Page 51 - Studio International - October1968

facing page
Brian Fisher
Beacon 1966
polymer acrylic on canvas
68 x 113 in
left
N. E. Thing Co.
(lain Baxter, President)
Bagged landscape with
two hills and two boats
1966
vinyl, air, water and boats
40 x 30 x 17 in.

The timing is significant. The title Canada 101 referred to one year recent and too easily subject to the quick generalization made at first
after the centenary of Canadian Confederation, and centenary year, meeting and on limited experience. I have not met all the artists I
spectacularly symbolized by Expo' 67, crystallized a great many would have liked to meet, time and opportunity being what they are.
Canadian attitudes and aspirations, not least the cultural ones. In With sculpture and the growing activity in intermedia I was only
particular it crystallized some attitudes about the perennial pro- intermittently concerned. The questions that underlie the whole
blem of national identity, or at any rate made it clear that a change present situation of Canadian art are, in any case, more relevant as
of attitude was overdue. No one looking at the Canadian art-scene questions that are being asked than as questions that need to be, or in-
today (my own impressions are based on a recent three-week tour deed can be, answered at the present time. They are symptomatic of
at the invitation of the Canada Council), can fail to be made aware a rapidly changing climate of opinion, and though the future of
of the watershed between 'then' and 'now', of a self-awareness in Canadian art depends on them it is only the future of Canadian art
process of transition from inferiority complex to new-found confi- that will answer them.
dence, of the rejection of an old-style nationalistic image in favour of In this first article I want to concentrate mainly on Vancouver,
...what? That is where the confidence momentarily falters, the self- partly because Canadian art still tends to resolve itself into what
questioning starts, the exhibition-feelers are put out. happens in a number of independent centres, partly because Van-
I shall not be attempting in these articles to do more than comment couver is the most recent of these centres to assert itself, and has done
on and around the basic questions. My acquaintance with them is too so in a way which gives it something of the reputation in the rest of
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