Western Canada's art magazine since 2002
9 April 2019 Vol 4 No 8 ISSN 2561-3316 © 2019
From the Editor
Portia Priegert
Who doesn’t love a road trip?
Mine began in Edmonton last week and ended in Calgary. Galleries West publisher Tom Tait and I squeezed in so many gallery visits – along with a two-day magazines conference – that I had to get myself pummelled like orange pulp so I could pour myself onto the plane home to Victoria. Thank you, Tom, for making it happen.
In Edmonton, I particularly liked Robin Smith-Peck’s work at the Peter Robertson Gallery. Photos really do not it justice. And at Calgary’s Jarvis Hall Gallery, Yvonne Mullock’s porcelain panties reminded me of laundry day in the most engaging way imaginable.
Another thrill was Alberta’s latest cultural infrastructure. In Edmonton, it’s the $375-million Royal Alberta Museum, designed by the Canadian architectural firm Dialog. I was fascinated by the building’s exterior metal cladding, which is riddled with holes. It reminded me of the tin cans my brother used to shoot back on the farm. An architectural reference, perhaps, to a rural vernacular?
Another jewel is the new $245-million Calgary Central Library, a stunning world-class design by the Norwegian-based architectural firm Snøhetta, along with Dialog. Its features are too many too mention here, but I don’t think there is a bad angle in the place. Indeed, the New York Times deemed the library worthy of a spot on its global list of 52 places to visit in 2019. It was particularly heartening to see the building freely embraced by people from all walks of life.
Then it was on to the Alberta Magazine Awards, where Galleries West writer Sarah Swan picked up a silver award for her short feature on artist Margaret Nazon.
At the conference, I enjoyed a quick dash through the latest news on punctuation: less is the new more when it comes to commas and semi-colons. I also tried out an amazing pen that lets you take notes and record interviews. If you tap a word in your notepad, it automatically finds the full quote on the tape, saving oodles of time. Be still, my beating heart!
Somehow, I found time to edit and post stories for this issue about Vera Saltzman, Mowry Baden, Janet Nungnik, Catherine Blackburn, Neil Campbell and Beau Dick.
Looking ahead, expect stories this week about Jim Breukelman and Heather Leier.
I’d mention more, but I’m scrambling to catch up.
Until next time,
CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE: Paul Gessell, Sandee Moore, John Thomson, Adam Whitford