A Boone to Cordova's Construction

Last month, as I was collecting my various between jobs contract cheques in order to cement rent for the upcoming month, I made it a point to stop into one of my favourite (read: jealous that it is not mine) gallery spaces in Gastown - the Jeffrey Boone Gallery. Favourite being that my only other visit was made memorable due to the convivial and down-to-earth conversation I had with its namesake - the owner and operator. A short chat about how and when he got the space, the clientèle and the clients, and how to make ends meat as a gallery owner.

Showing from February 12th - March 8th at the gallery was semantics of simplicity, the works of Jonathan Syme. The works were all black and white; lines and depth; angles and air...abstracts that are certainly not my favourite but one can appreciate the meticulousness of their execution. The artist himself, has shown several times a year since his graduation from the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2003....and I am certain that more than one of the roughly half a dozen works on display will adorn the walls of a nearby condo or two. I'm sure this thought was not far from Mr. Boone's mind when initially scouting gallery locations -- affordability of location with the potential for a future community clientèle. There have been many galleries popping up in and around the downtown east side: gastown, railtown and chinatown. The cheaper rental rates, due to the proximity to the poorest postal code in Canada, make these areas accessible for the commercial and artist-run gallery alike.

Currently an oasis amidst the construction and chaos of the Woodward's Project, the Jeffrey Boone Gallery heralds the necessary future of independent gallery spaces in Vancouver - small, and often bare-bones but warm and inviting at the same time. So whether you are a resident of the area strolling by, or a first time destination visitor, art in any window, I see as a most welcome addition to any neighbourhood. Thank you.

Do good things really come in small packages?

It seems that there is some sort of trend going on in Vancouver's commercial gallery world - or at least at those not yet fully established and wanting somehow to pay their rent.


Smaller art + smaller prices = bigger sales?




Over the holidays I attended showings at gallery atsui and the Autumn Brook Gallery respectively. Having noticed the notice in The Georgia Straight for the Autumn Brook Gallery showing - it was a last minute stop on our way home from one of the many awards-nominated movies I have indulged in over the holidays. Once we found a spot where the car wouldn't be sideswiped due to the non-existent snow plowing of the side streets we found we were hopping out just as quickly as we had hopped in. I know the fantastic space quite well and know what it can do, so smaller pieces here could work - in theory. But when the overall artistic quality is not so fantastic it takes a bit more than friends and family to get those little red dots on the labels.

I thought their first mistake was not grouping by artist but instead mixing the artists together on the walls. The cohesiveness (if there was any) between pieces was lost and therefore so was the visual impact. If they were grouped with a theme in mind, I didn't see any. The image provided here is the one used in the piece The Georgia Straight published but was not, unfortunately, how the pieces ended up being shown. They were displayed on multi-levels and ended up looking like a mish-mash. A nice touch was giving out name labels for artists in attendance. Presumably you could go up to them and ask about their work, but in the short time there I'm not sure I spotted more than one artist sporting his label. There was also a cappuccino bar on site - for a price - but for a evening out on a cold Vancouver night I really can't say enough about the availability of a complimentary hot beverage -- whether its hot in the cup or warming your insides with a de rigueur glass of wine.

While the Autumn Brook is located in a respectable area of town just off the Granville Island turn-off on 4th Avenue; gallery atsui requires a more adventurous first-time gallery-goer - located a few blocks west of Main on the notorious fringes of Hastings Street. In my case it required a co-ordinated meet in front of the gallery - my friend (the gallery goer only when I go;-) arriving via a black SUV whereas I opted for translink and the knowledge of a cab home at the end of the night -- as this was our first stop on a festive pre-Xmas, pre-snowstorms outing. Having yet to check out the gallery collective I had only heard good things about, I was not disappointed when I arrived at gallery atsui. It is both relatively spacious and unpretentious. The one rarely comes with the other. I could spot 2 of the 3 owners: Sascha Yamashita and Alex Grewal working the room with their work represented on the walls as well. You were given a number on your way in -- your buying card -- so you could remain anonymous when it was called while still being encouraged to buy. You could tell the crowd was a mix of friends and family with a few curious buyers thrown in. With 100 pieces in all - 10 x 10 as it was called - was about 70% sold when we walked in at quarter to 9. I had no doubt they would have no problem selling out this show. The only thing missing here was a free cocktail and my own $100 to buy my boyfriend a fanciful piece that caught my eye...but they have to pay the rent somehow so I bought myself a glass of red.

Creativity vs. Pragmatism – The Role of the Museum

Our earth is the very definition of creativity and pragmatism. ‘Survival of the fittest’ embodies it, and I for one am always struggling with it. Although plants, animals and landscapes evolve into what one would hope are the ever-superior versions of themselves, they are full of intricacies that can only be defined as extremely creative. So too are our everyday lives – whether it’s at home or in the workplace – life cannot function without creativity but it continues successfully due to pragmatic, practical results.

In the world of museums, that is certainly true. Myself and those working in and supporting such pivotal institutions believe in their importance as repositories of history which must also communicate and educate – lose sight of these goals and you no longer have a museum. In the last 20 years, with much national funding for such places drying up in North America, the financial bottom line has become more and more important. In this way we are waging a war between creativity and pragmatism. Many small and regional museums in Canada have found themselves forced to close or operate on a very minimal level due to lack of resources, both human and financial.

Museums, and the arts in general, cannot be seen as peripheral additions in society but as essential as education and health care. Without awareness of where we come from, how can we know where we are going and how best to get there? An institution for the people should be supported by the people - but is today often forgone for other leisure pursuits. Museums are now competing with amusement parks, movie-going and sports for the family recreation dollar. They should be included in the family outing as an essential - and what many may not realize - changing resource. Many museums have in recent years adapted to this trend, striving to strike a balance between education and entertainment by offering innovative and interactive programming for their visitors; more than just the staid tour guide. Others, in my opinion, have taken it in the wrong direction: building new structures designed by world-renowned star architects while what is inside is often secondary. I would venture to say that there seems to be little pragmatism in such a burst of creativity. Of course, I would rather have a flashy museum than no museum in my city. Creativity drives human interaction and certainly the urban heartbeat.

While it seems that in my own life I favour the creative over the practical, the basics of food, shelter and home cannot ignore reality. That is to say – while I would love to pursue my professions without a thought given to remuneration, the reality that I am far from independently wealthy does not allow me the luxury with which to do so. I believe faith in your creative abilities will bring about the results wished for - that your needs will inevitably be met by focusing on what you love to do. Because it is in these endeavours that we will exert ourselves the most; try again and again, and hopefully receive the recognition to soldier on - for how can you not be great at what you love to do?

So go out to your local museum or gallery; see a play; watch a film; go to a 'happening' - chances are that you will be glad you did as not only will they have been entertaining - but educational and nourishing as well. Perhaps even inspirational - informing your own creative aspect ... which in turn can foster your own work - in whatever field that may be.


To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong – Joseph Chilton Pierce


Maria is a culture and heritage consultant, actor, and overall arts supporter.
Visit her website at www.mariajcruz.com