Ron Thom Exhibit

This is the final week to view the West Vancouver Museum's excellent Ron Thom exhibit, guest curated by Adele Weder. 

It comes down after September 21 and will then travel East to Toronto and Peterborough in the coming year.

See also the exhibition-related website that explores Thom's work.

Melding Architecture with Landscape

Barry Downs' exhibition runs at the West Vancouver Museum from May 8-June 15th, 2013. The opening reception happens on May 14th.

It's part of a strong West Coast Modern line-up the museum is mounting through the summer and into the fall, including West Coast Points East: Ron Thom and the Allied Arts, guest curated by Adele Weder.

Both will be essential viewing for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of two of Vancouver's finest practitioners.

Barry Downs: Architecture and Landscape

This summer the West Vancouver Museum is mounting an exhibition of Barry Downs' work. The title of the show, Melding Architecture with Landscape: A Collaboration in Design speaks to Downs' intimate connection to the West Coast landscape as well as his proclivity for inspired collaboration.

In the meantime, the museum has organized an evening in support of the publication of an exhibition catalogue. Held at the home studio of Blue Sky Architecture – housed in Downs' Rayer residence pictured above – the evening features Leslie Van Duzer, Director of SALA at UBC, in addition to Downs in attendance.

It's an opportunity to support an essential West Coast architectural record.

The event takes place on Thursday April 11, from 6-9pm. More information can be obtained through Kiriko Watanabe at the West Vancouver Museum.

Image: Rayer Residence, Barry Downs c. 1964

John Fulker: Images of Architecture

John Fulker's career flourished alongside the Canadian architects whose work he captured: Barry Downs, Arthur Erickson and Clifford Wiens among others. In the process he created an invaluable visual record of architecture on the West Coast and beyond.

For the first time in thirty years his work will be exhibited at the West Vancouver Museum. Following the 2009 exhibition of Selwyn Pullan's work, "Images of Architecture" is another opportunity to reacquaint with a local legacy.

The exhibition opens on November 15th with a reception with the photographer and runs until January 14th, 2010. There is also a photographer's talk on December 3, 2011 at 1:30pm.

Photo: Graham Residence, John Fulker, 1967

The Artist's Circle in West Vancouver

This is the final weekend of The Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, it's well worth a visit.

The festival highlights the rich cultural life of West Vancouver, both past and present. The Museum has had a strong showing this year, organizing The Artist's Circle–a ten day exhibit of ten artists in a temporary gallery set up by the seaside.

The location is frankly spectacular and the artwork matches the locale, including works by Gordon Smith, B.C. Binning, Douglas Coupland, Ian Wallace, Attilla Richard Lukacs and Joan Balzar.

It's the brainchild of Curator Darrin Morrison who had a vision of art by the sea as a way to promote West Vancouver's artistic legacy. It also foreshadows a plan for a larger, dedicated space to house the municipality's significant cultural holdings and engaging exhibitions.

Morrison has shown through his resourceful and inspired use of the current tiny Museum building that a new purpose-built facility would be well used and an invaluable addition to the community.

One of the highlights of the festival was a talk by Gordon Smith, Douglas Coupland and Ian Wallace. Each artist has a deep connection to the local rugged landscape and it was a loose but engaging round table discussion.

Smith held court as elder statesman, while always singing the praises of other artists' work. I can't think of another venue where you might hear a story about the Smiths hosting PM Pierre Trudeau and his family along with the Binnings and a bathrobed Arthur Erickson.

Still, one of the most remarkable things about Smith is how current he remains in his knowledge of contemporary arts, culture and architecture, even at the age of 92. The man is an art machine.

Coupland and Wallace were gracious and offered insights into their methods and the influence that West Vancouver has had on their work.

Kudos to West Vancouver, the curators and the artists involved for bringing together a terrific event.

Untitled, B.C. Binning