Vancouver Art & Economies

Edited by Melanie O’Brian (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2007)

Vancouver art is recognized and respected around the globe. Work by local contemporary artists is unique and therefore also definable. At least, that is what this book would like you to believe. Anyone, such as myself, not overly familiar with the Vancouver art scene simply has to accept this fact before delving into the pages of Vancouver Art & Economies, a collection of essays that seeks to ‘complicate the notion of definability’. Although this book first appears as though it could be very accessible for anyone interested in learning more about the Vancouver art scene, it seems like an understanding and appreciation of local art is already expected out of the reader. As a collection of essays, all looking at different aspects of Vancouver art and the institutions and individuals that support it, it often reads a bit too much like a textbook that assumes the reader is already studying the subject matter and is therefore very familiar with the dozens of artists mentioned and their particular style. Those of us not coming equipped with this type of knowledge or background will either have to accept the fact that Vancouver art is seen as distinctive and recognized around the globe (even if it is, I don’t know how it is any more so than any other North American city of a similar size) or perhaps get frustrated while tackling the first couple essays in this book.

Having said that, if you are an outsider in the Vancouver art scene it doesn’t mean that this book has nothing to offer. As it is a collection of essays, all by different authors with their own style, there are definitely some standout pieces that can be approached and enjoyed by anyone with even a fleeting interest of contemporary art in this city and how it relates to our larger identity as Vancouverites.

One such essay is Randy Lee Cutler’s Vancouver Singular Plural: Art in an Age of Post-Medium Practices. In it, Cutler looks at artwork that utilizes various digital technologies and places them in the context of our economy that relies heavily on the entertainment and information technology industry.

Another standout essay examines cultural diversity and the politics around decision-making when determining what art or artist should be classified as representing cultural diversity. Sandira Rodrigues’ Dealing (With) Cultural Diversity: Vancouver Art, Race & Economies uses examples based on Vancouver artists and local exhibitions, but really the core themes in her essay are easily transferable outside of the art world and raise interesting questions about what we perceive to represent cultural diversity.

For a city that apparently has such a respected and recognized art scene, there is a large percentage of this book dedicated to discussing a small handful of artists such as Stan Douglas, Brian Jungen and Jeff Wall. These three artists in particular are mentioned often in a few of the essays in this book, and it seems to work to the detriment of the overall collection. The strength of the writings that examine broader themes or movements in the Vancouver art world sit uncomfortably beside other essays such as Tim Lee’s Specific Objects and Social Subjects: Industrial Facture and the Production of Polemics in Vancouver and Shepherd Steiner’s In Another Orbit Altogether: Jeff Wall in 1996 and 1997. The first spending much of its time focussing on the artists Stan Douglas and Ken Lum and the second, of course, looking at the work of Jeff Wall. While all three artists are influential and important to the accolades heaped on the Vancouver art scene, when the writers begin to focus too much time on individual pieces of work it strays from the larger themes being tackled and can serve as a distraction. Not that their observations and critiques aren’t valid, as they most certainly are, but they don’t seem to fit in a book that is attempting to tackle such large questions regarding Vancouver’s culture, history and economy and how it’s represented in the art world.

Taken individually, these essays are all powerful and perhaps not all easily accessible by the average reader, but would certainly be appreciated by anyone with an interest in and knowledge of Vancouver’s art scene. However, as a whole, they seem to fall short of giving a cohesive look at our art culture in Vancouver, which would leave someone with just a casual interest in the subject matter gaining knowledge in certain aspects of the art scene but perhaps feeling unsatisfied in the end. To be fair, editor Melanie O’Brian admits that this collection does not (and, realistically, can not) be an exhaustive look at such complex and intricate subject matter, but even accepting that there is a feeling that this compilation of essays is slightly disjointed.

A valiant effort that must be commended, even though it may fall short in some respects, Vancouver Art & Economies should help even experts learn more about the complex nature of Vancouver’s art scene and its importance in our community.

By Leszek Apouchtine

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Leszek Apouchtine is one of the founding editors at re:place.