Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

The Vancouver Art Gallery is situated in an old building that looks something like NYC's Metropolitan Museum (or Library) from the outside: a neo-classical structure, albeit, not as big as those. We had severe sticker shock, when we were informed admission was nearly $20 EACH. Okay, its vacation, and we know Vancouver is mucho bucks, so we charged it, looking forward to gazing upon a new collection of "great masters". The key central exhibit there this month is Ken Lum. His exhibit is called "Many Deep Layers" I wonder if they mean like, a layers of lasagna? The bulk of this present collection consists of signs. Like the kind you see at the entrance to a strip shopping mall. Drive down to the nearest strip mall in your town, in the worst part of town, and look at the sign with the list of stores in the mall at the driveway entrance. Exactly that. Then there were large photographs of ordinary people with captions saying things like "Ummmmmmm" or "Why are you so ugly?" Then there were some mirrors with photos stuck in the edge of the mirror frame. Picture your bedroom dresser mirror. Stick in photos of your dog and grandmother. You got it? You got it. But the best part of his show were the couches: 2 purple couches facing each other. 1 round red couch facing in on itself. 3 totally ordinary folding hide-a-beds, facing each other, in the middle of the gallery floor. We have several Salvation Army stores in Denver, and he must be exhibiting his work there too. Swear to god. The hide-a-beds had to take the cake. I bet it even had some of his dog's fleas still in it. Clearly Kenny is channeling Yoko Ono. Only, he's not nearly as good. And then there was his 8 hour documentary film of his stroll back in forth 10 feet in one direction, then flipping and walking back the other direction in front of a video camera in the alley in back of his house. And don't let me forget his AMAZING- and I mean AMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAZZZZING film of his video camera facing out the back window of his car driving down the highway. I think that one is up for an Academy Award next year. Now THAT is what you call GREAT art. I immediately cleared out this very recent trauma memory that involved my wallet and Canadian printed money- and the director of the gallery begrudgingly gave us our $40 back, probably to hustle me and my easily heard opinions out of the place as quickly as possibly, and before the old couple from Germany who were handing over their money at the cashier's desk caught wind of what was going on before they ascended the neo-classical marble staircase up to Ken's Room of Couches.

Being from NYC, I was very impressed and loved the special exhibit currently on display " on the main floor which will be there till Jan. Almost every painting is a place that I have been to in the USA and Canada so for me personally it was a very special experiencing including the painting 57th Street. My Mom lives on 57th St. right next to the church with the steeple. The sculpture on the top floor was amazing with the use of lawn chairs. Definitely not to be missed. Lunch is also highly recommended with a nice selection of well prepared food. I have sent the link to my friend who owns a gallery in Buenos Aires as a definite stop to make.

The Vacouver Art Gallery is a great place to visit when you are in the city. It has a great staff, wiith awsome personalities, and almost any art piece you would want to see, by any painter, or artist, you could think of. I definitly recommend it.