by Megan Jones
Sparkling beaches and snow-capped mountains aside, Vancouver’s beauty is not limited to its natural surroundings. In a city where public art pops, and artists and galleries abound, locals and visitors can enjoy beautiful sculpture, architecture, painting, and photography most days of the week. [Photo credit: iStock.com/mura]
“Vancouver is home to Emily Carr, UBC and some of their key graduates who have gone on to become some of the most renowned artists in Canada, who influence many of the city’s galleries and studios,” explains local artist, art dealer, and founder of the Cheaper Show, Graeme Berglund. “However, with a little digging, the true diversity of what’s in the water here is revealed.”
Read on to learn more about some of the best spots for viewing art in the city – several of which are top secret, and recommended by Graeme himself.
Inside this 85-year-old, downtown gallery, permanent and travelling exhibitions showcase some of the world’s most prestigious artists. Outside, locals gather to eat lunch and sunbathe on the building’s magnificent stone steps, making the Vancouver Art Gallery an iconic gallery and a beloved public space. Past shows range from contemporary visionaries such as Geoffrey Farmer and Ai Weiwei, to the likes of Pablo Picasso and Canada’s Group of Seven. Discounted tickets on Tuesday nights prove everyone’s welcome in these hallowed halls, and the elevated patio café is an ideal spot for a $10 martini with a view.
This East Vancouver venue is one of Graeme’s personal favourites thanks to renowned director Sara Macaulay, who has curated a cutting-edge gallery that specializes in Indigenous works. “Macauly Fine Art showcases some of B.C.’s finest contemporary artists with a focus on the Indigenous whom are breaking away from their traditional practices,” explains Graeme. “Perhaps inverse to much of Vancouver’s Museum of Anthropology, it is a great opportunity to see the ongoing development of the visual language of our First Peoples.”
Vancouver’s longest-running gallery dedicated to modern visual art, Contemporary Art Gallery presents between 10 to 20 exhibitions per year. It also provides free podcasts and videos that introduce the often-inscrutable art world to guests of all walks of life. A contemporary, understated space in Yaletown, CAG chiefly supports esteemed artists who challenge form and content such as Jochen Lempert, Olivia Boudreau, and Julia Dault (and that’s just in 2015). The gallery also hosts works from the RBC Painting Competition, Canada’s most prestigious art award.
Named after the acclaimed Haida artist, Bill Reid Gallery is a serene public gallery tucked away in a breezy plaza in Vancouver’s downtown core. The native art gallery houses Reid’s notable works in addition to curating contemporary Indigenous artists of North America’s Northwest Coast. Centerpieces include James Hart’s breathtaking, full-scale totem pole, Reid’s gold and silver jewellery, and immense sculptures of stone and wood – made by Reid and others – that capture the essence of Northwest Coast Indigenous culture, tradition and art making.
Though Equinox Gallery may be private, this commercial gallery strikes a decidedly public chord with an open-door policy, free exhibitions of Canadian artists, and welcoming staff, who are happy to extrapolate on even the most evocative pieces (even if you don’t plan to purchase one). High-ceilinged rooms often house two shows at once – such as 2016’s Fred Herzog photo retrospective and works by contemporary painter Erin McSavaney. Such smart pairings illuminate Vancouver’s art history, showing how present borrows from past, and vice versa.
This non-profit provides free “experiences” that riff off the city around us to explore the role of art in our lives. Meaning, viewers are inspired to witness art in the everyday, not just at 221A’s Chinatown gallery. Take, for instance, the Rereading Room: The Vancouver Women’s Bookstore (November 2016 to January 2017) exhibition, a collection of books and other things from the now-defunct, beloved local bookshop. Or Vancouver Especially (Spring 2015 to Fall 2016) by acclaimed artist Ken Lum, who presented a small-scale replica of a mass-produced residential home (commonly known as a ‘Vancouver Special’) in an off-site alleyway down the street.
Prized as one of the largest collections of contemporary art in Canada, this private gallery located inside the historic Wing San building offers exhibitions twice per year, with admission free by appointment. Its founder, Bob Rennie – a local housing developer and art aficionado – collects pieces that explore identity, social injustice and appropriation through numerous different mediums, including painting, sculpture and photography. This thought-provoking collection includes work from approximately 200 artists, including Rodney Graham, Ian Wallace and Martin Creed.
What it lacks in size, this intimate gallery makes up for in diversity and talent. Past shows have included anything from waterfall videos projected onto BAF’s windows at night to the interactive Experience Spheres exhibit, which featured hanging globes offering sensory stimuli to those courageous enough to stick their heads inside. Bonus: this registered charity provides assistance to emerging artists – so you know your money’s going to a good place when you visit this cozy Mount Pleasant space.
When asked about his preferred off-the-beaten-track gallery, Graeme responds without hesitation: “Steven Tong runs a space that is rather hidden at Main and 8th on the second floor of a building you need to get buzzed into, but very worth its discovery,” he divulges. An experimental project space, CSA Space exhibits work of all kinds, with varying aesthetics. “Steven shows many international and local emerging and mid-career artists with a focus on highly conceptual visual art, new media and installation,” says Graeme.
If you love beautiful art and books, then you must visit prestigious Catriona Jeffries, where an illustrated tome produced in-house by CJ Press accompanies most exhibitions. Past exhibits range from abstract paintings by Rebecca Brewer to Liz Magor’s domestic yet eerie installations. A converted auto-repair shop, the gallery’s industrial atmosphere – exposed pipes, concrete floors – lends itself to viewing Canadian art recognized for its “ongoing, rigorous contribution to contemporary art discourse,” as well as having inspiring conversations, of course.
When it comes to art hopping, picturesque Granville Island is your oyster, with numerous galleries and artists’ studios all within walking distance. For treasure hunting, visit the Gallery of BC Ceramics or Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, where you can browse pottery, paintings, photography, jewellery, glass and more creations. At Ukama Gallery, stone sculptures abound, and inside the Dundarave Print Workshop, artists create colourful, detailed prints before your eyes. Needless to say, options are endless and interactive – and often highly affordable!
Ending with another beloved favourite, Monte Clark Gallery showcases some of Graeme’s best-loved artists in Canada: from Roy Arden and Graham Gilmore to Alison Yip and Colleen Heslin. The space is divided into multiple viewing areas, one containing a monthly exhibition, and another taking on the status of a satellite gallery, “tucked neatly around the corner,” Graeme explains. Each visit is unique, and equally invigorating. “Monte, his dedicated staff and the house poodle are always great to see,” Graeme notes.
