Western Canada's art magazine since 2002
31 January 2023 Vol 8 No 2 ISSN 2561-3316 © 2023
Portia Priegert
From the Editor
It’s been almost two years since we started running commentaries about topical cultural issues. We were missing Jeffrey Spalding, who wrote regular columns for Galleries West for many years, tackling everything from the National Gallery of Canada’s controversial bid to sell a Marc Chagall painting to trends in hiring, the proliferation of arts awards and the art scene in Cuba. Our transition to a digital format and Jeffrey’s move to China saw his contributions dwindle before they came to a sudden halt with his death in 2019.
Eventually, as we pondered how to fill the void, we settled on the idea of reflecting the art world’s plurality through commentaries by different contributors with something to say and, of course, the writing chops to match. We modelled it on the op-ed page in newspapers, where people – often academics or experts in particular fields – offer their take on current issues to promote understanding and, potentially, debate.
We started by asking key people in the arts to write commentaries, but eventually came to rely more on people making pitches. Topics have included diversity in public programming, cultural policy in the North and last year’s national cultural summit. Occasionally, writers have ventured into international terrain, including a commentary about war and cultural immunity sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s been interesting to edit these pieces, and, I hope, equally so for you to read them.
In this issue, we feature our ninth commentary, which arrived unbidden from Marcus Miller, a long-time curator based in Saskatchewan. He felt year-end articles in the international arts media about Documenta 15 downplayed and even erased the German art exhibition’s antisemitic content.
“In an era of proliferating conspiracy theories, it makes sense that antisemitism – the original conspiracy theory – is making a comeback,” Miller writes. “With the understandable emphasis today on reversing BIPOC and gender-diverse discrimination, the ancient, persistent and genocidal hatred of Jews passes almost completely under the radar. And so, in artistic and intellectual circles, it is once again OK to hate Jews.”
This issue also includes reviews of shows at a couple of university galleries – The Willful Plot, at UBC’s Belkin gallery in Vancouver, and Brings to Light, Jaimie Isaac’s work on residential schools at the University of Winnipeg’s Gallery 1C03.
Environmental issues get attention in a review of Redesigning Paradise, at the Whyte Museum in Banff, Alta., and in Beauty and Terror, which rounds up a range of ecologically themed exhibitions in the aftermath of the recent United Nations COP15 conference on biodiversity in Montreal.
Our final story looks at the Feckless Collection, a trove of historical prints by British Columbia artists, both famous and forgotten, that a regional newspaper publisher has posted online.
Two stories headline the latest art news – Kapwani Kiwanga will represent Canada at the next Venice Biennale and the Canada Council Art Bank has bought works by 72 artists.
Looking ahead, we are covering a couple of cool shows, including Toronto artist Margaux Williamson’s wonderful paintings at the Esker Foundation in Calgary, and Lucas Morneau’s exhibition, The Queer Newfoundland Hockey League, complete with hand-crocheted hockey jerseys, at the Kamloops Art Gallery in the B.C. Interior.
We’re also checking out a guy who hasn’t had a show in Vancouver in more than a decade. What’s his name again? Oh, yeah, Jeff Wall. I can’t wait to hear how Canton-Sardine, a small gallery in Chinatown scored this coup.
Looking further ahead, we’re awaiting a commentary prompted by the controversy over an art history professor in Minnesota who showed medieval paintings of the prophet Muhammad in class. This developing story – the professor is now suing to get her job back – raises questions that transcend national borders, particularly as various Canadian universities offer courses in Islamic art history.
We welcome pitches for commentaries, so please drop an email to editor@gallerieswest.ca if there’s an issue you feel deserves a fuller airing.
Until next time,
CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE: Lindsay Inglis, Yani Kong, Marcus Miller, Janet Nicol, Joseph Paris, Kristine Thoreson
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Alberta Media Fund, the Government of Canada Periodical Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts.
