IDENTITIES december 1997 / planet of the arts 29 Institutes Namesake Would Definitely Approve Help Fulfill Mandate by Harald Gravelsins isions are made into practical realities by capable people with solid plans. The Centre for Contemporary First Nations Art at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design is such a plan. Judy Chartrand is such a person. Chartrand is a Manitoba Cree (urban) and a scholarship-winning 1997 Emily Carr graduate recently employed at the Institute with funds granted by Heritage Canada for the purpose of researching all facets of the proposed Centre. During her three years in the School of Visual Arts Chartrand was highly effective in bringing forward the significance of current First Nations art practices in terms of the Institute’s curricular objectives and regional mandate. Two years in a row, Chartrand. took a leader- ship role in organizing First Nations Awareness Days at the Institute. Last year’s events — including presentations by First Nations artists in the areas of ceramics, painting, installation art, perfor- mance art, and traditional imagery — benefited the Institute with the detailed knowledge and dynamism they offered. A concurrent exhibition of work by First Nations students at Emily Carr was presented in the Institute’s Concourse Gallery. The Centre for Contemporary First Nations Art will give fuller realization to the instructional mandate of the Institute and will more fully inher- it the legacy of the Institute’s namesake. Serious consideration is being made to build- ing a distinct physical structure to house the Centre. Funds towards the creation of the Centre started to accumulate with the proceeds of the art auction held in the Concourse Gallery on October 16th. Vicky Gabereau delivered the opening remarks at the event, and Robert Davidson also offered comments. Art Unleashed was a joint fund-raising event in collaboration between Emily Carr Institute and the SPCA. The solid foundation that the Institute hopes to give the Centre is about much more than bricks and mortar. The Centre will serve as a place for learning, social interaction, and exhibitions. First Nations students at Emily Carr Institute will be offered curriculum, resources, studio space, and faculty to assist them in studying all aspects of the contemporary visual art practices of First Nations peoples. One of the most significant aspects of the Centre is that the incorporation of contemporary communication technologies will allow for the fostering of practical working relationships with First Nations artists and First Nations communi- ties well beyond the Lower Mainland. The road that has been travelled at Emily Carr Institute to get this far has had its full share of bumps. The determination of First Nations stu- dents and the inherent value to B.C’s premier art and design institute of the living culture of First Nations peoples have made the Centre an organi- zational and funding priority. Look to future editions of Planet of the Art for progress achieved towards developing this impor- tant project. Doris Whitehead, Life And Death. 1997. Oil on canvas. Art work being installed for Positive + at the grunt gallery. by Margaret Flood afe is the first thing that came to mind when I saw the “positive +” show at the grunt Gallery. It was a pretty average show about AIDS and HIV. The gallery space seemed to favour male artists; out of ten people presenting work, only three were women. Also, the show seemed to be directed mainly towards an audience of art community members instead of the general public. Since half of the population infected with the HIV virus in North America is women, women’s health issues need to be in the foreground of public thought. Repeatedly, women and HIV seem to be brushed over whether it is in the form of safer sex pamphlets, documentaries, books, or medical research. There was a collaborative piece done by two women in the show that has stayed with me. Since losing my father to HIV, I am continually trying to understand more about the HIV virus and the internal dialogue of people with HIV. Seeing work like the-one by Web and Candider helped me to achieve a bit more insight and clarity. It was a collage of pills, pictures, propaganda, personal writing, and philoso- phy. These women conveyed stories of life, fear, and their understanding of mortality, passion, and determination. Another subject not addressed in the show was that of intravenous drug users, who make up approximately one third of those infected with HIV today. Intravenous drug users may not be aesthetically pleasing, but in Vancouver they have the highest rate of infection. If the issue is HIV, let’s not be exclusive. At the same time I was extremely impressed to see hope, life, and humour in this show which thankfully lacked the common doom and gloom factor. For example, I had a wonderful talk with Herbert Morse, who had set up kissing booth and gave out pins by donation which read: “I kissed the AIDS guy.” We spoke about all the new drugs and their effectiveness, how he has experienced near death to health, and the re-examination of life for someone in his circum- stances. I suppose a show that brings living with HIV to the forefront is good. The more that HIV is talked about, the more people will listen, and ultimately the more educated people will become. If understanding is the bottom line, this show served its purpose. But safe ground is something that has been tread too often. ©! First Nations Art Will | IDENTITIES december 1997 / planet of the arts 29 Institute’s Namesake Would Definitely Approve First Nations Art Will Help Fulfill Mandate by Harald Gravelsins. sons are made into practical realities by capable people with solid plans The Centre for Contemporary First Nations Art at Emily Care Institute of Ar and Des nis sucha plan. hudy Chartrand is sucha person (Chartrand is» Manitoba Cree rban) and a scholarship-winning 1997 Emily Care graduate recently employed at the Institute with funds ranted by Hert researching all faces ofthe proposed Centre During he three years in the School of Visual ‘Ans Chartrand was highly effective in bringing forward the significance of current ¢ Canada for the purpose of rst Nations at practices in terms ofthe Institte’ curricular objectives and regional mandate Two yeas in a row, Chartrand took a leader Ship tole in organizing First Nations Awareness Days atthe Insitute. Last year's events including presentations by First Nations artists inthe areas of ceramics, painting, installation art, perfor ‘mance a, and traditional imagery —bencited the Institute with the detailed knowledge and dynamism they offered. A concurrent exhibition ‘of work by First Nations students at Emily Carr was presented inthe Insitute Concours Gallery The Centre for Contemporary First Nations Art wil give filler realization to the instructional ‘mandate of the Institut and wil more fll inh. ‘tthe legacy ofthe Institute’ namesake Serious consideration is being made to build ing a distinct physical structure to house the (Centre. Funds towards the cretion ofthe Centre started to accumulate with the proceeds ofthe art auction held in the Concours Gallery on October Toth. Vicky Gabereu delivered the opening remarks a the event and Robert Davidson aso ‘offered comments. Art Unleashed was a joint fund-raising event in collaboration btween Emily (Carr institute and the SPCA. The solid foundation thatthe Institue hopes to give the Centres about much more than bricks and mortar. The Centre will eve a a place for learning, social interaction, and exhibitions. Fest Nations students at Emily Cae Institute willbe “offered curriculum, resources, studio space, and faculty to assist them in studying al aspects ofthe ‘contemporary visual at practices of Fist Nations Peoples ‘One of the most significant aspects of the ‘Centre is that the incorporation of contemporary ‘communication technologies wil allow for the fostering of practical working relationships with First Nations artists and First Nations communi ties well beyond the Lower Mainland, The road that has been traveled at Emily Care re of Instvte to get this fa has a its fall bumps. The determination of Fest Nations st dents and the inherent value to BLC's premier art and design insite ofthe living culture of First "Nations peoples have made the Cente an organi zational and funding priority Look to future editions of Plant ofthe Art for progress achieved towards developing this impor tant project. ors whitehead ie And Death 1987. Ol on canvas. ‘Ar work being lstale for Posie + atthe grunt galery. by Margaret Flood afe isthe fist thing that came to mind when 1 sav the ‘postive 4" show atthe grunt Gallery. It ‘was. preity average show about AIDS and HIV The gallery space seemed to favour male artists ‘ut of ten people presenting work, only thece ‘were women, Also, the show seemed tobe directed mainly towards an audience of at community members instead of the general publi. Since half f the population infected withthe HIV vis in North Ameria is women, womens health issues neo to bein the foreground of public thought, Repeatedly, women and HIV seem tobe brushed oer whether itis inthe fem of safer sex pamphlets, documentaries, books, oF medical There was a collaborative pice dane by two women in the show that has stayed with me, Since losing my father to {the HIV virus and the internal dialogue of people with HIV. ‘evn work lke the one by Web and Candier helped me to achieve abit more insight and clarity. I as collage of pill pictures, propaganda, personal wing, and philoso Positively Safe About py. These women conveyed stories of if, fear and their understanding of morality, pasion, and determination, “Another subject not addressed in the show as that of intravenous deug users, who make up approximately one hid of those infected with HIV today. Intravenous drug ‘users may not be aesthetically pleasing, but in Vancouver they have the highest rate of infection, I the issue i HIV, lets not be acasive [tthe same time I was extremely impressed tose hope, Ife, and humour inthis show which thankfully lacked the common doom and gloom factor. For example, ! had a wonderful tlk with Herbert Morse, who had setup kising booth and gave out pins by donation which read“ ised the AIDS guy” We spoke about all the new drugs and their effectiveness, how he has experienced near death to heath and the re-examination of life fo stances. suppose a show that brings living wth HIV tothe forefront is good. The more that HIV i talked about, the ie will listen, and ultimately the moze educated pe wil become. understanding is the bottom line, this show served its purpose But safe ground is something that has been tread too often,