The games are over and much of the crowds are gone, but there’s still plenty to see among the arts and cultural offerings Vancouver Cultural Olympiad. As stipulated by the International Olympic Committee, each city to host the games must also present a program of arts and cultural events to accompany the athletic competitions and surrounding festivities. Vancouver’s organizing committee pulled out all of the stops this year, spending approximately $20 million to commission projects, installations, and performances designed to fill 60 days with art and culture all the way through to the Paralympics. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million people will see these events and exhibitions, a number that includes both Vancouver residents and international tourists.
Among the works on display are projects from the “Bright Light” series, a group of 14 pieces commissioned to celebrate and explore Vancouver’s luminous winter light. These pieces were placed in the city’s Downtown Eastside Neighborhood. A number of major public commissions are designed to enhance already existing iconic sites in the city, such as the North Plaza at the Vancouver Central Library and Stanley Park. One of the most exciting aspects of the art program is the Mapping and Marking piece. Artists with a strong connection to the city were invited to propose their own ideas for public art pieces in the neighborhood of their choice. Among these was Ken Lum’s “Monument for East Vancouver” and Anna Ruth’s “Sensory Maps of the City of Vancouver”, a series of drawings which describe the movement of the cities buses, reflecting the experience of utilizing Vancouver’s bus system.
Ken Lum "Monument for East Vancouver"
Anna Ruth "Sensory Maps of the City of Vancouver"
The maps were drawn in a 24 hour period as the artist changed from bus to bus, attempting to cover as much ground in the city as possible. The legends in the map included both subjective and objective information about elements like weather, the driver, other passengers and the stops that were made along the ride.
The City of Vancouver also worked in collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery to bring a number of collaborations with international artists into the Olympiad, including “Vectorial Vancouver” by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, which we posted about back in January. Rounding out the visual art and film contributions are a number of inventive, experimental and noteworthy dance and theater pieces.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer Vectorial Vancouver
Some of the most compelling work on display is in the form of film or film installations. ContainR, a street structure created out of reconditioned shipping containers allows visitors to screen films about movement and sports, curated by Nicole Mion & Evann Siebens.
ContainR
Other installations were more conceptual in nature, but created a feast for the eye regardless of intent. Such was the case with Taiwanese artist Chen Shu Yen, who’s “Dancing With You Across the Pacific Ocean” The installation was part of the Lunar Fest, Canada’s celebration of Asian art and culture, and feature two light-capturing tall structures made out of traditional bamboo fish baskets used by the islanders for catching fish off the Pacific Coast. The structures are bound with twine and colored watery hues, recalling a summery sunset on the Pacific Rim.
Chen Shu Yen "Dancing With You Across the Pacific Ocean"
Another remarkable piece is Ed Pein’s “Tracing Night”; the mazelike installation uses drawing, video and sound to create the atmosphere of darkness and of night. Viewers walk through the environment to encounter images and iconography from Inuit and Chinese mythology that address fear and the unknown: two concepts deeply attached to human perceptions of night.
Ed Pien "Tracing Night"
Taking a more political stance was Isabelle Hayeur’s piece, “Fire with Fire”. The artist commented on the often-tense relationships between various social groups in downtown Vancouver by sending images of leaping flames dancing across the windows of a four-story building facing the street. The building appears to be on fire from the inside, a reminder of the historical problems that the area has experienced.
Isabelle Hayeur "Fire with Fire"
“A Modest Veil” is a piece by Taiwanese artist Michael Lin both whimsical and powerful. It is a mural consisting of three large surfaces painted with images of peonies against a Taiwanese-red background. The surfaces were placed in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery on the Georgia Street Side, covering up the building’s neo-classical façade. The pattern was inspired by traditional Taiwanese textiles, and in the gallery’s gift shop visitors will find books wrapped in the same pattern. The piece is one of three outdoor installations that the VAG is presenting in conjunction with the Cultural Olympiad. They have also offered free admission to visitors for the duration of the program.
Michael Lin "A Modest Veil"
To have this kind of spotlight is phenomenal,” Dana Sullivant, VAG’s marketing director said, “It’s an amazing time for the Vancouver Art Gallery. There’s a real energy around the gallery…People are very interested in Visions of British Columbia. It makes sense: whenever you go to a new part of the world, you want to learn about the art and culture of that region.
