Jack Shadbolt These are Signs of Atrocities from the series: Occupation of Point Grey 1942, graphite on paper 11 3/4” X 15” From Heart of Darkness to the Heart of Conspicuous Consumption The Or Moves to Latté Land by Mia Thomsett “{Pm] glad to get the fuck outta here,” the Or Gallery’s curator, Reid Shier, said to me this afternoon when I asked if he was happy about moving to a new location. Apparently people aren’t coming to the gallery because they’re scared of the neighbourhood - but I’m not quite con- vinced. The Or is moving to 400 Smithe Street, close to Vancouver’s preferred yuppie shopping district, Yaletown. This, I think, will really change the entire feel of the gallery, along with the notion of art being accessible to everyone, including the junkies of Hastings Street. Will the new location really bring in more people, or will we just see a new crowd of boring Starbucks frequenters? Even though Hastings Street has gotten a lot worse within the last five years or so, I’m sure it will eventually be cleaned up, and end up looking like some gentrified area for so-called artists, just like Yaletown. However, if the people who run the place are excited to leave, then I guess it’s okay, even if some of us will miss the action and familiar street people we see around the Or. On Friday night, at the opening of Emily Carr and Jack Shadbolt’s Heart of Darkness, I noticed an older man peering into the gallery through the door. He was obviously from the area, and probably lives in one of those old hotels that are slowly being turned into high-priced apartments. Maybe it’s just some hopeless notion of mine, but isn’t it pos- sible that people like this man want to see art too? Being used to seeing contemporary art at the Or, I find it strange that they would show the work of defunct artists like Emily Carr and Jack Shadbolt. This sort of art is normally displayed in a cold, serious fashion at the Vancouver Art Gallery. But being shown at the Or gives the work a new life and raison d’étre. I think people really like to see the art of our well-known Canadian predecessors - it’s like an easily palatable lesson in BC history. It was good to see Emily Carr’s works, which on paper appear understated and overly familiar compared to Shadbolt’s. Carr’s paintings consisted of images of idealized and sometimes industrialized nature, painted with dark green and blue oil paints on canvas and paper. Shadbolt’s paintings and drawings seem to incor- porate different aspects of world art, including the West Coast First Nations’ and African art. Large drawings of masks and pseudo totem poles were done in earthy browns and dark reds, while his three-panel painting, titled Szvamp Forms, is made up of bright greens and blues. His Invasion of Point Grey series differs from his more gesturally painted work in the show - it consists of small, carefully drafted images, inspired by Shadbolt’s post-war reveries. One of the images in the series, The Hand, depicts a dismembered hand lying on the sidewalk of a quaint bungalowed Point Grey street. After a moment of “what the hell?”, I had to ask the curator about the story behind these surreal drawings. He offered his rendi- tion; that they represent Shadbolt’s vision of what it would look like if the Japanese had invaded Point Grey during WWII. This series seems worthy of future research as it uncovers Shadbolt’s artistic contribution to the war effort. My personal favourite is the piece titled Festival of the Worm II, a drawing of little earth worms and dirt; it’s worth a trip to the Or just to see that one drawing. The show is on until February 27th, so go see it before the Or’s West Hastings location is abandoned and the front door remains only as a public urinal. a Fe | ] [ U X volume fourteen issue two The following 31742 words include: e The ae of Worms Called “Culture” Opening ourselves to difference: student perspectives on alternative cultures. Chris Jones finds himself deep inside the Hanford Nuclear Power Plant. A Theory on Theory ee 7 77 ee Cee Do theorists have too much time “on their hands? ECIAD’s annual faculty show relies on traditional representations. The Model Speaks e ae | Musings on the life of a poser: voices from the unconscious body. ities 6 Comic by Xero 17 End of the World Bill Clinton fucks the planet. 17 Miss Manners To spit or swallow? That is the question. 23 Animated Film Review Shakespeare in love with Hollyzvood. 3O Letters Bad Peter Cardew, bad. Temporary Workspace Lost and Found in the MacLab zone. E Hoxha Gallery Art of the alter-ego. Su bstrates - Nutrient mediums for a bacterial culture. Conduits - Circuitry of critical perspective. Ju nctions - Spaces for creative interactivity. influx: Magazine February 1999 3 ‘tek Shacbok Teves otArotig 182 ompnte paper 11°15 From Heart of Darkness to the Heart of Conspicuous Consumption ‘The Or Moves to Latté Land [by Mia Thomsett “(P'm) glad to get the fuck ourta here," the Or GGatlery’s curator, Reid Shier, sid to me this afternoon when TTasked ithe was happy about moving to anew location, Apparently people aren't coming to the erase theyre scared of the neighbourhood ot quite con- vinced. The Or is moving to 400 Smithe Stree, close to Vancouver's preferred yuppie shopping district, Yaletown This I think, will lly change the entice fel ofthe gallery, slong withthe notion of art being accesible to everyone, ‘including the junkies of Hastings Street. Will the new location really bring in more people, or will we ust see a new crowd iy be cleaned up, and end up looking ike some a for so-called artists, just like Yaletown ifthe people who run the place are excited to leave, then I guess it's okay, even if some of us will miss the action and familiar steet people we see around the OF (On Friday night, atthe opening of Emily Carr and Jack Shabolt’s Heart of Darkness, noticed an older man peering into the gallery through the door. He was obviously from the area, and probably lives in one of those old hotels ‘are slowly being turned into high-priced apartments be it's just some hopeless notion af mine, bu ist pos sible that people lke this man want to see art too? Being used to seeing contemporary art atthe Or, 1 find it strange that they would show the work of defunct artists like Emily Carr and Jack Shadbolt This sor of artis normally displayed ina cold, seriou the Vancouver Art Gallery. Bu being shown a the gives the palatable lesson in BC history. It was good to sce Emily ‘Carrs works, which on paper appear understated and overly familia compared to Shadbolt. Carr's paintings consisted of mages of idealized and sometimes industrialized nature, painted with datk green and be oil pants on canvas and ape: First Nations' and Aftican art. Large drawings of masks and ‘pseudo totem poles were dane in earthy browns and dark ‘eds, while his three-pane painting, itled Steam Farms, is ‘made up of bright greens and blues. His Incason of Point ‘Gray series difers from his more gestrally painted work in ‘the show - it consists of small, carefully drafted images, inspired by Shadbols post-war reveries. One ofthe images inthe series, The Hand, depicts a dismembered a the sidewal ‘the story behind these surreal drawings. He offered his endi- ton; that they epresent Shadbolt’ vision of what it would ‘uncovers Shadbolt’ artistic contribution tothe war effort. ‘My personal favourites the pice titled Feil of 4s on until February 27th, so go see it before the Or's West ‘Hastings location is abandoned and the front door remains ‘only a a public urinal, Vee inf lgxy. The following 31742 words include Features. The Can pt Vices Called Sule Opening ourselves to difference: student perspectives on alternative cultures. Notes from the Nuclearground Chris Jones finds himself deep inside the Hanford Nuclear Power Plant. A Theory on Theory Do theorists have too much time ‘on their hands? Vancouver's Vernacular 27 The Model Speaks KT32 ECIAD's annual faculty show relies on traditional representations. Musings on the lel of a poser: voices from the| unconscious body Every Issue 6 Comic by Xero 17 End of the World Bill Clinon fucks the planet 17 Miss Manners To spit or wcll? That sth question. 23 Animated Film Review ‘Shakespeare in love eth Holyood. 30 Letters Bad Petr Cardes bad Temporary Workspace Lot and Found in the MacLab sone E Hoxha Gallery Arco the alteregs Sections Substrates - nro meio: for «bocril etre 13 Conduits - circuitry of crcl perspecive. Junctions - spc cere ein Zz influx: Magazine February 1999 3