If you’ve ever been downtown, then you’ve probably taken notice of the big building in Robson Square that looks like a Grecian temple. That’s the Vancouver Art Gallery, which also happens to be the biggest art museum in Western Canada! It was opened in 1931, and moved to its current building, the former provincial courthouse, in 1983.
The gallery has a permanent collection that features artists from all over Canada, and they also have temporary exhibits that feature a variety of different works. The last time I was there, they had an exhibit featuring a bunch of female Canadian artists, and it was pretty cool. The exhibit they had going before was a Yoko Ono one that was really interactive. So what do they have on right now?
There are several exhibits to check out! They’ve got one running until June 4th called “Hard-Edge”, showcasing a bunch of abstract paintings with…hard edges from the 1960s and 70s. Outside the Palace of Me is one of their bigger ones, putting on display works from the Canadian artist Shary Boyle, inspired by feelings of anxiety about the state of the world from social and global contexts. The exhibit has a lot of works from different media, and is reportedly quite the whimsical experience. This one also is only on until June 4th, so visit soon if it sounds like something you’d be into.
The Children Have to Hear Another Story is an exhibit of indigenous cinema put together by Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin. These films have been put together over the course of 50 years, and give a strong platform to Canadian indigenous voices–highlighting both struggles and accomplishments. The art gallery’s website advises that if you’re going to this exhibit, you should bring a pair of wired headphones for the best experience! This one is running until August 7th of this year, so if you’re looking for something to do this summer, you should check it out!
I really like the art gallery. It’s basically the only established art museum in Vancouver, and although it’s not that big, it still features a lot of cool exhibits, so I like to stay up-to-date with whatever they have going on. General admission is a little pricey at $29 a person, but I think last time I went there may have been a student discount…there’s nothing about it on their website, though, so don’t take my word for it.
I recommend paying the gallery a visit, especially if you’ve never been before! Support the arts!