The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC reopens its doors to the public on June 13, 2024 at 5pm, following an 18-month closure that saw the successful completion of cutting-edge seismic upgrades to its Great Hall, coupled with updated interpretations and new displays of Northwest Coast Indigenous art. As part of the reopening, MOA will present the Western Canadian premiere of the exhibition in Pursuit of Venus [infected], on display until January 5, 2025, in the Museum’s O’Brian Gallery. Created by famed Māori artist Lisa Reihana, a digitally animated interpretation of the French Neoclassical scenic wallpaper Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique—which portrays harmonious encounters between Europeans and Polynesians amidst a Tahitian landscape—depicts a decidedly darker narrative, exposing the oppressive and often violent exchanges absent from the utopian colonial portrayal. This provocative work, which has been presented in museums and galleries worldwide, seeks to disrupt notions of beauty, authenticity, history and myth. For admission details and exhibition information, visit: moa.ubc.ca

Feature image: Video still from in Pursuit of Venus [infected]. Courtesy of the artist and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Step into the Granville Island Stage this summer and be immersed in the life and music of Johnny Cash in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Ring of Fire, featuring over twenty songs by the legendary artist.

Said Ashlie Corcoran, Arts Club Theatre Company Artistic Director, “Ring of Fire isn’t about impersonating Johnny Cash; it’s about celebrating his life through the musicianship of our performers and their incredible talent for sharing a foot-stomping, crowd-pleasing musical journey. This show is the perfect summer entertainment. We know fans young and old are going to love it as our cast expertly captures the essence of Cash’s music. This production is a concert experience that will both move and exhilarate audiences.”

Image submitted by Arts Club Theatre

The Teeny Tiny Show is back for its 7th year, proving good things do come in small packages! All artwork created is 3″ x 3″ or smaller.

Get your creative juices flowing and start planning out your miniature masterpieces. Last year we had over 250 submissions! Artwork can be made with AND on almost any material, as long as it is 3″ x 3″ or smaller. Please note, 3D pieces cannot exceed 3″ x 3″ x 3″. Artists must reside in the Sea to Sky Corridor (Bowen Island to Mount Currie).

A limited number of canvases are available to purchase for $3 at The Maury Young Arts Centre.

The exhibit will run from September 18 – October 26, and save the date for the Art Party & Buying Night on October 16!

ARTWORK AND APPLICATION FORM ARE DUE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

12 artists honoring the natural beauty of the West Coast
July 4 – July 28

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 4, 6–8 p.m.
Meet the Artists: Sunday, July 7, 2–3 p.m.
Mandarin Tour: Sunday, July 14, 3 p.m.

“Terrain: West Coast Views”, features the work of 12 artists honoring the natural beauty of the West Coast. Each artist draws inspiration from their natural surroundings, whether it be the way light plays on the surface of water, the grounding presence of trees and mountains, or the ephemeral seasons as they pass. Their works strive to capture an essence or feeling, moving beyond mere representation. By harnessing a variety of unique styles and painting techniques, these artists convey the emotional and atmospheric qualities of the landscapes they depict.

Artists: Colette Chilcott, Maureen Coles, Brian Eby, Geoffrey Caofei Feng, Danyne Johnston, Isabel Lange, Crystal Rassi, Katie Rodgers, Brian Romer, Alissa Kim Tjen, Margaret Thoma, Marleen Vermeulen.

Feature image: Danyne Johnston – Capilano River

The Polygon Gallery presents the Canadian premiere of ANTI-ICON: APOKALYPSIS, Martine Gutierrez’s first major solo show in Canada. The exhibition features 17 self-portraits in which Gutierrez transforms herself into a pantheon of influential heroines who have become legendary through depictions in art history, pop culture, and religion. Her exquisite transformations into Ardhanarishvara, Cleopatra, the Virgin Mary, and Joan of Arc among others, are photographed with the style and glamour of luxury fashion magazines. Using simple sets and minimal props, Gutierrez subverts class, gender, celebrity, and other notions that give images “iconic” status. Originally commissioned by Public Art Fund in 2021 and circulated on bus shelters in New York, Chicago, and Boston, the series was last on view in three separate parts across New York, San Francisco, and London galleries in 2023. The Polygon presentation will be the first time the series will be seen in its entirety.

Admission to The Polygon Gallery is by donation, courtesy of BMO Financial Group.

Feature image: Martine Gutierrez Ardhanarishvara, 2021 C-print mounted on Dibond, hand-distressed welded aluminum frame, optium plexi Edition of 7 139.7 x 97.2 cm

Eastside Arts Society presents the 4th edition of its newly expanded, immersive summer arts event, CREATE! Eastside Arts Festival, featuring arts workshops, live mural painting, and live music, dance, and comedy performances, in partnership with Eastside Arts District studios, breweries, venues, and cultural organizations, from July 22-28, 2024. The summer festival will return with an enhanced version of its traditional all-day outdoor festivities at Strathcona Park, on July 27, 2024, featuring arts workshops, public art activations, beer garden, art shop, and a live music concert stage, co-presented by 604 Records and Light Organ Records, from 2-6pm. Musical artists include Haleluya Hailu, Fur Trade (Steven Bays and Parker Bosley from Hot Hot Heat) and Sarah Jane Scouten. Tickets and festival schedule at createartsfestival.ca.

Photo by Wendy D

Leaky Heaven Performance
Slip Slap Trip Wack
July 26–28, 2024

Leaky Heaven Performance presents the world premiere of Slip Slap Trip Wack from July 26–28, 2024 at the Russian Hall. The family-friendly work brings to life the imaginative worlds of 8–12-year-olds, in a unique collaboration between the artists of Leaky Heaven and youth who live near the studio at the Russian Hall. The performance seats audience members on a 360-degree rotating device, which allows them to both watch and volunteer to perform in the sketches. Slip Slap Trip Wack takes inspiration from Our Gang, a series of short comedic films from the 1920s that later became known as The Little Rascals. Developed over a 10-week workshop organized with RayCam Co-operative Centre, the participatory performance incorporates gags and pranks that pull from centuries-old vaudeville routines and tropes. The youth-developed project offers a fresh spin on comedy that allows kids to be kids, and adults to be reminded of the joy of play.

Address
Russian Hall
600 Campbell Ave
Vancouver, BC V6A 3K1

Dates
Friday, July 26: 5–8pm
Saturday, July 27: 10am–4pm
Sunday, July 28: 10am–4pm

Image: Max, one of the youth involved in Slip Slap Trip Wack. Photo by ​​Vanessa Mercedes

Vancouver Art Book Fair presents its first in-person edition in five years from July 26–27, 2024, at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre. Canada’s longest-running international art book fair features more than 80 exhibitors from across the country and around the world, including 51 Personae (Shanghai), e-flux (NYC), Femme Art Review (London, ON), Hotam Press (Vancouver), Norsk Risoforening (Oslo), and more. New to the fair is a day-long symposium on July 28 at Emily Carr University about art publishing. Speakers include Anton Vidokle and Brian Kuan Wood, co-founders of e-flux Journal; Blair Swann, executive director of Toronto’s Art Metropole, one of the world’s earliest artist-run bookstores; Emmy Catedral, curator of public programs and bookstore for New York’s Center for Art, Research and Alliances; Vancouver-based writer Jacquelyn Zong-Li Ross, and more.

Image: Or Gallery at Vancouver Art Book Fair 2019. Photo by Rachel Topham.

Audain Artist Dinner Series

Tom Thomson + Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Enjoy a memorable evening of outdoor dining and fine art. This all-inclusive experience begins with a signature cocktail on the Museum’s porch followed by a 30-minute exclusive tour of the highlights of the ‘Tom Thomson: North Star’ exhibition. Guests then move below to the AAM’s north terrace for a three-course backcountry menu by Fairmont Chateau Whistler, with wine pairings by Mission Hill Family Estate and a whisky tasting courtesy of The Dalmore.

Regular tickets
$199 + taxes and gratuity. Includes a signature cocktail, tour of the Tom Thomson: North Star exhibition, and a three-course dinner with wine pairings.

Special Seating Options:

Director’s Table – July 12 & 26, August 23 with Dr. Curtis Collins
or
Curator’s Table – August 9 with Gail & Stephen A. Jarislowsky Curator, Kiriko Watanabe
$230 + taxes and gratuity. Includes a signature cocktail, tour of the Tom Thomson: North Star exhibition lead by the Director and Chief Curator or Gail & Stephen A. Jarislowsky Curator, Kiriko Watanabe of the Audain Art Museum, and a three-course dinner with wine pairings at the Director’s Table.

Dinner sponsor: Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Beverage sponsors: The Dalmore and Mission Hill Family Estate

Image: 2024-07-12 Audain Artist Dinner Series (Oisin McHugh)

One Saturday each month, CAG invites a guest host to lead walkthroughs of our current exhibitions, offering their insights and response to the works on view. This month, we welcome Ryan Tacata to speak on the work of Zoe Leonard.

Ryan Tacata is a performance maker, scholar, and Assistant Professor of Theatre & Performance at the School for the Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University. Tacata is a co-founder of the San Francisco based performance group For You, with Erika Chong Shuch and Rowena Richie. Other works include “Curtain Speech” (2023), “minor repair.” (2019), “Lolas” (2017); and a site-specific dance alongside sheep and herding dogs in “Doggie Hamlet” (2015–) by Ann Carlson. His performance work has been presented at the Asian Art Museum, Stanford University, Headlands Center for the Arts, the City of Chicago, Court Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Museum of Performance + Design, The Momentary, and Libby Leshgold Gallery, amongst others. Tacata’s writing has appeared in Performa, TDR, Performance Research, SFMOMA’s Open Space; and more recently in the exhibition catalogue, “Bonnie Orra Sherk: Life Frames Since 1970” (Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2024).

Chigiri-e is a traditional Japanese art using hand-dyed Japanese paper called Washi. It is torn into different shapes and sizes of paper to glue onto a board to form a picture. It is similar to painting, except it uses paper instead of paint as the colours. Visually it looks like an oil painting or water colour painting, but it is all made with paper.

Workshop Outline:

Discover various types of paper we’ll use.
Learn to draw lines using brush moisture.
Create your picture using these techniques.
Master applying glue with different methods.
Create one picture during the class.

Presented to you by Langley Arts Council and workshop is taught by Leanne Lai

Discover the artistry of clay with 2200 Degrees: The Ceramic Art of the Sea to Sky Potters’ Guild. This exhibition celebrates the remarkable versatility and artistic potential of clay, brought to life by the skilled hands of 11 Potters’ Guild members.

2200 Degrees refers to a mid-range firing temperature for finishing ceramic materials. This temperature is pivotal in pottery, particularly for stoneware clay, renowned for its durability and functionality post-firing. From tableware to intricate sculpture, the artwork on display represents the diversity of design, firing and finishing techniques used by clay artists.

Don’t miss the clay sun mask workshop with CLAYTIVITY on August 1 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Spaces are limited!

ART PARTY | August 2 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Gallery at the Maury Young Arts Centre. Free & everyone is welcome.