Vancouver Perspective

Vancouver Perspective – 12 Women Artists provides an opportunity for audiences in Taipei to gain an insight into the concerns of women artists in Vancouver. Over the last two decades, women artists in Canada have influenced the way we think about art, its history and society itself. Vancouver has a strong community of women artists. Their work is informed by personal experiences, the context of living in a large urban environment that is undergoing rapid changes, and the discourse that takes place within the art community as a whole. The twelve artists represented in the exhibition reflect the diversity, quality and criticality of work by Vancouver women artists.

The artists in this exhibition are all engaged in the Vancouver art community, not only as practicing artists, but also as teachers. These two aspects are not separate occupations but integrated and support one another. This integration can be seen in the discursive nature of all the works. The intent of the work is to provoke an examination of the subjects, to question the status quo and move the viewer to a greater understanding of the issues addressed in the work. This has been and continues to be a value of women’s art practice, that it provides a vehicle to discuss both historical and contemporary concerns.

Some of the concerns addressed in this exhibition range from issues of identity, as seen in the work of Jin-me Yoon and Sharyn Yuen. The domestic environment in relation to social, class and history is explored in the work of Anne Ramsden, Kati Campbell and Renee Van Halm. Women in the urban environment is the focus of Allyson Clay and Lorna Brown’s work. Issues addressing western art history dominate the work of Lucy Hogg and Elspeth Pratt, while Monique Fouquet looks at history from a personal, autobiographical stance. The work of Vikky Alexander and Landon Mackenzie questions the relationship between language, the representation of landscape, and ideas about place.

The value of the Vancouver Perspective exhibition serves as a meaningful stepping-stone for future exchange projects between Taipei and Vancouver. Both communities have a great deal to share and learn from one another. Understanding can only come from a willingness to be open to ideas and experiences. It is hoped that dialogues between the two cities will, starting from this project, continue long into the future.