16 planet of the arts / october 1997 PRACTICE The Scaled Down Model Continues 1997 Studio Show by Erin Gunther with assistance from Aaron Glass he studio component of the 1997 exhibit of graduating student work saw the continua- tion of a shift that has taken place in the past couple of years. The ‘old model’ show was huge, tak- ing up many rooms throughout the school and, for the public, coming across as a somewhat over- whelming but exciting smorgasbord of art, media and design. 1997 and the years leading up to it saw an appreciable reduction in the size and expanse of the show and the number of weeks it occupied. Rita Beiks, an Emily Carr Institute sculpture alumna, reviewed the show. While impressed with the work exhibited, she was critical of how the reductions to the show seemed to negatively impinge upon it. Beiks understood the scaling down to be due to the cost in time, space, money and white paint incurred to the small number of organizers in their preparing of walls and their putting up and coordi- nating the countless works and installations stu- dents wanted. “Year after year, the same faculty/staff are involved and carry the few students who actual- ly volunteer to put together the show,” she pointed out. Scaling down the grad show has greatly simpli- fied its facilitation. But it also results in a limited presentation which, Beiks said, doesn’t seem to do justice to the true output and genius of the graduat- In the context of today’s economy and apathy, perhaps a larger show is too idealistic. ing students. “Perhaps in today’s economy, a larger show is unrealistic, and an unfair expectation on my part,” she observed. But having each graduating stu- dent enter only one or two works “does not seem to reflect the experience one has at ECIAD.” The clos- er spacing of the works also encouraged viewers to spend less time with each work. On the other hand, “the works are well executed, considered, and presented,” said Beiks. “People have made the most of their one or two pieces.” Still, Beiks did lament the loss of a feeling of cul- mination and festival engendered by the previous large and colourful shows she remembered enjoy- ing. “Emily Carr stood out to me as different to any other art school... The staff, facilities, thought-pro- voking critiques, the pressure of the ‘assignments’ and the interested and supportive faculty — [all of] it is uncommon.” Here, there was somehow little of the atmosphere of excitement and diversity that had been present in former years when large sprawling shows created a feeling of rampant creativity. “T do speculate whether the shift has something to do with making the show more ‘acceptable’, less ‘challenging’ less controversial, due to funding con- cerns,” she added. The organizers’ attempt to strike more of a bal- ance between how best to exhibit the students’ work and what is most practical needs to be reconsidered, emphasized Beiks. Large-scale changes like this one, certainly, often require a transitional period of tin- kering and toning before they demonstrate their value. This isn’t to say the old model should be returned to, although Beiks described it as “definite- ly the stuff legends are made of?’ Memories of the old model can serve as a challenge to students who are now moving towards their own graduation. In fact, her critique focused more on the reluc- tance of students to take the responsibility of mak- ing the grad show self-representative into their own hands. “You can’t exactly blame the school for the shows as they are,” she pointed out. “Students do and can have a major role in its creation.” The artwork itself, noted Beiks, noticeable formal and thematic also. demonstrated shifts. The encouraging multi- plicity of paintings was ironic seeing as painting, supposedly, is dead (or so Beiks recalled). Ceramics pieces were also more visible this year. These were often quite sculptural, and discussed issues inclusive of but going beyond the history of ceramics. The strength and obviously well-tapped potential of these media were impres- sive. Sculpture, photography, and printmaking works were less noticeable, as was the lack of performance, installation and video, which Beiks regards as pow- erful additions to a studio show that don’t necessar- ily have to be confined to the theatre and other non- studio-related spaces. The uneven representation of different media may have had something to do with a blurring of photographs by Harald Gravelsins boundaries which constituted one of the stronger themes in the show. Interdisciplinary movement abounded. Parts, fragments, and different media were combined to form the whole, a critical dis- tancing perhaps on the one-work, one-canvas tradi- tion. Beiks noted that past years saw a greater number of confrontational and political works exhibited, but that “some of the social critical works this year are perhaps more effective in that they are more personal, more subtle in their approach. They draw the viewer in with the beauty of the compositions and renderings, which give the viewer time to con- template the message.” She cited Dohee Lim’s Interior with Painted Ghosts and J. McLaughlin’s Child’s Alphabet of the Deep South as two such pieces. The altered structure of the show, Beiks con- cluded, seemed unfortunate in that it dampened and limited the traditionally vibrant and eclectic role Emily Carr Institute is known for. It also seemed to Beiks to be somewhat of a letdown to the fourth year students to whom the show is impor- tant as a leave-taking ritual, and the first years to whom it serves as challenge and inspiration. However, Beiks emphasized, this did not alter the fact that the show presented the “thoughtful and thought provoking work” of a unique visual art school. The show also reflected admirably ECIAD’s open-department policy — the mixing of disciplines that has become a central direction for the school. This approach, the above observations imply, would be even more effective and possible if we creative minds and capable hands came up with a solution that combines the best practical and aesthetic aspects of both this year’s and last year’s shows. Beiks hopes that some such lively souls, especially fourth year students, will rise to the challenge. Ol) Students interested in redeveloping policies on the grad show are asked to contact any of the student rep- resentatives on the Education Council. Third year stu- dents are also eligible to serve as non-voting alternates to the fourth year students on this year’s grad show committee. 16 plonet of the orts / october 1997 PRACTICE The Scaled Down Model Continues 1997 Studio Show by Erin Gunther ‘with assistance from Aaron Glass te ile compone oft 197 ib of T= ae Coif sa ae eee re merees tae {dein 1097 ad the er ding pe ee ee ree te ork ele she ys lel of how te eae site selpture scaling down to be due to the cost in time, space, money and white paint incurred to the small number of organizers in their preparing of walls and ther putting up and coor rating the countless works and installations st dents wanted. "Year afer ea, the same fculy/staff are involved and cary the few students who actual: ly volunter to put together the shove” she pointed Sealing down the grad show has greatly simpli fed its facilitation. But it also results in a Kmited presentation which, Beks sad, doesnt seem to do justice to the tru output and genus ofthe graduat- In the context of today’s economy and apathy, perhaps a larger show is too idealistic. ing students. “Perhaps in today’s economy a larger shows uneelstic, andan unfair expectation on my part she observed. But having cach graduating st dent enter only one of two works “es not seem to reflect the experience one has at ECIAD? The ls spacing ofthe works also encouraged viewers to spend less time with each work ‘On the ther hand, "the works are well execute, considered, and presented,” sid Beiks. “People have ‘made the mos of thee one or two pices” Sill Beiks dd lament the los of elng ofc ‘mination and festival engendered by the previous large and colourful shows she remembered enjoy ing. “Emily C ‘other at school. The sal facilites, thought-pro woking critiques, the presure of the ‘assignment and the interested and supportive fcuty— [all of] itis uncommon” Here, there was somehow litle of the atmosphere of excitement and diversity that had ‘ben present informe years when large spavling od out 0 me as diferent to any shois erated a feeling of rampant creativity do speculate whether the shift as something to do with making the show more “acceptable less ‘challenging less controversial, due to funding con ‘cerns she added. The organizers attempt to strike more ofa bal: ance between how best to exhibit the students work and what is most practical neds toe reconsidered ‘emphasized Beis. Large-scale changes ike this one, ‘certainly, offen require a transitional period of tin ering and toning before they demonstrate their value This isn't to say the old model should be returned to although Biks described itas"definite Iy the stuff legends are made of” Memories ofthe ‘old model can serve as a challenge to students who are now moving tears their own gradation, In fact, her critique focused more on the relic: tance of students to take the responsiblity of mak ing the grad show slf- representative int their own, hands. "You can't exactly blame the choo! forthe shows as they aa” she pointed ‘out.*Students do and can havea imgjor roe in its tation The artwork itself, noted Bik, noticeable formal and thematic shifs. The encouraging. mul plicy of paintings was ironic ako demonstrated seeing a8 painting, supposedly fis dead (or so Beiks recalled, Ceramies pices were also more visible this year These were often quite sculptural and discussed ise inclsive of but going beyond the history of ceramics. The strength and obviously well-tapped potential of these media were impres- Sculpture, photography: and printmaking works were les noticeable as was the lack of performance, installation and video, which Beiks regards as pow erful additions toa studio show that dont neces ityhaveto be confined tothe theatre and other non. studio-elated spaces, The uneven representation of diffrent media may have had something to do with a Blurring of ‘boundaries which constituted one ofthe stronger themes in the show. Intedisciplinary movement abounded. Parts, fragments, and diferent media were combined to form the whole, a critical die tancing perhaps on the one-work,one-canvas trad eis noted that past ears saw a greater number ‘of confrontational and politcal works exhibited but that "some of the socal ritcal works this year ate pethaps more effective in that they are more personal, more subtle in their approach. They draw the viewer in withthe beauty ofthe compositions and renderings, which give the viewer time o con template the message” She cited Dohee Lim's Interior with Painted Ghosts and J. McLaughlin's Child’ Alphabet of the Deep South as two such Pieces. ‘The akered structure ofthe show, Beiks con ded, seemed unfortunate in that it dampened and limited the traditionally vibrant and eclectic role Emily Cart Institute is known for. It also seemed to Beis tobe somewhat of letdown tothe fourth ya tant asa leave-takng ritual, and the frst years to ‘whom it serves as challenge and inspiration students to whom the show is impor: However Biks emphasized, this did not alter the fact thatthe show presented the" thoughtful and thought provoking work” of « unique visual art School The show also reflected admirably ECIAD's ‘open:-department policy ~ the mixing of splines that has become a central direction fo the schol This approach, the above observations imply, would bbe even more effective and posible if we creative minds and capable hands came up witha solution that combines the best practical and aesthetic aspects of both this yea Beis hopes tat some such lively souls, especially fourth year students, will rise to the challenge. and las year’s shows. Students interested in redeveloping policies on the rad show are asked to contact any ofthe student rep resentative onthe Education Coun. Third yar stu dent are alo eligible to serve as non-voting alternates to the fourth year students om thi year's grad show