Weekly Shot of Art - Emergency Biennale

Every once in a while you have to get out and see some serious art. Some art with a cause. Even if it's too hot and you'd rather be reading a People mag at the beach, you have to make the effort. "Emergency Biennale" is worth the effort. The project ambitiously attempts to pack a suitcase full of art to be sent to Grozny, Chechnya, in an attempt to bring attention back to the fighting that has been going on there for way too long. This is World Stop #7, after being seen in Paris, Brussels, Bolzano, Milan, Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn (Estonia), before arriving in Grozny. The art is making its way around the world, in the style of great bi-annual art shows and the Centre A Gallery in the DTES is hosting.

Various artists from different backgrounds and styles have each contributed something to the show, the only specifications being that the art had to fit into a suitcase. Walking into the gallery, it's easy to feel like you are in a war zone. A paper missile sits in an army-ish container, a row of soldiers march two-dimensionally across the floor, videos play in the background and everywhere you look is some kind of strong, powerful image or idea. These are terrifying times and they call for powerful social commentary. Tho the exhibit is meant for Chechnya, it's easy to superimpose the pieces on of recent headlines. Sylie Blocher's image ( "JE et NOUS (ME and YOU)") with the words "I want an empty word that I could fill" written in 3 languages on a woman's shirt easily voiced the helplessness and powerlessness I've been feeling in the face of so much overseas fighting. I'm sure I'm not the only one who found it hard to exit the gallery into a sunny, carefree day.

The show runs until August 19th.

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Centre A
Vancouver Internation Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
2 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C.
604-683-8326
centrea.org