Hello friends,

Well the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are over and we're all feeling a bit breathless. The Cultural Olympiad was a resounding success, showcasing some of the best of British Columbia's and Canada's artistic talent in all disciplines. During the 17 days of the games well over 10,500 people visited our contribution to the Olympiad—our current exhibition, Arthur Renwick, Mask—and the exhibition continues until April 4, so you still have time to see it. Both our visitors and the many media sources who have covered the show have been overwhelmingly positive about the exhibition which explores issues around First Nations self-representation (please see our Public Programming listings on the links to the right).

But life in the gallery means that we are always planning ahead to the next 2 or 3 exhibitions and we are now busy putting the final touches on In Transition: New Art From India, which opens to the public on May 1 as part of the Richmond Doors Open event. The Richmond Art Gallery is presenting In Transition: New Art from India in collaboration with the Vancouver Biennale. The show features the work of 6 of India's most prominent contemporary artists working in 3-dimensional and video-installation format, including Shilpa Gupta, Reena Kallat, TV Santhosh, Sudarshan Shetty, artist collective Thukral & Tagra, and Hema Upadhyay (who will be constructing a piece specifically for the Gallery then moving on to her Vancouver Biennale residency at the Aberdeen Centre for the month of May).

As you know by now, the provincial government has released its 2010/11 budget and though the news for the arts seems positive at first glance, the provincial government has included the Royal BC Museum allocation of $12 million to the arts budget, whereas it has traditionally been allocated as a transfer to a crown corporation. The BC Gaming grant eligibility has also been revised so that adult-oriented cultural programs and organizations will be denied funding in the foreseeable future. We will keep you apprised of the situation as we receive information and will post information on the Advocacy page of our website.

On a more pleasant front though, earlier this month we were contacted by the international museum planning and consultation firm, Lord Cultural Resources, to let us know the Richmond Art Gallery was

"named as one of the best in the world in a survey of museum and gallery professionals. Lord Cultural Resources is currently conducting a review of best practices in selected international art institutions. Participants in the interviews cited your gallery as a model of best practice."

Lynn Beavis
Director

Morley Watson, Park Grounds
March 2 - April 20, 2010
Richmond City Hall

ARTIST STATEMENT | So many people love their car. People have memories involving their car, even memories because of owning a car. Yet so many cars are discarded. Several yards have derelicts with their frames sunken into the ground and plants or even trees are growing through them. They were once driven, now they're flowerpots. Park Grounds purpose is to depict how exposure to the elements is corroding and breaking these cars down while at the same time being claimed by nature.

Read more...

Morley Watson, Shepherd, 2010, painting

Sylvia Wong and Jing Jia, Urban Copy
March 16 - April 27, 2010
Gateway Theatre

ARTISTS' STATEMENT | Our installation project Urban Copy will serve as a vehicle for us to address China's new attitude towards internationalism. It will focus on the uncertainty of China's future and the rapid transformations that are taking place within China's historical landscape. It questions China's militaristic economy and the sacrifices being made by China in the early stages of urbanization. The printmaking process also serves as a metaphor and questions the issues modern China's factory workers are facing today, and most importantly their sense of lost identity. Our mission is to have individuals gain a better understanding about historical interconnectedness of people and ideas throughout the world, and to gain new perspectives and awareness on contemporary globalization.

Read more...

Theme: Time, Cycles, Tides
April 8 - April 11, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday, April 9, 7-9pm
Richmond Cultural Centre (Lecture Hall)

An exhibition celebrating the large amount of art that has been made about Finn Slough, an historic site where nature and Richmond's fishing history gently co-exist.

Exhibit Hours
Thursday April 8, 1pm - 9pm
Friday April 9, 10am - 9pm
Saturday April 10, 10am - 5pm
Sunday April 11, 10am - 3pm

http://www.finnslough.com
tidetables@hotmail.com
604.247.8300

D. N-Dorrington, Finn Slough, detail, 2005

Teachers, a new series of School Art Workshops are starting up in April for the exhibition In Transition: New Art from India. Guided tours and hands-on workshops for school groups in Pre School to Grade 7 are available from April 26 - June 11.

Expose your students to new artworks emerging from India for a unique cultural experience right here in Richmond!

For details, click here or contact the Gallery School Program Coordinator at 604.247.8316 or ktycholis@richmond.ca

Youth Mentorship
During the Olympic Games the Gallery hosted an exciting two week program for youth led by Sonny Assu, from the Weka'yi First Nation (Campbell River).

The City of Richmond worked in collaboration with VANOC in devising the Aboriginal Youth Mentorship Project last year. The project had two components: to commission a permanent artwork by a First Nations artist to be installed in the Richmond Oval and for the selected artist to lead a project for youth.

Eric Fiss, the Citys Public Art Planner, approached the Richmond Art Gallery about the project and we agreed to host it, with the intention that a legacy project should follow. Working with Sonny Assu, seven youth used the traditional Coast Salish long house as inspiration to explore their personal histories. Education and Public Programs Coordinator, Nan Capogna, and Eric Fiss are currently planning a display of the artworks and for the works to be documented in a colour brochure. Watch for details on our website.

Pictured 'at ease' on the last day of the program, clockwise from top left are: Sonny Assu, Cade Cran, Adrian Dobres, Tessa Ettinger, Kayla Palmer, Debra Head, Jacqueline Chen and Koko Chou. Youth described their experience as awesome.

Chef Maluh
Marlene Hale, known as Chef Maluh, gave a lively presentation of First Nations' cuisine in conjunction with Arthur Renwick's exhibition, Mask. Marlene explained the history and preparation techniques for many traditional foods and brought a large Focaccia Bannock to share along with recipes for everyone. She also urged Director Lynn Beavis and Nan Capogna to try their hand at a baked and a fry-bread bannock. There was plenty of bannock to go around with tea for the 50 plus people who attended.

Chef Maluh serving bannock

Daniel Francis, The Imaginary Indian
Sunday, March 21, 2-3pm

In conjunction with the exhibition Mask, by Arthur Renwick, the Richmond Art Gallery is pleased to present Daniel Francis, historian and award- winning author of The Imaginary Indian. Francis will talk about the notion of the "Vanishing Indian" and the phenomenon of "going native".

You are invited to the Richmond Art Gallery Association's 2010 Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 7pm. Registration begins at 6:15pm
Richmond Art Gallery, 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, BC

Please remember to renew your membership before the AGM. A membership table will be setup for renewals from 6:15 - 6:45 pm.

Candidates for election must be nominated in writing by a member in good standing of the Society, and nominations will be accepted if received by the board of directors by 5:00 pm Pacific Standard Time seven days before the annual directors meeting.
(RAGA Bylaws Part 5.5.3)

We do ask that you RSVP by April 13, 2009 via email to cwyngaarden@richmond.ca or phone 604.247.8314