COVER

october 1997 / planet of the arts 5

by Harald Gravelsins

In the beginning was

Visual Art. The Six Days of Creation would become the largest visual art installation of all time and it unfolded with the simple demand, “Let there be light.”

Visual art students continue making simple demands, demands such as “Let there be sufficient funding for our schools” and “Let us talk to Glen Clark about visual art mak- ing.” But simple demands seem to have become strangely complex in a post-modern, post-Edenic world. Educational funding from the public purse now involves measuring outputs in relation to inputs. Obviously for a visual art school, which traffics in the renew- al of culture and civility, this is a tricky if not impossible exercise.

The new game plan for operating a visual art school involves boosting the quotient of economic realism in course programming (e.g., adding a department of environmental design), catching the next wave in the realm of digital technology, cultivating patrons in business and the bureaucracy, and doing a lot of nipping and tucking to a sagging public image. Implementing this strategy in speedy fashion requires everyone to get on side and sing from the same hymn book. The updated compilation of songs includes a fair num- ber of snappy odes to marketability and cost-benefit analysis.

Some people despair over the future of the visual art school — they perceive that the intrinsic value of a visual art education is being dragooned beyond redemption by a ped- agogy swayed by cost-benefit analysis and its morally cynical underpinnings.

Is the end approaching for visual art education as a profoundly formative experience? Is there enough tangible return on public investment for the sort of curriculum in which people struggle to understand and give visual expression to the sublime? And do highly pragmatic approaches to restructuring visual art education really address what is to be done about nurturing artistic sensibilities in the generation that will reach maturity in the next millennium?

These questions stir inquisitive and concerned students to explore answers and levels of awareness with people who figure prominently in society, people such as the Premier of British Columbia.

Unfortunately, given the demands of the province’s highest political office, it is rare for B.C’s top politician to make himself available to students at the province’s beloved ten-million-(or so)-tax-dollar-per-year hot house of visual creativity.

Fortunately, Glen Clark happens to be the politician currently responsible for the youth portfolio, and so when the Youth Ministry selected Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design for a conference between February 20 — 22, 1997 the possibility presented itself for a dialogue between B.C’s premier politician and students from B.C.’s premier school for visual arts education.

Part of the protocol that Institute officials observe in receiving a politician is to adhere to an agenda of topics identified and agreed upon ahead of time. Whether they can, should, or even need to attempt to enforce this protocol on other members of the Institute community is another matter.

~ The recent history of visits by B.C. premiers to the Institute includes its share of headaches. In 1987, Emily Carr students with pro-choice placards in hand chased former Premier Bill Vander Zalm’s car from the campus following an official visit: Within min- utes the Institute’s president was fielding a call from the premier about the need to review the Institute’s budget. The provincial government has the ability to reduce the flow of funds to the Institute from one month to the next. In the best of financial times, the peo- ple leading this institution need cool heads and thick skins.

In the current era of system-wide reductions in public funding for post-secondary education, it is hardly surprising that some Emily Carr officials have become more than a little nervous about how the creative impulses of their students find expression in the presence of the chief financial patron of the Institute, the Premier of B.C. The perception arises that as simple a thing as students putting forward the demand, “Let there be suffi- cient funding for art schools,” can, by breaching protocol, gain the explosive potential to trigger a government relations crisis that brings the Institute crashing down. It’s an absurd

scenario, of course. But as the example of Stalin shows, paranoia and power are the best

The

Visual Arts

Talking Up Visual Art Education With Glen Clark

The week leading up to the conversation with Premier Glen Clark was

stressful and surrealistic, the conversation itself down-to-earth and relaxed.

of friends.

In an environment afflicted with paranoia, the private virtues of being a creative person — questioning assump- tions, working through imaginative possibilities, and culti- vating meaningful dialogue — transform into public vices. Intimidation and reprisals follow close behind.

Wanting to be mindful of the Institute’s more anxi- ety-prone guardians without necessarily subscribing to

their delusions, Planet of the Arts staff placed a request to

the Office of the Premier for an interview that would coin- cide with his attendance at the youth conference. This was a variation on a theme: from time to time Planet of the Arts and other student publications receive invitations issued by the Premier’s Office to attend news conferences related to student issues.

What Planet of the Arts sought was not so much an

interview as a conversation about art. Students from

continued on page 7...

COVER

october 1997 / plonet of the arts 5

DIMENSION ELEVA

CREE KAMER Fes. 4, 277

by Harald Gravelsins

In the beginning was

‘Visual AM. The Six Daysof Creation would become the largest visuaTart installation ofl time and it unfolded withthe simple demand, "Let there be light Visual art students continue making simple demands, demands such as “Let there be cen funding fr ou schools and "Let us alk to Glen Clatk about visual art mak ing” But simple demands seem to have become strangely complex in a postmodern,

ost-Edenic world. Educational funding fom the public purse now involies measuring

‘outpusin elation to inputs. Obviously fra visual art school which trafic inthe renew lof culture and clit this isa tricky if not impossible exerci

The new game plan for operating visual at schoo! involves boosting the quotient of ‘economic realism in course programming eg adding a department of environmental desig), catching the next wave in the ecalm of dig technology: cultivating patrons in ‘business and the bureauracy. and dong a To of nipping and tucking toa sagging public image. Implement ‘Sing from the same hymn book. The updated compilation of songs includes fir mum

this strategy in speedy fishion requires everyone to get onside and

her of snappy odes to marketability and cox-benefit analysis ‘Some people despair oer the fature ofthe visual art school - they perceive thatthe

intrinsic value ofa visual at education i being dragooned beyond redemption by ape

_agogy swayed by cost-benefit analysis and its morally cynical underpinnings

Isthe end approaching for visual art education as profoundly formative experience? Isthere enough tangible return on public investment forthe sor of curriculum in which people struggle to understand and give viual expression tothe sublime? And do highly pragmatic approaches to restructuring visual art education relly address what i to be ‘done about nurturing artistic sensibilies inthe generation that will each maturity in the

‘These questions sti inquisitive and concerned students o explore answers and levels ‘of awareness with people who igure prominently in society, people such asthe Premier

of British Columbia,

Unfortunately given the demands ofthe province highest political offic, its rate for

BC top politician to make himself available to students at the province's beloved

ten-milion-(or 0)tax-dollar-per-year hothouse of visual creativity

Fortunately, Glen Clark happens to be the politician curently responsible for the

youth portfolio, and so when the Youth Ministry selected Emily Care Institute of Art and

Design fora conference between February 20 ~ ‘dialogue between BC's pres sual arts education.

997 the possibility presented ise for

ier politician and students rom Bs premier school for

Part ofthe protocol that Institute oficial observe in receiving a poitcian isto adhere tw an agenda of topics identified and agreed upon ahead of time, Whether they can, should

orc this protocol on other members ofthe Institute

even need to attempt to

“The recent history of visits by B.C premiers tothe Insitute includes is share of ‘headaches In 1987, Emily Care students with pro-choice placards in hand chased former Premier Bill Vandee Zalmis car from the campus following an official vist, Within min ‘tes the Institut’ president was eling a al fom the premier about the nee 1 review the Institute's budget. The provincial government has the ability to reduce the flow of funds to the Inst

ym one month tothe net Inthe best of financial times, the peo- ‘le leading this institution need coo! heads ad thick kins. In the curent era of system-wide reductions in public funding for post-secondary

cation, offi have become more than a

{shady suprising that some Emily C

File nervous about how the creative impulses of ther students find expression inthe presence ofthe chief financial patron of the Insitute, the Premier of BC. The perception arises that as simple a thing as students puting forward the demand, “Lt thee be suf lent funding for art schools” can, by breaching protocol, gin the explosive potential to teigger a government relations rss that rings the Insitute crashing down, I's absurd ‘of Stalin shows, paranoia and power are the best

scenario, of couse. But a the examp

The

Visual Arts

Talking Up Visual Art Education With Glen Clark

The weok leading up to the conversation with Premier Glen Clark was stressul and surrealist the conversation Ref down-to-earth and relaxed

of rend In an environment aflicted with paranoia, the private

virtues of being a creative person ~ questioning assump.

tions working through imaginative possibilities, and cl

‘ating meaningful dag

Intimidation nd reprisals follow close behing,

— tansorm into public vices,

Wanting 1 be mindful ofthe Institutes more anx

c¥y-prone guardians without necessarily subscribing to

{heir delusions, Planet ofthe Arts sa placed a request

the Office ofthe Premier for an interview that would coin

«ide with his attendance atthe youth conference. This was

2 variation on a theme: from tine to time Planet ofthe ‘Ants and other student publications receive invitations Issued by the Premier's Office to attend news conferences relate to student sues.

‘What Planet of the Arts sought was not so much an

imerview as a convertion about art Students from