I had the pleasure over the weekend to visit a new exhibit at the Gallery of BC Ceramics of two of my most favorite potters here in Vancouver (and the world for that matter), Laura McKibbon and Jasna Sokolovic. The show, Se Souvenir/Creating Memories, is an exhibition inspired by traditional souvenirs exploring cultural identity reflected in and the creation of memory. Gallery Manager, Brenda Beaudoin explained the idea behind the exhibit where typically, souvenirs are mass-produced objects, manufactured outside the country in which they represent, having little or no real connection to the very place which they are meant to represent. As Laura McKibbon also pointed out, they set out to include souvenirs that not only reflect the city but also explores the relative experiences of the artists, each piece representing each artist's walk home from their studios. "How often do we see a moose here in Vancouver?", stated McKibbon. And typically those are the types of souvenirs that we see here in Canada. The city's skyline with it's continuous stream of cranes has been something us Vancouverites have lived with it seems ever since Expo '86. It's a part of our culture, as are the mountains, the greenery, the flowers, the birds, the water.
I loved the show's concept and would so wish souvenirs like this to represent us versus the one's that we do see around and hopefully this show will begin a movement of sorts to bring more meaningful momentos to our tourists, especially in light of the 2010 Olympics we'll be hosting.
Jasna and Laura are both established ceramic artists, who have made significant contributions to their craft locally and abroad in a very short time. All ceramics in exhibition are for sale. Price ranges from $30 to $285. Contact Gallery of BC Ceramics, Gallery Manager – Brenda Beaudoin, 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC. V6H 3R7, Canada, 604 669- 3606 (open daily from 10am to 5pm). Email: galleryofbcceramics@bcpotters.com
(We also made a 46 second mini-video of the show to get a sense of the exhibit. We hope to have it up later today).
