Planet of the Arts stuff To Know About: The Vancouver International Film Festival will be held from September 30, 1988 to October 15th, 1988. Last year’s director, Hannah Fisher, has resigned. Michael Franci’s and Bruno Freschi were asked to join the Board of Directors, and Alan Fra- ney was appointed Acting Executive Director. A search committee will be appointed to solicit appli- cations for a new Executive Director. To Support: Georgia Medical Dental Building, built in 1928 in the Art Deco style, isnow under threat of demolition. If you want to help save this unique piece of Vancou- ver architecture, phone mayor Gordon Campell (873-7621) and let your views be known. Also, write to City Council, 453 West 12th, ave., Vancouver, B.C., V5Y-1V4. To See: Die Fledermaus: The well-rounded artist gains eclectic experience by seeing Die Fledermaus one week and D.O.A. the next. Johann Strauss wrote his famous Viennese operetta in 1874. It will be per- formed by the Vancouver Opera (sung in English) Saturday April 30, Tuesday May 3rd, Thursday May 5th, and Saturday May 7th, at eight p.m. atthe Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Enjoy the opera and get twice as much use out of your fancy grad clothes as you thought you would. Vol: 3 No.7 Shawn Hayes-Holgate May 1988 The South Granvile Art Beat Hi art fans! I thought we’d take a stroll today to one of the more congested art gallery zones in the city, and surprise—it’s just minutes from E.G.A.D. on beautiful south Granville Street. Here we find a plethora of galleries for the rich and famous, running the gamut from full-blown tacky to high-high highbrow (these latter pronounced “aht” galleries). We start our tour with a gallery running to the tacky side, Horizons West 2235 Granville. The stuff here is okay (although some of it is pretty horrific), and the staff friendly, but it’s like eating only dessert. After a while you crave something a bit more substantial. ; Instant relief is provided by the Westbridge Gallery just upstairs. The staff here is just a bit snooty but don’t be intimi- dated. Ask themtochain up your bicycle while you look around. Talk loudly. They will respect you for it. And look at the art. In the front room is usually a mixture of work, including Toni Onley (funny how hard it is to respect an artist who can earn a living) and Tom Roberts. Quick! What artist painted West Coast and native Indian scenes and was named “Owas-ka-esk-ean” (Cree for “putting your ability for us Indians”) by a grateful tribe? If you said Emily Carr, move to the rear of the class. It’s Carr’scon- temporary, Mildred Valley Thornton. The Westbridge has some beautiful examples of her work. Ask your instructors why Carr is revered as a demi-goddess, while Thornton is ignored by the art establishment. Keep in mind history is written by the victors... Mull that one over as you wander through the next room, which has refreshingly modest 19th Century work, some of which is very impressive. It’s usually much more subdued than contemporary work. If you’re really feeling adventurous go upstairs to Kupezynski’s studio on the 3rd floor. This is a combination of studio and gallery for the artist’s colorful, vibrant paintings as well as the intricate tapestries created by his wife. While wading through this South Granville tour you may be having trouble discerning “good art” from “bad art”. Could it be all those slides and reproductions you have ingested like drugs are obscuring what would otherwise be self-evident? Next door is Heffels, 2247 Granville, home of fine snoot. Downstairs usually features 19th and early 20th century “clas- sics”—Group of Seven, Goodridge Roberts and so on. More recent work is upstairs. Heffel’s is a good place to bring your own work. Marcus Bowcott (formerly an instructor at ECCAD) is just one example.ofan artist who just walked in off the street, im- pressed the owners, and now sells his paintings like flapjacks. Just moved into a new vastly better Granville Street loca- tion is the Equinox Gallery, 2321 Granville. This gallery gener- ally show one artist at a time. Although they’re just as anxious to sell paintings, they are a little less pushy about it than Heffel’s. Conversations about money are not cool here. Instead judge how expensive the work is by how often they use the adjective “terribly” as in “he is terribly, terribly important”. Each terribly equals roughly $5 000 per painting. Around the corner on 8th is the Wade Gallery 1525 w.8th. It’s small, and tends to emphasize “non figurative landscape”, i.e. stuff that looks like something you yell at your kid for doing onthe wall. Still, there is often interesting work shown here, and the woman who runs the gallery is knowledgeable and seems genuinely interested in the art she shows, an unusual quality. The next gallery is several blocks south, so have a coffee and pastry at one of the bakeries along the way. Go browse in the painfully precious boutiques. When you’re recharged hit the Art Emporium, 2928 Granville. This isa low-rent Heffel’s. It’s a funny place, it has a real smorgasbord of works, some of it quite good (a beautiful little A.J. Casson for example), much of it mediocre. The staff ranges from pretentious to apparently strung out on speed. Next door is the Value Village of art galleries, Harrison’s, 2932 Granville. Their idea of high art is shag carpeting. But as Guido Molinari said, you can learn more from bad art than good. And there are little treasures even here, such as the paintings by L.M.Kilpin done in the early part of the century. Head south a couple more blocks to the Atelier, 3084 Granville. On the way there are some remarkable ritual masks and carvings from Papua, New Guinea in Lount’s Tapestries. The Atelier will be the Equinox when it grows up. It shows artists who are somewhere between “new” and “established”. It features openings on Saturday afternoons, so if you need a drink... The final stop is the Bau-Xi (pronounced something like “Bo-Jee”), 3045 Granville. This is a fairly senior gallery, with another location in Toronto. | can’t say exactly why, but the work shown here almost always leaves me feeling dissatisfied. It’s too comfortably hip somehow. Anyway, that’s it for now. Time to head home and check out the tube. Derek Simons § + Pant ofthe rts stuff ‘To Know About: The Vancouver International Film Festival will bbe held from September 30, 1988 to October 15th, 1988. Last year's director, Hannah Fisher, has resigned. Michael Franci’s and Bruno Freschi were asked to Join the Board of Directors, and Alan Fra- ney was appointed Acting Executive Director. A ‘search committee will be appointed to solicit appli- cations for a new Executive Director. ‘To Support: ‘Georgia Medical Dental Bullding, builtin 1928 in the Art Deco style, isnow under threat of demolition. you wantto help save this unique piece of Vancou- Ver architecture, phone mayor Gordon Campell (673-7621) and let your views be known. Also, write to City Council, 453 West 12th, ave., Vancouver, BC, VBYAV4, ‘0 See: Die Fledermaus: The well-rounded artist gains eclectic experience by seeing Die Fledermaus one week and .0.A. the next. Johann Strauss wrote his famous Viennese operetta in 1874. It will be per- formed by the Vancouver Opera (sung in English) Saturday April 30, Tuesday May Srd, Thursday May Sth, and Saturday May 7th, ateight p.m. atthe Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Enjoy the opera and get twice as ‘much use out of your fancy grad clothes as you thought you would. Vol3 No.7 May 1988 The South Granville Art Beat Hiart fans! | thought we'd take a stroll today to one of the more congested art gallery zones in the city, and surprise—it's Just minutes fromE.G.A.D. on beautiful south Granville St Here we find a plethora of galeries for therich and famous, running the gamut from full-blown tacky to high-high highbrow (hese latter pronounced “ant” galleries). ‘We start our tour with a gallery running to the tacky sid Horizons West 2235 Granville. The stuff here is okay (although ‘some of Its pretty horrific) and the staff friendly, but it's I faating only dessert. After a while you crave something a bit ‘more substantial Instant relief is provided by the Westbridge Gallery just upstairs. The staff here is just a bit snooty but don't be intimi- dated. Askthem tochain up your bicycle while you lookaround. Talk loudly. They will respect you for it. And look at the art. In the front room is usually a mixture of work, including Toni Onley (lunny how hard itis to respect an artist who can earn a living) and Tom Roberts. Quick! What artist painted West Coast and native Indian scenes and was named “Owas-ka-osk-ean” (Cree utting your ability for us Indians”) by a grateful tribe? If yousaid Emily Carr, movetotherearoftheclass. It'sCarr’scon- temporary, Mildred Valley Thornton. The Westbridge has some smples of her work. Ask your instructors why Carr a demi-goddess, while Thornton is ignored by the. yment. Keep in mind history is written by the victors... ‘Mull that one over as you wander through the next room, ingly modest 19th Century work, some of, pressive. It's usually much more subdued than ry work. If you're really feeling adventurous go upstairs to Kupezynski's studio on the 3rd floor. This Is a combination of ‘studio and gallery for the artist's colorful, vibrant paintings as ‘well as the intricate tapestries created by his ‘While wading through this South Granville tour you may be having trouble discerning “goodart” from “ba allthose slides and reproductions you have in are obscuring what would otherwise be selt Next door Is Heffels, 2247 Granville, home of fine snot. Downstairs usually features 19th and early 20th century “clas- sics”—-Group of Seven, Goodridge Roberts and so on. More recent work Is upstairs. Hetfal's is a good place to bring your ‘own work. Marcus Bowcott (formerly an instructor at ECCAD) is. Jjustone exampleof an artistwho just walked in offthe street, im- pressed the owners, and now sells his paintings lke flapjacks. ‘Just moved into a new vastly better Granville Street loca: tion is the Equinox Gallery, 2321 Granville. This gallery gener- ally show one artist ata time. Although they're just as anxious to soll paintings, they are a little less pushy about it than . Conversations about money renot cool here. Instead the work is by how often they use the bly” asin “he isterribly, terribly important”. Each Le stuff that looks like something ‘on the wall. Stl, there soften interesting work shown h ‘the woman who runs the gallery is knowledgeable and seems blocks south, so have a cotf along the way. Go browse in painfully precious boutiques. When you're recharged hit ‘Art Emporium, 2928 Granville. This isa low-rentHetfel's. It's a funny place, It has a real smorgasbord of works, some of It qulte good (a beautiful Iitle A.J. Casson for example), much of it mediocre. The staff ranges from pretentious to apparently strung out on speed. 'Next door Is the Value Village of art galleries, Harrison's, 2932 Granville. Thelr idea of high art Is shag carpeting. But as ‘Guido Molinari said, you can learn more from bad artthan good. And therearelitte treasures even here, such asthe paintings by LM.Kilpin done in the early part of the century. Head south a couple more blocks to the Atelier, 3084 Granville. On the way there are some remarkable ritual masks and carvings from Papua, New Guinea in Lount's Tapestries. ‘The Atolier willbe the Equinox when it grows up. It shows artists who are somewhere between “new” and “established”. It features openings on Saturday afternoons, so If you need @ drink. The final stop is the Bau-Xi (pronounced something like 5"), 3045 Granville. This is a fairly senior gallery, with another location in Toronto. | can't say exactly why, but the work shown here almost always leaves me feeling dissatisfied. W's too comfortably hip somehow. ‘Anyway, that’s It for now. Time to head home and check out the tube. Derek Simons 5