24 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 story and photographs by Cindy Spence his is not a review of “Memento Mori -— The Art of Re- membrance: Death, Grieving and Transformation”, the Emily Carr Institute Concourse Gallery exhibition held from December 1 — 8 1996. Rather, it is a back- wards glance at the process which went into plan- ning this show. Don Bury, Hadley Howes, and | worked as co-curators to plan the “Memento Mori” exhibition, a show exhibiting the work of 24 student artists. It began when the three of us decided jointly that it was important for Emily Carr Institute to acknowledge and commemorate both December 1st — World AIDS Day, also referred to as a “Day Without Art” — and December 6th, the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. How to link these two separate dates was the challenge. We decided to begin by addressing the somewhat general themes of death, anger, grief, memory, healing, transforma- tion and activism — a huge scope of topics, we realized, and not even a complete list of all the issues which we might have considered. However, we knew this could bea starting point, at the very least, to begin thinking about the difficult topic of death and its relation to the two memorial days we wished to focus on. With this idea in mind, we approached Greg Bellerby, supervisor of the Concourse Gallery, to find out if the gallery space would be available on the dates in question. Initially, the annual Ceramic and Print Sale conflicted with the timing we had hoped for, but following a meeting with the students involved in the sale, a unanimous agreement was reached to reschedule, freeing up December 1st to the 8th for the “Memento Mori” show. Our request for submissions to the exhibition asked students who might be interested in par- ticipating to reflect on these questions: Why do we have memorials? Why does society acknowledge the types of deaths memorialized by these specific dates differently from other types of death? How can we transform grieving into positive action? What is the role of activism and art in relation to these issues? We also recommended that each participating artist provide a brief artist’s statement, given the serious subject matter of the show. The final deci- sion as to whether to include a statement and the nature of the statement itself (poems, dedica- tions, facts about AIDS, etc.), was left entirely up to each artist. : Concurrently with our submissions deadline, we arranged a meeting to enlist the assistance of three non-Emily Carr Institute advisors with whom to discuss the show. We felt this group meeting would give us the opportunity to obtain diverse perspectives on these sensitive topics (AIDS, Violence against Women, addressing death through art), from individuals who were located outside the school environment and who might be more knowledgeable about these topics than we were. iWWV Practice Merla Beckerman, Founder and Partner of Contemporary Art Collections and a board member of both the Vancouver Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Ottawa, David Holtzman, Director of Development for the Vancouver Friends for Life Society, and Namaste Marsden, a Community Worker at the YWCA Crabtree Corner, all agreed to meet with us at the school. The six of us had an animated and enormously valuable discussion of our ideas and concerns about the com- bination of issues to be included in the show, as well as plans for the specific dates of December 1st and 6th. We also reviewed the submissions we had received by the time of the meeting. In an effort to reach a broad audience with this exhibition, we sent press releases advertising the show to all of the local Vancouver newspapers and posted notices around town. We also discussed our December 1st activities with AIDS Vancouver and the Vancouver Art Gallery, who were working collabora- tively to plan their “Day Without Art.” The extra work which went into planning this exhibition helped the three of us, as organizers, to feel assured that we had given our best effort. We hope the results showed in the quality of the exhibition. Thanks, of course, go once again to all of the participating artists: Cidalia Alvernaz Sheri Bakes Kyath Battie Ilze Bebris Nancy MEMENTO Untitled (1996) Mixed media Don Bury Bleck Steven Brekelmans Don Bury Sylvie Cottell Darcy Davis Viv Demuth Lionel Doe Aaron Glass Jennifer Gottesman Michael Lee James Manning Heather Marshall Shawn Nygren Soo-mee Park France Queyras Elisa Rathje Ken Shymka P. Roch Smith Cindy Spence Anna Wieselgren We wouldn’t have had a show to organize without their art! On a personal note, since Don Bury and Hadley Howes are currently away on the Exchange Program (Don in Paris, Hadley in London), | was chosen by default to write this article. I’d like to thank them both for working with me on this show. Planning any exhibition can be a daunting undertaking, and this show in particular, because of its potentially disturbing subject matter, was at times overwhelming. | would definitely recommend “collaborative curating.” We were able to brain- storm many more ideas than any one mind would have come up with, share the workload, support each other emotionally and even share some great laughs (I don’t think I'll ever forget the sight of Hadley measuring the appropriate height to glue labels against the height of her nose against the wall, or of Don crab-walking across the Concourse Gallery floor... I'm sure they have stories they could tell about me too... but that’s the advantage of writing the article!) <@& MORI 24 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 (WW Practice nite 1996) ‘story and photographs by Cindy Spence hiss nota review of “Memento Mori ~The Art of Re- membrance: Death, Grieving and Transformation”, ‘the Emily Carr institute Concourse Gallery exhibition held from December 1 8 1996. Rather, I is 9 back ‘wards glance at the process which went into plan ing this show. ‘Don Bury, Hadley Howes, and | worked as co-curators to plan the “Memento Mori" exhibition, a show exhibiting the Work of 24 student arts. It began when the three of us ecided jointly that it was important for Emily Carr nstitute to acknowledge and commemorate both December 1st - World ‘AIDS Day, also referred to as a -Day Without Art” - and December 6th, the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre How to link these two separate dates was the challenge. ‘We decided to begin by addressing the somewhat general ‘themes of death, anger, grief, memory, healing, transforma: ‘tion and activism = a huge scope of topics, we realized, and ot even a complete list ofall the issues which we might have Considered. However, we knew this could be a starting point, ‘at the very least to begin thinking about the difficult topic of ‘death and its relation to the two memorial days we wished to focus on. With this idea in mind, we approached Greg Bellerby, supervisor of the Concourse Gallery, to find out ifthe gallery space would be available fon the dates in question. Initially, the annual Ceramic and Print Sale conflicted withthe timing we had hoped fer, but following a meeting with ‘the students involved in the sale, a unanimous agreement was reached to reschedule, freeing up December Ist tothe 8th for the “Memento Mori” show ‘Our request for submissions to the exhibition asked students who might be interested in par Xicipating to reflect on these questions: Why do we have memorials? Why does society acknowledge the types of deaths memorialized by these specific dates differently from other ‘types of death? How can we transform grieving Into positive action? What isthe roe of activism ‘and at in relation to these isues? ‘We aio recommended that each participating artist provide a brief artist's statement, given the Serious subject matter ofthe show. The final dec- sion a5 to whether to include a statement and the nature of the statement itself (poems, dedica: tions, facts about AIDS, etc), was eft ently up to each artist. ‘Concurrently with our submissions deadline, we arranged a meeting to enlist the assistance of three non-Emily Carr Insitute advisors with whom to discuss the show. We felt this group ‘meeting would give us the opportunity to obtain diverse perspectives on these sensitive topics (AIDS, Violence against Women, addressing ‘ath through at), from individuals who were located outside the school environment and who might be more knowledgeable about these topics than we were. Merla Beckerman, Founder and Partner of Contemporary ‘art Collections and a board member of both the Vancouver ‘art Gallery and the National Gallery of Ottawa, David Holtzman, Director of Development for the Vancouver Friends for Life Society, and Namaste Marsden, a Community Worker at the YWCA Crabtree Corner, all agreed to meet with us at the school. The six of us had an animated and enormously Valuable discussion of our ideas and concerns about the com bination of isues to be included in the show, as well as plans for the specific dates of December 1st and 6th. We. also ‘reviewed the submissions we had received by the time of the meeting. In an effort to reach a broad audience with this exhibition, we sent press releases advertising the show to all ofthe loa Vancouver newspapers and posted notices around town. We ‘alo discussed our December Ist activities wth AIDS Vancouver {and the Vancouver Art Gallery, who were working collabora: tively to plan their “Day Without Art” “The extra work which went into planning this exhibition helped the three of us, as organizers, to feel assured that we hhad given our best effort. We hope the results showed in the {uality of the exhibition, Thanks, of course, go once again to all of the participating artists: (idalia Alvernaz Sheri Bakes Kyath Battie lize Bebris Nancy MEMENTO Bleck Steven Brekelmans Don Bury syvie Cottell Darcy Davis Viv Demuth Lionel Doe Aaron ‘Glass Jennifer Gottesman, ‘Michael Lee James Manning Heather Marshal Shawn Nygren ‘Soo-mee Park France Queyras Elsa Rathje Ken Shymka P Roch ‘Smith Cindy Spence Anna Wieselgren 'We wouldn't have had a show to organize without their ant (On a personal note, since Don Bury and Hadley Howes are currently away on the Exchange Program (Don in Pais, Hadley InLondon), 1a chosen by default to write ths article. ike to thank them both for working with me on this show. Song ay ein cn be euming undraling and this show in particular, because of its potentially dist Subject mater was a times overshelming | would defintely recommend "collaborative curating.” We were able to brain Storm many more ideas than any one mind would have come ‘Up with, share the workload, support each other emotionally ‘and even share some great laughs (1don't think Fl ever forget the sight of Hadley measuring the appropriate height to glue labels against the height of her nose against the wal, oF of Don crab-walking across the Concourse Gallery flor... ™m sure ‘they have stories they could tell about me too... ut that's the advantage of writing the article!) ® MORI