New Vancouver Art Gallery | 9fl | Proposed

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Since this project seems moribund right now, thought I'd share an article on how one gallery, MONA, almost single-handedly drove a tourism surge to Hobart, Tasmania. Could a new gallery have such an effect in larger Vancouver?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-1...umming/7081376

Sounds like the "Bilbao effect" has occurred down under. Good for Hobart.

[whatnext]

An interesting article that focuses on Bob Rennie's art collection while touching on the VAG controversy:

...Rennie advocated for a very different plan. “Arts and culture has a hard time attracting the big dollars,” he says. “My suggestion was that the city should sell that piece of land at today’s value—a couple hundred million dollars—give the money to the Vancouver Art Gallery, and let them stay on their old site and not have to drain the shallow philanthropic pool here, our government and taxpayers’ money.”..

The dispute’s narrative boiled down to Rennie versus the Vancouver Art Gallery’s director Kathleen Bartels, and it was not friendly. “How original: a half a billion dollar museum,” he says, “I think we’ve passed the starchitecture age and it should be about the contents, not the box.” (A representative for the Vancouver Art Gallery declined to comment for this story.)

In the end, it’s looking like a battle he will lose or has lost already. But he has angered many along the way, including local artists. Some have wondered about his true intentions. After all, a multi-site concept could mean more individual neighborhoods to jazz up with tourists, cafes, hotels, higher rents—and, of course, condos.

“There are few, if any, reasons not to support the improvement of conditions for the arts in Vancouver. If we can afford a new museum, we ought to have it,” artist Jeff Wall tells artnet News in an email. “Bob has worked hard to reduce the effectiveness of the campaign to find out whether or not we can afford it. He never made it clear what his reasons are, but all through this process he has kept up a well-known petulant personal vendetta against the director, Kathleen Bartels.”..

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bo...couver-1091051

[dreambrother808]

“We have a disproportionate amount of African American artists,” Rennie says. “When Obama was elected, I said, ‘There’s no need to collect African American artists anymore—that fight was over.’ Super ignorant. By the time he was sworn in on January 20 of 2009… I knew the fight was still going to be there and I thought, ‘Okay, my collection is for a reason.’”

This quote is embarrassing.

[Migrant_Coconut]

It's a pretty common argument among certain American right-wingers. "We have a black president, so clearly racism is over!"

[Vin]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Well you could try to replicate it by sticking the VAG in Langley and witness some tourism miracle.

Hobart is a beautiful heritage city, older than Sydney or Melbourne. Langley isn't even remotely close.

I wish this ugly VAG remains dead forever.

[mezzanine]

huh, interesting article...

WRT rennie, it speaks volumes when a prominent local artist (Jeff Wall) that you admire dislikes your gallery ideas and describes you as 'petulant'.

this was interesting:

In lieu of the new building, he has advocated for a decentralized museum concept: multiple sites around the city that each focus on a different genre or artistic period.

The dispute’s narrative boiled down to Rennie versus the Vancouver Art Gallery’s director Kathleen Bartels, and it was not friendly.

......

In the end, it’s looking like a battle he will lose or has lost already.

An announcement about the expansion should be imminent, if it is happening at all...

[whatnext]

Those who follow new galleries might be interested in the opening of the new Remai Modern art gallery in Saskatoon. Many of the issues encountered would be faced by a new VAG. Was surprised to read the piece of land is one of most valuable pieces of real estate in the country!?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...come-1.4360295

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Nope, this is this decade's version of Hydro Building on Dunsmuir. Clumsy and inelegant with every cliche du jour.

Amen and Amen !! (and double yuck!)

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Those who follow new galleries might be interested in the opening of the new Remai Modern art gallery in Saskatoon. Many of the issues encountered would be faced by a new VAG. Was surprised to read the piece of land is one of most valuable pieces of real estate in the country!?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...come-1.4360295

At least they have someone donating lots of capital to help run it. With cost overruns it was around $85million. The Remai have already given $105 million (for construction, acquisitions and programming)

It said "alongside" one of the most valuable pieces of real estate. The River Landing project (aka Expo 86 lands)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Landing

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Some news on the Art Gallery. not posting the full article, but will post the key points.

B.C. NDP government has withdrawn previous Liberal funding commitment for new Vancouver Art Gallery

IAN BAILEY
The Globe and Mail, Vancouver
July 5, 2018

Plans for a new Vancouver Art Gallery are in question after the provincial NDP government decided it will not honour the commitment of previous governments to help fund the $350-million project, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The decision was communicated to gallery leadership in a December, 2017 letter to the chair of the gallery’s board of trustees and obtained by The Globe through a provincial Access to Information request.

In it, Culture Minister Lisa Beare writes: “We must consider your funding request within the context of other pressing government priorities across all sectors. “As such, the Province is unable to commit to your funding request at this time.”

In an interview with The Globe earlier this year, gallery director Kathleen Bartels said her organization had raised $40-million in private money

In 2013, the City of Vancouver donated the land to the gallery for a 99-year lease.

In her letter, Ms. Beare urges the gallery to submit another funding request if it can “demonstrate significant progress in raising private funding for this project.”

In a statement issued Thursday, City of Vancouver communications manager Ellie Lambert said the land offer is dependent on the gallery raising the $100-million from the federal government and another $50-million from the provincial government.
“At this time, the City does not intend to provide further financial support for the Gallery expansion.”

[whatnext]

It was always clear the VAG wasn’t going to be able to raise their share of the money. Vancouver isn’t a particularly cultural or philanthropic city.

[rofina]

350 million dollars for that new art gallery seems like staggering amount of money.

I mean a shocking amount.

How is this thing going to cost $350 million!?

[Vin]

Good news! Hate this building!

But then again, removing tolls from the Port Mann Bridge, among some other measures, must have had some impact to the previous inflow of Provincial revenue.

Also agree that 350mil is a huge chunk of change, but I suppose there are many pockets to fill first, including consultation fees for those ugly blocks of wood.

[jollyburger]

Seems like its for additional funding and they are still delivering the promised amount from the Liberals.

[red-paladin]

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vanc...ding-july-2018

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

hmm, disappointing reporters.

and that is why you get people believing Trump when he talks about the Mainstream Media; things like this.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

hmm, disappointing reporters.

and that is why you get people believing Trump when he talks about the Mainstream Media; things like this.

They post a correction but you'll never hear a peep from this guy on Twitter on why he got this story wrong. Too busy retweeting stories about some stupid cave rescue.

https://twitter.com/ianabailey

[csbvan]

I'm glad funding is still there. Vancouver needs a great gallery. I do, sometimes, wish they'd just build a new courthouse instead, and then keep the gallery where it is and expand it by renovating the Erickson courthouse to connect with it.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by csbvan

I'm glad funding is still there. Vancouver needs a great gallery. I do, sometimes, wish they'd just build a new courthouse instead, and then keep the gallery where it is and expand it by renovating the Erickson courthouse to connect with it.

that courthouse building will never leave, nor should it ever. i do agree that it should go back to it's original courthouse function and connect to the Erickson courthouse.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

that courthouse building will never leave, nor should it ever. i do agree that it should go back to it's original courthouse function and connect to the Erickson courthouse.

I didn't mean demolish the old courthouse (current gallery)! I meant keep it as a gallery and refurbish the Erickson courthouse as an extension of a new, much larger gallery. Then use the Larwill Park site for a new courthouse. Not realistic of course, but I love the location of the current gallery and love the interaction between the 2 courthouses and the public space that connects them. Rattenbury and Erickson, it's truly the heart of the city, in my opinion.