Western Canada's art magazine since 2002
8 February 2022 Vol 7 No 3 ISSN 2561-3316 © 2022
Portia Priegert
From the Editor
One of the exciting cultural developments during the pandemic has been the explosion of exhibitions by Black artists across Canada. Many galleries, from major public spaces to small commercial galleries and artist-run centres, have upped their game. The result has been an outpouring of fascinating art that was often little seen in mainstream spaces – but was actually out there all along.
For this issue, I visited a marvellous show by Denyse Thomasos, a Trinidadian-born artist who grew up in Toronto, attended Yale’s art school, and became a professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Her paintings, on view at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, employ imagery based on structures used to contain and control people of colour, including slave ships and prisons.
Acclaimed Victoria-based author Esi Edugyan contributed an insightful essay to the show's catalogue. It's not Edugyan’s only recent foray into the visual arts. Among the various topics in her recent book of essays, Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling, written for the 2021 Massey Lectures and broadcast this year on CBC’s Ideas program, she discusses the history of European art from a Black perspective.
We're pleased to highlight Thomasos’s work – particularly against the backdrop of overtly racist protests being mounted in Ottawa and elsewhere under the guise of an anti-vaccination protest by truckers. Here in Victoria, where I am based, a protest was held around the B.C. legislature, not far from my home. While peaceful protest, like free speech, is a democratic right, it was noisy and annoying. On my one quick bicycle ride through the area, I spotted a racist placard, backing up analysts who believe the protests have become a platform for those with other agendas, such as promoting hate.
Fortunately, many other Canadians are stepping up and trying to make clear their support of diverse voices. It should have happened sooner, of course, but this is a positive development at a difficult time. It should go without saying that broader representation in cultural spaces strengthens art communities, as well as our larger society, and I'd encourage you to consider supporting these artists and galleries however you can.
Galleries West is a small digital magazine – I’m a part-time contractor and fill the only permanent editorial position – so coverage, for efficiency's sake, is largely based on exhibitions across Western Canada. But efforts by galleries to show more work by people of colour means we have been able to incorporate more stories about diverse artists.
If you want to learn more, particularly during February – Black History Month – why not check out some of the articles we have published over the last two years: As We Rise, Simone Elizabeth Saunders, Black Renaissance, Luther Konadu, Soul Power, Black Every Day, Erika DeFreitas, Syrus Marcus Ware, Chukwudubem Ukaigwe, Curtis Talwst Santiago and Charles Campbell. These artists take a variety of approaches and use many different media, but often centre their practices on tackling racial injustice and celebrating Black lives and histories.
Now, on to the rest of this issue of Galleries West. One of my favourite shows is by Brendan Lee Satish Tang, who, in the words of Vancouver reviewer Yani Kong, offers “sweetly jocular juxtapositions” as he explores memories of growing up in Nanaimo, B.C. His full-size paper pickup truck – painted in watercolours and shaped into 3D form – is a marvel.
As well, Calgary writer Katherine Ylitalo writes on an exhibition of surreal paintings by Toronto-based artist Veronika Pausova; Calgary poet Shazia Hafiz Ramji on an installation of text-based work by Florence Yee, who splits her time between Montreal and Toronto; and Vancouver writer Helena Wadsley on a retrospective by Laiwan, long active on the Vancouver scene. Our final piece is Mark Mushet’s video about the serene photo-based work of Vancouver-based artist Vilhem Sundin.
Looking ahead, we're working on articles about Cliff Eyland, Keith Langergraber, Sondra Meszaros, and Rachel Rozanski, among others.
Until next time,
CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE: Yani Kong, Mark Mushet, Shazia Hafiz Ramji, Helena Wadsley, Katherine Ylitalo
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Alberta Media Fund, the Government of Canada Special Measures for Journalism Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts.
