Dorothy-June Fraser

Galas. The cream of society’s production, they usuallly have some charitable connection. This time around, it was Performance Works on Granville Island and an auction for the benefit of underpriveldged children. Seeing that I consider myself very child-like and am an artist (aka starving) I figured it was apt enough for me to go and hoard food at the catering table for about 20 minutes. So, as I was stuffing my face with mini brioche with duck bacon, I didn’t pay much attention to the crowd at first. An odd event for myself, FREE liquor and FOOD. This are things normally not so happening at the art parties I go to. It’s more of a three dollar beer thing. Maybe a slice of pizza if I’m downtown.
That being said, any party that serves food that is on spoons made out of fancy pastry is good. Which it was. I’m not just talking about the food. It was fun, and oh yeah, there was art there too. Did I mention I was really hungry?
Anyway, among the exhibiting artists, Western Front-runner Paul Wong was there, exhibiting an alphabet series that has a close tie-in with a series of four letter words he is currently working on.

Paul Wong (2006)

While wandering around the exhibit I had a chance to talk to some of the artists, including Veronica Foster

Veronica Foster (2006)

(check her website- http://www.veronicafoster.com) We had a conversation about the importance of creativity as the answer to mental illness and a continuing sense of well-beiing and self-worth. That being said, at this point I had hoarded as much of the free chocolate strewn around the room as I could without feeling too out of place, and my purse was smelling suspiciously of duck bacon. Food is also important to the balance of art and sanity.
Did I mention the sablefish cakes?
Well, needless to say, the gala itself was a success, complete with the Arts Umbrella senior dance troop. They were scantily clad and did high kicks and swirly things. I am not qualified to talk about dancing.
Other artists on display include Christian Nicolay, with the piece, “Never Been To War”.

Christian Nicolay (2006)

It struck me from a distance back, with the Schiele-esque figures in the foreground, and a mottled, scumbled background that reminded me of innards. Jim Gislason’s piece struck me immediately, a seemingly Vanitas-inspired canvas called “Feast”

Jim Gislason (2006)

The SPLASH Artists’ Reception is apparantly one of the hotspots of Vancouver art, and the fact that I was required to dress ”business casual” struck me as one of the more fine/ridiculous points to becoming a part of that world.
Although the art was mostly representing the fact that we have amazing, creative people in this city, there were a few exceptions. Needless to say there will always be folk-art throwbacks and NO, I don’t believe it can become postmodern. I don’t like rooster art.
Or those fat lounging cats that were so popular in the early nineties. You know, the yellow silk screen on purple-batiked crewnecks type?
But I will not trouble myself or you any longer with my views on modern works of mindless pictures.