"Human Crossings" at the Basic Inquiry Studio Friday, January 10, ‘92 By Debora Gibson First time round experiments with performance collaborators of any type can be traumatic for the organisers, performers and audience. Hats off to Christine Saull and Derek Simons for coordinating a colourful and intimate evening of performance art, enjoyed by all who attended. The house was full at $3 admission and | couldn't have wished for a more splendid way to beat the post-Christmas blues. The lighting and sound in the small studio worked extremely well from the newly built loft. Performances included : Peter Reade, A Dance-Nude Sermon in the Round with Jennifer Mascall, Hope Terry and Olivia Thorvaldson of the Nijinsky Gibber Jazz Club; J.J. Crashbang Aleez Retour En Forme De Poire Part One; Vivian Sorensen, Joey Meyer and Elaine Hooper, journey of the Shaman; and last but not least ECCAD’s own Saundra Lockwood with Beatrice- a moving performance built around her great grandmother's memoirs. Because of the success of this collaboration of performance art, look for more in the near future. | guarantee you won't be disappointed! In case you don’t already know, Basic Inquiry is an artist-run Studio with drop in life drawing classes, almost daily at 5-901 Main Street by the Georgia Viaduct. ( They also have windows with real light.) Their number is 681- 2855.* LILIES, "C. 1914" BY DAVID MILNE ON VIEW AT VAG David Milne Retrospective at the Vancouver Art Gallery Andrew Robulack Until March 30th at the Vancouver Art Gallery there is a major retrospective exhibition of Canadian artist David Milne’s work. It features over 150 pieces and is an important exhibition for a couple of reasons, Firstly, as lan Thom, the show’s curator, has pointed out, Milne and his art have long lacked the proper recognition they deserve. Being the first major presentation of Milne’s work in a quarter century this show, whichis travelling nation-wide (having begun in the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario and moving next to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa), will provide brilliant exposure for the underrated artist’s work. It is quite ironic however that Milne lived the majority of his life on the brink of poverty while this show enjoys a comfortable sponsorship of around half a million dollars. It’s really quite unlikely that the artist ever would have been able to envision a solo exhibition to the extent of this one during his lifetime, or even if he would have wanted it. Another end which the show will serve is to put a little bit of tarnish on the idiosyncratic “Group of Seven” reputation that Canada’s painting history has. Certainly there is not much difference in the thematics of Milne’s work from that of his contemporaries (the wilderness and wet, muddy streets, etc.) but what is Canadian is Canadian. Nowadays everybody paints confusion in this country. Milne differs in the sense of his visual representation and his constant efforts to revise his style. The majority of the works at the exhibition are watercolours done ina technique which Milne person- alized. His style involves a very minimal placement of pigment in what Planet of the Arts Volume 7 IssueS page 15 seems a very dry technique alongside confident pencilled lines and spaces. One major Milne quality which vastly exceeds that of Canada’s art gurus is the painter's sense of design. Milne is conscious with every painting of the frame’s bounds and he uses those edges to his credit. He is constantly aware of positive/negative space and of the inherent power of a large, blank area. When the fact is understood that the majority of the canvasses were painted on location, the images are even more inspiring. A major asset to the show is the frequent presentation of Milne’s own words about his art which have been printed onto plexiglass sheets and posted on the walls between his paintings. They present an excellent guide to the painter's sense of craft and the artist’s drive to explore. David Milne on painting, 1935: “The most successful ones seem to be the ones that are caught the quickest, and are the farthest from the realistic. The idea is to get a strong kick from the subject, and let the putting of it on canvas take care of itself. Have the thing strongly enough fired in your mind, then grab your brushes and just fall over thecanvas.” There are two quite funny examples early in the show of Milne’s experimentation with the style of the Fauves which he did shortly after being involved with the New York armoury show in 1913. This highlights another difference between Milne and his Canadian contemporaries: his want and willingness to discover new styles of painting. Many of his works border on cubism or abstraction. It’s too bad we had such narrow-minded wilderness freaks back then. SHATTERED IMAGES IN THELUS CEMETARY, DAVID MILNE “Human Crossings" atthe Basc Inquiry Studio ‘ido, Jonuary 10, 92 By Debora Gibson First time round experiments with performance collaborators ‘of any type can be traumatic forthe organisers, performers and audience. Hats off to Christine Saul and Derek Simons for coordinating a colourful and intimate evening of performance an, enjoyed by all who attended. The house was full at $3 admission and | couldn't have wished for a more splendid way to beat the post-Christmas bves. The lighting and sound in the smal studio worked extremely well from the newiy built lot. Performances included : Peter Reade, A Dance-Nude Sermon in the Round with Jennifer Mascall, Hope Terry and Olivia ‘Thorvaldson of the Nijnsky Gibber Jazz Club; |) Crashbang ‘Aeez Retour En Forme De Pore Part One; Vivian Sorensen, Joey Meyer and Elaine Hooper, Journey of the Shoman; and last but not least ECCAD's own Saundra Lockwood with Beatrice- 2 moving performance built around her great grandmother's memoirs. Because ofthe success ofthis collaboration of performance ar, look for more in the near future. | guarantee you won't be disappointed! In case you don't already know, Basic Inquiry isan artist-run studio with drop in ite drawing classes, almost daily at 5-901 Main Street by the Georgia Viaduct. (They also have windows with real light.) Their number is 681- 2855." LILIES, °C. 1914" BY DAVID MILNE ON VIEW AT VAG David Milne Retrospective atthe Vancouver Art Gallery ‘Andrew Robulack Untl March 30th atthe Vancouver Art Galery there i a major retrospective exhibition of Canadian att David Mine's work. features over 150 pieces andisan important exhibition fra couple of reasons Fist aslan Thom, the shows curator, haspointed out, Mine and hisart have ong lacked the proper recognition they deserve Seng thefist major presentation of Milnes workin a quarter century tis shows whichistravelng nation-wide (having begun the McMichael Canadian At CollectioninKlenbug,Ontaioandmovingnexttothe National Gallry of Canada in Ottawa), wil provide brillant exposure forthe underrated at's work. Its quite ironic however that Mine lived the majoityof his fe on the brink of poverty while ths show enjoysa comfortable sponsorship of round hala milion dois. t's really quite unity thatthe att ever would have been able to ervsiona solo exibition tothe extent of thisone during hisifetime, (or even fhe would have wanted. ‘Another end which the show wl seve iso puta litle bit of tarnish on the idiosyncratic “Group of Seven reputation that Canada's painting history hs. Cerny thereisnot much ference inthe thematics of Mine's work from tat of his contemporaries (the widemess and wet, muddy sets, et.) but what is Canadian is Canadian. Nowadays everybody paints onfusonin this country Mine ifesin the sense of his wal representation and his constant efor to revise his ste. is The majority of the works atthe exhibition are a watercolours doneina technique which Milne person- alized. Hs syle invlvesa veryminimal placement ofpigmentinwhat Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue S page 15 seems avery dry technique alongside confident penciled ines and spaces. ‘One major Mine qualty which vastly exceeds thatof Canadas art gurussthe painter's sense of design. Milnes conscious wth every painting of the fame'sbounds and he uses those edgestohis credit Heis constantly avare of postvenegative space and ofthe inherent power ofa lrge, blank area, When the fat is understood thatthe majority ofthe canvasses were painted on location the images are even mare inspiring, ‘Ammar asset to the show is the fequent presentation of Mine's ‘own words about his at which have been printed ont plexiglass sheets an posted onthe walls between his paintings. They resent anexcallen guideto the painter's sese of craftandtheartst's rive to explore. David Mine on painting, 1935: “The most successful ones seem to be the ones that are ‘aught the quickest and are the farthest from the realistic. The idea {sto get a song kick rom the subject, and let the puting of it on canvas ake creo ise Have the thing strongly enough fred in your mind, then grab your brushes and us fall over thecamvas.” ‘There ae two quite funny examples early inthe show of Mine's ‘experimentation with te syle of the Fauves which he dd shory after being involved with the New Yor armoury show in 1913. This highlights another ference between Mine and his Canadian contemporaries his want and wilingness to discover new styles of Painting. May of is wrksborderon cubism or abstraction.’ too bad we had such narrow-minded wilderness freaks back then.