form and Meaning: The Drawings of B. C. Binning, opens on October 22 and runs until November 30. Fifty works of Binning will be included, most of them made available for public viewing for the first time. The works have been assembled by guest cura- tor lan Thom from private collections and from the collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The Binning exhibit follows the VAG’s show on illustrations by Matisse and the UBC-Belkin Gallery’s presentation of drawings by Géricault. Each of these important artists balanced region al and international influences in a different way, as reflected in the style and content of their respective oeuvres. Binning (1909-1976) located himself firmly on the West Coast. This is evident in his affectionate choice of local landscapes and local people as the subject matter in many of his drawings. Trained at the Vancouver School of Art (the pre- decessor of Emily Carr Institute) between 1927 and 1931, and a teacher there from 1933 until 1948, Binning was deeply committed to this place. At the same time, Binning’s commitment was linked to a progressive sensibility and an active engagement in building up the visual and mate- Binning was involved as a founding member of Vancouver's Art in Living Group. It is in this regard that we can discern in his practical work the balance of regionalism with a pronounced element of inter- nationalism. Binning and his colleagues in the rial culture of a growing city. The strongest indication we have of Binning’s sense of voca- tion and practical engagement ae comes from the time after his extended formative period at the Vancouver School of Art. In 1946 Binning was hired to teach drawing and painting at a newly inaugurated summer pro- gram in fine and performing arts at the University of British Columbia. Within two ‘years he transferred from the Vancouver School of Art to teach within UBC’s Department of Arch- itecture. In this capacity, he spearheaded plans to set up a 4 separate Department of Fine Arts that would combine studio practice with art historical stud- ies. He served as the head of the new department until 1968. Concurrent with his involve- jaasrst ment in teaching and in develop- ing fine art programming, Jessie Putting Up Howe Sound (np), Ink on paper, 39.5 x 30.5 cm (courtesy of Jessie Binning) Group were instrumental in promoting modernist architectural ideas and in adapting them to a West Coast context. Binning’s design of his own home is an impor- tant example of this hybrid approach. It is on view in the VAG’s current show, The New Spirit: Modern Architecture in Vancouver, 1939 — 1963. For all the prominence of his achievements in the areas of urban and architectural design, the ker- nel of Binning’s creative imagination probably resides in his drawings. Binning considered drawing the “vital” phase in which artists either succeed or fail to clarify an effective interpretation of reality. A considered viewing of Binning’s drawings is about discerning how he uses line to select and edit features of his subject matter in order to articulate and heighten meaning. The seemingly quixotic style is actually a mark of seriousness. According to Scott Gallery Director Greg Bellerby, “Binning approached draw- ing from a very analytical point of view. In that sense, he should be considered an academic and intellectual artist.” Both the left side and the right side of your brain will find delight in Binning’s drawerly works. Ol 36 plonet of the arts / october 1997 THE INSTITUTE On D; antes arald py¥ {holgh a hisoriclly attuned curriculum and the use of lesding edge technglogies ‘The show has provide great satisfaction to Greg Belleby, curator ofthe Charles H. Scot Gallery, for thre reasons. One is that relatively few exhibitions are centred on design, and the Svs book design show “is paticlarly good because both the casual viewer and the specialist will each in the time they spend with the exhibit highly rewarding” ‘A secon reason is thatthe show has given the Scott Gallery fist ‘hance to jihplement a membership program by which supporters of the Gallery ae given the opportunity to tour the exhibit along eth the "The material inthe show is reat on its ow, but the personal con tact and conversation with Greg bring out even more about the nature ‘and context ofthe exhibits in a relly enjoyable way enthuses Gallery supporter SjvaIedale Bellerby concurs hat thee personalized tours have been very succes Finally books are one of Belerby’s enduring passions “ove the contact and interaction with the book asa physical ‘object love the relationship ofthe text 9 my ye. Tove that I can move around the book t my own pace love the physicality of tthe ‘ols, the feel ofthe paper, the sl.” When not at the Galery, i Baler admits wo spending sever al stimulating hours at atime in Vancouver's many book stores and irae. The tour of the Swiss book esgn exhibit was organized bythe ‘Ants Counc of Switzerand. ©) Vancouver Gets Third Major Drawing Exhibit Binning Show Succeeds Matisse, Géricault by Harald Gravelsins decesor of Emily Car Institute) bes tg3r and teacher there ffom 1933 until 1948, Vancouver’ Art in Living Group. It isin this regard architectural Sess and in adapting them to a West. wen gay and__Binning was involed as a founding member of Group were instrumental in promoting modernist Ninety-cight percent of us doit according 10 Binning was deeply commited to this place. At the that wecan discern in his practical workthebalance Coss conter the latest research on the doodling behaviour of | same time, Binning’ commitment was linked toa of regionalism witha pronounced clement ofinter- Binning’ design of his own home fan impor. North American adults: Moreover, doodling rates progresive sensibility and an active engagement in nationalism, Binning and his collegues in the — tant example ofthis hybrid approach. I is on view stay fuly high in people’ ater years. What this building up the visual and mate in the VAG’ current show The New Spirits Moder Vancouseries will be treated to the thitd major ha the areas of urban dnd architectural design, the ke ‘means i¢ lar: most of us can tell good line when rial culture of growing ci ~ Architecture in Vancouver, 1939 1963 we meet one The strongest indication we For all the prominence of his achievements in son when the Charles H. cot Galery athe Emily comes from the time ater hi resides in his drawings Care tnsttute presents the works of B.C inning, extended formative period atthe Binning considered drawing the "vital phase in he Binning exhibit, Form and Meaning: The Vancouver School of Ar. | which aris eer suc or fl tan an Drawings off. C Binning, opens om October 23946 inning was hired to ¥ } —etetive interpretation of eaiy. A. considered time. Theworkshave een asembled by gucscura- at the University of Brit meaning. The seemingly quisaic ye actully a collection af the Vancouver Art Galle ansferted fromthe Vancouver 3 Greg elt. “inning approached dra The Binning exhibit allows the VAG. School of AR 10a within ma ery analytical poof view. In that ilustrations by Matisse and the UBC-Belkin UBC> Department of Arch sense he considered an academic and a and international neces ina di arale Department of Fine \ wil find dight in Binning’ drawety works. 1 uve. practice with art historical stud Binning (1909-976) located himself firmly on ies He served as the head ofthe the West Coast. This s evident in his afectionate ew department until 96, choice of local landscapes and local people asthe Concurrent with his inv subject matter in many of his drawings, sentinteching and in dee | i pai ‘ese ating Up Howe Sound G6), nk on pope 385305 on Trained at the Vancouver School of Ar (the pre- ing. fine art programming, (courtesy of ese Binaing)