Billed as a publication to accompany the exhibition Written in Clay: From the John David Lawrence Collection on view at the Vancouver Art Gallery until November 9, 2025, The Place of Objects expands on the exhibition by painting a lively and engaging portrait of the collector.
Essays by the exhibition curators secure the volume’s scholarly credentials, but the real excitement derives from the many short reminisces from friends, artists, and fellow travellers who animate Vancouver’s cultural scene.
Some recount Lawrence’s early incursions into performance, music, and collecting, while others detail his kindness and commitment to supporting local artists, especially First Nations and those falling on hard times.
Photographs of his apartment, collection, and shop are supplemented by archival ephemera from drag and music performances, documenting an overlooked yet fascinating period in the city’s history.
Gorgeous, often full-page images of the ceramics making up the heart of his collection add value to this lovely book. ■
OTHER ART BOOK REVIEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
- Bookmark: Worlds on Paper
- Bookmark: Textile Universes
- Bookmark: Memorable Murals
- Bookmark: Outsider Art of Canada
- Jack Bush Paintings: A Catalogue Raisonné
- Bookmark: New Book about Bertram Brooker
- Bookmark: All the Beauty in the World
- The Role of Textiles in Relation to Art
- The Quest for the Meaning of Art
- Quick Pick - J.E.H. MacDonald: Up Close
- Mary Pratt: A Love Affair with Vision
- The Role of Textiles in Relation to Art
- Surreal Spaces: The Art and Life of Leonora Carrington
- Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael
- Bianca Bosker: The Quest for the Meaning of Art
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