Imagine exhibiting in the VAG right after finishing your studies at Emily Carr. | predict that an artist from Emily Carr's Class of ‘97 will be part of the next incarnation of Topographies, a VAG show whose present edition runs until January 5th. And if the show ever branches out into a TYPographies » show, bet on seeing work from Emily Carr-linked designers. The present show already includes a handful of artists with ties to our beloved Institute: Jin-me Yoon, Landon Mackenzie, Sharyn Yuen, Judy Radul, Lucy Hogg, and Arni Haraldsson. But will Topographies bring forth any progeny in terms of further VAG group shows on B.C artists? The VAG's roots in promoting late 20th century work with avant-gardist ambitions (think Jeff Wall) suggests that the chances are good. The VAG had a (relatively) hip, young curator in Grant Arnold. It was Arnold along with guest cura- tors Monika Kin Gagnon and Doreen Jensen who conducted 800-plus studio visits in search of Topographies participants circa 1996. Arnold and his cohorts know the local scene. They know about Artropolis, the Warehouse Show, and the (literally) happening-kind of place that the VAG sometimes was before its transference and reincarnation within the old courthouse/land title office behind the columns and the lions facing Georgia Street. They also know their fair share about Vancouver's artist- run centres, the erratically-funded venues where emerging talent often takes its first run at gaining critical notice. There probably won't be a sequel to Topographies any time soon. For Emily Carr’s Class of ‘97 this means plenty of time to build a career within the alternative and small com- . mercial gallery circuit. There won’t be any quick repeat of Topographies because the show hasn’t caught fire with the lay public or impressed the professional critics. For the lay public, the show offers none of the umpph- like gestalt of the highly attended 1995 Warhol show or the patriotic stirrings of this year’s Group of Seven “Art For A Nation” show. Aside from Jack Shadbolt (whose work is actu- ally an ancillary exhibit), the coffee table book industry hasn't yet made fodder of the living artists on view at the VAG, nor have these artists been promoted through the art section of national mainstream magazines. So there is no layer of accumulated cultural capital to allow for a gestalt/patriotism response to Topographies. By taking over virtually the entire building to exhibit Topographies, the curators might have seen themselves ges- turing towards the scale of Artropolis. The unfortunate effect of occupying all of the VAG has been to activate the preten- tiousness latent in the architecture of the VAG building. Concurrently what gets activated is the notion of the interna- tionalist museum whose purpose is to recirculate worldly cul- tural capital. The proportions of the show therefore set up unwarrant- ed expectations about what the public's experience of the art will be like. And the gallery's comment wall ends up brim- ming with negative reactions. For professional and lumpen critics alike, the inclusion of work from forty-something artists is both too much and too little. Too much because the work divides into such a number of agendas of aesthetic concern and exploration that repeated 2-3 hour visits are needed for someone to adequately consid- er the contents of the show. Too little because the works of each artist usually don’t sufficiently engage with adjacently hung work by other artists. At Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design this phenom- enon is known as Concourse Gallery Syndrome (ConGS). The most notable exception to the pervasiveness of ConGS in the Topographies show is the dialogue established between canvasses produced by our Institute’s namesake and work by Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. (Like Shadbolt's work, this too is an ancillary exhibit, but blends right in with the by Harald Gravelsins B.C. paradigm.) Leaving aside this last instance, we get neither ‘sufficient work from most artists to be able to discern the sensibilities that sustain their art nor enough resonance between the work of different artists to appreciate the col- lective context they inhabit and work towards mutually delineating. So what about a group show of recently established and emerging British Columbia artists becoming an annual rite at the VAG? The show could be formatted to involve about six artists occupying one floor; even one wing would do. The artists might even plan some of their work together, and could certainly collaborate on hanging the show to its best mutual advantage. Class of ‘97, take heed. <@ December 1996 / Planet of the Arts 35 Jin-me Yoon A Group of Sixty Seven (1996) Cibachrome photographs December 1996 / Planet of the Arts 35 Euicy CARR det, " Ao) Reha ne ML od ad 107 fs ong Bors Wave Van inn! - foggite] welled ADeGnctne inlet ry} leoncapts f ’ Host oF THE grapple wh Bows 4, la of ks D> REST LACES PASSION cg pects Ree we Hi i cain oneniee an worder thet <0 ox Keayt porsehys “8 pare Ft preces/ore “collections of the artist".,,.no one. else would wast then! Over At The VAG fe, , : fro Vineine Conce PTUAL by Harald Gravelsins Imagine exhibiting in the VAG right after finishing your 8.C paradigm) Leaving aside this las instance, we get studies at Emily Care. predict that an artist from Emily Carr’s neither sufficient work from most artists to be able to discern ‘lass of '97 will be part ofthe next incarnation of ‘the sensibilities that sustain thelr art nor enough resonance ‘Topographies, a VAG show whose present edition runs until between the work of different artist to appreciate the co January th. lective context they inhabit and work towards mutually ’And ifthe show ever branches out into a TYPographies delineating. show, bet on seeing work from Emily Carlinked designers ‘So what about a group show of recently established and ‘The present show already includes a handful of artists ‘with tes to our beloved Institute: Jin-me Yoon, Landon Mackenzie, Sharyn Yuen, Judy Radul, Lucy Hogg, and Arni emerging British Columbia artists becoming an annual rite at the VAG? The show could be formatted to involve about sk artists occupying one floor even one wing would do. The Haraldsson, artists might even plan some of their work together, and ‘But will Topographies bring forth any progeny in terms of could certainly collaborate on hanging the show to is best further VAG group shows on B.C artists? ‘mutual advantage ‘The VAG's roots in promoting late 0th century work with Class of 97, take heed. “® _avant-gardist ambitions (think Jeff Wall suggests thatthe ‘chances are good. The VAG had a (relatively) hip, young Curator in Grant Arnold. It was Arnold along with guest cura- ‘ots Monika Kin Gagnon and Doreen Jensen who conducted 800 plus studio visits in search of Topographies participants rca 1986 ‘Arnold and his cohorts know the local scene. They know about Artropolis, the Warehouse Shows, and the (iterally) hhappening:kind of place that the VAG sometimes was before its transference and reincarnation within the old courthouse/land ttle office behind the columns and the lions facing Georgia Street. ‘They also know thelr fair share about Vancouver’ artst- run centres, the erratialy-funded venues where emerging talent often takes its fist run at gaining critical notice. ‘There probably won't be a sequel to Topographies any time soon. For Emily Carr's Class of '97 this means plenty of time to build a career within the alternative and small com- ‘mercial galley circuit. ‘There won't be any quick repeat of Topographies because the show hasnt caught fire with the lay public or impressed the professional cits For the lay public the show offers none of the umpph- like gestalt ofthe highly attended 1995 Warhol show or the patriotic stirrings ofthis years Group of Seven “Art For A Nation” show. Aside from Jack shadbolt (whose work is actu ally an ancillary exhibit, the coffee table book industry hhas’t yet made fodder ofthe living artists on view at the VAG, nor have these artists been promoted through the art Section of national mainstream magazines. So there is no layer of accumulated cultural capital to allow for gestal/patriotism response to Topographies. By taking over virtually the entire building to exhibit ‘Topographies, the curators might have seen themselves ges tuting towards the scale of Artropolis. The unfortunate effect lof occupying al ofthe VAG has been to activate the preten tiousnes latent in the architecture of the VAG building, Concurrently what gets activated isthe notion ofthe interna tionalist museum whose purpose Is to recirculate worldly cul tural capita “The proportions ofthe show therefore set up unwatrant ed expectations about what the public's experience of the art will be lke. And the gallerys comment wall ends up brim- ‘ming with negative reactions For professional and lumpen critics alike, the inclusion of work ffom forty something artist is Both too much and too Tite Too much because the work divides into such a number of ‘agendas of aesthetic concern and exploration that repeated 2:3 hour vist are needed for someone to adequately consi fer the contents ofthe show. Too litle because the works of each artist usually don't sufciently engage with adjacently hung work by other artists. At Emily Care institute of Art and Design this phenom tenon is known as Concourse Gallery Syndrome (ConGS), The most notable exception tothe pervasiveness of ‘ConGS in the Topographies show isthe dalogue established ‘between canvasses produced by our Institute's namesake and ‘work by Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. (Like Shadbol's work, this too isan ancillary exhibit, but blends ight in with the