July 31, 2014
Vancouver Island School of Art Newsletter

In search of the sublime

Summer at the Vancouver Art Gallery offers a retrospective by Canadian author and artist Douglas Coupland and nine pieces by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. Normally I wouldn't be tempted to compare these artists because their ways of working and the kinds of work they do are very different. However, since their exhibitions are occurring at the same time, the works are inevitably juxtaposed in one's mind while travelling through the VAG gallery spaces. 

Douglas Coupland's everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything 
reveals an extensive range of materials and approaches to art making. He uses traditional art materials, toys and random found objects to make drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations. The exhibition is filled with things we have seen before whether it be boxes of goods made in Canada or toys we have played with as a child. The casual viewer approaches the exhibition with a recognition of the familiar and a sense of nostalgia. It would be very hard not to enjoy Coupland's fantastical Lego towers (below) as this is something we have all played with as a kid but never with this many pieces or colours. Who knew there was purple Lego? His work revolves around popular culture and how our experiences are often mediated by the internet. Coupland does a good job at depicting a particular time in our sociological history, and he has created exhibition spaces that are full of works that can be appreciated by many; an art and non-art audience alike. Throughout the exhibition there are signs that say 'photography is encouraged' and consequently everybody is constantly taking photos of the work, reiterating Coupland's idea of art as a mediated experience. Rather than encouraging an intimacy with the work, these signs encouraging photography seem to keep the viewer at arm's length, leaving them to see the work through their iPhone.
The installations by Cardiff and Miller start with a piece called Lost in the Memory Palace and includes Opera for a Small Room (above). An earlier piece called The Paradise Institute consists of a small theatre set in which while you are watching a film, you hear the voices of imaginary audience members. Sound is often a main component of Cardiff's and Miller's work. It is used to create a sense of expanded space. There are often speakers inside and outside of the installation itself so sound comes from unexpected places, creating a sense of space beyond the physical installation itself. Cardiff and Miller use sound to create an uncanny sense of intimacy by bringing the viewer closer inside the work.

The difference in experience between these two exhibitions is that Coupland presents us with a reality that is basically as is. We don't have to wonder what his work is about, or what it is made of, or where the materials come from. What we see is what it is, whereas Cardiff and Miller present worlds that are a little more ambiguous in nature, often leaving the viewer in a place of uncertainty. In their work we are not sure what we are looking at, or what our role is in the experience. Are we a participant? Are we a voyeur? Or are we just a casual bystander viewing an art exhibition? This ambiguity gives the work a poetic resonance and brings it to the level of the sublime. The work of Cardiff and Miller transcends the ordinary and everyday materials that comprise their installations, and reaches the viewer on an existential and metaphysical level. The work is often very moving and stays with you long after you leave the confines of the gallery. Coupland's work while also made of everyday materials, does not encourage us to think beyond the surface of the original forms. Coupland's work does not bring us to that deeper intellectual and emotional state that we experience as we negotiate our way through a Cardiff and Miller work. 


DRAWING SIMPLIFIED WORKSHOP
Saturday & Sunday, August 2 and 3, 10am-5pm

Are you afraid of drawing? Do you feel you can't draw? Then this is the perfect workshop for you. You will learn about the visual elements that make up drawing such as line, tone, texture, pattern, shape and form. The instructor will guide you through a series of simple drawing exercises with a focus on using a range of black and white drawing materials. You will gain a better understanding of terms such as composition, negative space and shape (terms that may otherwise seem confusing or daunting to a beginner). The instructor will supply an array of exciting source material, such as shells, flowers, assorted man-made objects and photographs to be used as inspiration for your drawing. Suitable for complete beginners.

Instructor: Blythe Scott
Cost: $235 (all supplies included)
Images
PAINTING: ABSTRACTING NATURE
August 12-15, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm

You will use nature as a point of departure for the development of abstract forms and compositions in this four-day workshop. Relying on a series of exercises and projects, you will abstract nature using various approaches such as simplified shapes, pattern and colour. You will learn to use diverse paint surfaces, and to develop an understanding of figure/ground, negative space and image scale. It is recommended to work in acrylic. 

Instructor: Barrie Szekely
Cost: $365 (24 hours of instruction)
Don't worry if you don't have all the supplies on the list as we have lots of extras at school (paint, brushes, medium, gesso, paper, etc.)
SILKSCREEN PRINTING
August 12-15, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm

This workshop is a thorough, project-based exploration of the complete screen printing process, from inking to a polished finished print. You will learn the basic techniques of silkscreen printing and see how images can be applied to paper, canvas or other kinds of fabric. 
 
Participants are encouraged to come to the workshop with a selection of images that they can work from, however there will be time to find appropriate images in available magazines or by printing something from an on-line source. The workshop will also cover the use of Photoshop to prepare photographs for printing. Supplies, including paper, will be provided. However if you would like to silkscreen an image on a prepared canvas or other flat surface, please bring it to the workshop. Suitable for complete beginners.

Instructor: Joey MacDonald
Cost: $450 (24 hours of instruction and all supplies included)

Summer Schedule Updates

Please note that there have been some schedule changes to our printed flyer due to instructors' schedules and various commitments over the summer. Changes of note are:

Drawing as Meditation is now on Sunday August 10 (instead of August 3)
Architecture as Abstraction is on Sunday August 17 (instead of August 10)
One Painting a Day is now on August 26-29 (instead of August 19-22)
Drawing: Geometry as Design has been cancelled.

We apologize for any inconvenience.
Early Bird Discount for Summer Workshops

Remember to mention the 10% discount if you are registering TEN days before the start of the workshop. The 10% discount is available to those who register by phone or register in person. The discount is not available to people registering online by Paypal. 
 
Eligibility for this discount is contingent on registrant mentioning the early bird discount at time of registration. This discount is not available for any workshop that has already been discounted or with other discount coupons.

If you have registered for a summer workshop prior to seeing this discount offer, we will give you a 10% coupon for any upcoming workshop. Unfortunately we cannot offer cash back for any transactions already completed.
For more information contact Linda or Melissa in the office
Links
Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a BFA at Emily Carr VISA's Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Arts or Bachelor of Design degree at the EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN
Diploma of Fine Arts at VISA transferable to University of Gloucestershire, UK Diploma of Fine Arts + 8 months at the University of Gloucestershire = BA in Fine Art.
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Vancouver Island School of Art
2549 Quadra Street
Victoria, V8T 4E1

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