2016 was a truly extraordinary year for the visual arts in Vancouver and for the Vancouver Art Gallery in particular, from renowned Vancouver photo-conceptualist Stan Douglas being named the winner of the prestigious annual Hasselblad Award to Vancouver’s selection as one of four important art cities by the acclaimed PBS documentary series ART21, and powerful exhibitions by Vancouver-based artists at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Vancouver is a global city, a dynamic place. Its ongoing development is a reshaping of the urban fabric, with its creative force energizing daily life and opening doors to possibilities not previously imagined. The city has a large, diverse group of artists and patrons who believe in the ability of art, in all its forms, to spark the curiosity and wonder that lead to innovation – essential elements for building a strong world-class creative economy. The Vancouver Art Gallery is proud to play an important role in the civic and cultural life of Vancouver, introducing many audiences to the work of artists from around the world, while celebrating and making possible new opportunities for local and Canadian artists.
This commitment to reflecting and shaping the cultural landscape of the city is exemplified by the recently opened Vancouver Special: Ambivalent Pleasures, the inaugural event in a new triennial exhibition series that examines today’s complex world through Vancouver’s contemporary art scene. The 40-artist survey exhibition, featuring artworks ranging from painting to drawing, animation, ceramics, textiles, audio and installation, is a multi-generational project that echoes the breadth of Vancouver’s vibrant art community.
During the past year, the Vancouver Art Gallery presented more than 20 similarly compelling and boundary-pushing exhibitions that drew record-breaking attendance and gave rise to the highest number of gallery memberships ever – surpassing 40,000.
MashUp: The Birth of Modern Culture was our most ambitious project to date, taking up all four floors of the gallery. Picasso: The Artist and His Muses was the largest retrospective of this master ever mounted in Western Canada. Other exhibitions presented a rich array of art from near and far, exploring a myriad of approaches, styles and practices. Next: Steven Waddell – Dark Matter Atlas was a dramatic departure for the renowned Vancouver photographer, and New Delhi-based artist Bharti Kher’s Matter, her first North American survey, was an initiative of the gallery’s Institute of Asian Art. All of the gallery’s 2016 exhibitions inspired Vancouver audiences to a lively exchange of ideas.
The gallery’s exponential growth illustrates one of the important reasons we are working so hard to build a new museum for all of our visitors, local and international, now and in the future. This project represents one of Canada’s most exciting cultural and urban developments in generations. After a busy period of public consultation and ongoing research, we completed the schematic design phase in June, and we are on track to achieve our goal of breaking ground in late 2017. The new Vancouver Art Gallery is an enormous undertaking by any measure, but we are tremendously energized by the strong support and encouragement we are receiving locally, from across the country, and from all levels of government.
These are just a few highlights from the Vancouver Art Gallery’s 85th year. As I look ahead to a promising 2017, I know that with the outstanding efforts made across our institution and throughout this city’s community of talented artists, dedicated cultural workers and loyal audiences, Vancouver is set to realize another banner year of exploration and entertainment, standing in the world’s creative spotlight yet again. •
Kathleen S. Bartels is director of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
