2019-2020 Exhibitions Report
Prepared by Clarissa Long, Exhibition Committee Chair
Between 2019 and 2020, the exhibitions committee undertook two new shows on behalf of the VMAA and began the planning of our 2021 programming. We welcomed two new committee members this season, Lay Hoon and Zula, who joined Jan, Suzanne and myself to form the VMAA Exhibitions Committee. I’d like to thank them for the time and work that they generously gave to assisting with these shows.
Gifted was a holiday show that ran from November 21st to December 27th, hosted by Circle Craft to promote jewellery and sales during the gift giving season. There were a dozen artists and several works were sold, including one artist selling all of their work. Based on the overall success of the show, this could be a recurring partnership with Circle Craft in the following years.
DISRUPT. was our annual exhibition, in partnership with the Craft Council of British Columbia whom we will be exhibiting with biennially. The exhibition’s theme was an open call to artists who felt they have been disruptors in the crafting of contemporary jewellery and metal arts. There were 31 artists, including international artists, who were selected by our jurors, Brigitte Clavette, Maria Philips and Lawrence Woodford. While the exhibition’s opening reception was very well attended and received, due to COVID-19 the CCBC closed the gallery doors in the following days. We were able to re-mount the exhibition online and circulate it virtually, thanks to Alex and Raine from the CCBC.
Beaux Arts will be our 2021 annual exhibition. It will be hosted by Angela at the Italian Cultural Centre from April to June 2021. In line with the ICC’s programming for that year, and in tribute to the 150th anniversary of the sculptor Charles Marega, this exhibition will be an open call for submissions that celebrate the sculptural form in metal, interpreting the style of the Beaux Arts. The call for entry will be distributed in spring 2020 and the deadline for application will be in the fall.
Lastly, we were able to raise a surplus of funds through exhibitions this year and we hope to put some of it towards building our own display cases to reduce rental costs for future exhibitions.