No More Vancouver Postcards

A photographer gets in touch with his city's ugly side.

By Mark Mushet, 6 Dec 2007, TheTyee.ca

Shrouded Fast Ferry

'Shrouded ferry,' mothballed dream. Photo: Mark Mushet.

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When I was asked to submit images for an exhibit titled Incidental Geography: Photographic meditations on the Vancouver landscape I wasn't so sure.

As a photographer, I'd long avoided tackling the physical reality of my hometown.

And my first reaction was, "Oh crap, a show about the abject landscape, lots of detritus strewn about under flat grey skies and scenes of construction."

My second, more positive thought was: "Well, that's the city as it is now. We'll need these images in the future."

I love the word abject. It reminds me of passing a hideous mountainside development near Maple Ridge a few years ago and hearing a friend apply to it the German word trostlos. It means "without consolation." It's a perfect and concise dismissal of the ill-considered, virus-like beige mountain warts those sub-divisions represent.

But what is accomplished by photographing such desolate sprawl, and other parts of my increasingly soulless, glossed over city?

Building a genre

Of course there is a long tradition among fine artists of tackling our urban landscape with the camera. Christos Dikeakos, Roy Arden, Ian Wallace, Jeff Wall, Rodney Graham, and now a second (and even third) generation of artists following in their footsteps have pretty much covered every possible modern view of Vancouver's built, un-built and semi-built environs in some formal fashion or other. For the most part, the work of these artists is seen in institutional settings. It can be dry and cold, funny and hyper-referential -- and it is our chief export to the modern art world's biggest museums.

Photographer Lee Hutzulak is the curator of Incidental Geography exhibit. He is to be lauded for his efforts to help a new generation of photographers raised in the shadow of the aforementioned artists get their work seen closer to the street. Not everybody is clamouring to see their giant backlit images of transitional urban Vancouver fuel a career in the art world. But nor is there middle ground for other approaches to emerge and receive exhibition space and support. Incidental Geography is an intuitively gathered mix of both formal and street photography. It offers a broader, looser take on things. There is no accompanying essay that references Derrida or Lacan and the Gaff Gallery is a rough, funky little space on the edge of town.

The timing of the show is telling. Lee had been inspired by two recent heavyweight photo shows at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Still showing is the mid-career retrospective of Roy Arden's work featuring some signature views of suburban development in the GVRD. The image used for the poster is an example of the best of this kind of work: elegant, revealing and human. And Fred Herzog's show of photographs of Vancouver's streets in the '50s and '60s (held at the VAG earlier this year) also struck a chord with Lee and the broader public and revived an interest in the city's history and photographic representation of it.

No more postcards

What few know is that only five years prior Fred Herzog was ready to chuck it all in the face of indifference to his work. And who could blame him? For the longest time our interest in local landscape was largely restricted to imagery for industry, civic projects and the tourist agenda. Our city archives contain many magnificent images but only recently have we become seriously interested in looking at the backside and the underside of the city to see how we really live and to reflect on how we might be impacted by the cityscape.

One thing is certain; you can't escape dealing with architecture on some level. This city has never given a shit about preserving its past and it's never really taken chances on its future with ambitious, intelligent architectural initiatives. Just look at the north shore of false creek. The continent's most conspicuous, free and clear parcel of development space. Look what we got: a Doug Coupland book cover. A nasty clutch of towers reflecting (for most of the year) grey skies. Not a SINGLE signature building a la the Sydney Opera House, the Guggenheim in Bilbao or even the public library in Seattle. No vision. No will. And so I realize I've thus far approached the city's physical body from a position of shame and disgust.

Have a Look

Incidental Geography: Photographic meditations on the Vancouver landscape, includes the work of: Peter Andringa, Marcos Armstrong, Jessica Eaton, Lee Hutzulak, Mark Mushet and David Leith. The exhibit runs until mid-December at Gaff Gallery in Vancouver.

*Call ahead for hours or to view by appointment.

I was born and raised here. Rather than recall the successes of how the city actively took historical measures to give citizens waterfront access along English Bay, for example, I tend to see the many more opportunities lost to the machinations of the real estate huckster culture that predominates in this still frontier town. That's my bias. I'd love to see it shift and this show has made me think of what has motivated me to take the photos on display here and how I'll think about any future projects that deal with local landscape.

I wasn't alone in struggling with this. Another contributor to the show, Jessica Eaton, ended up dropping off a plastic bag full of shredded photographs. At first I was put off by the obvious provocation -- then I realized that it was merely a more extreme expression of my own anxiety over whether or not I even cared about photographing my city anymore . . . or caring about "fine art" photography (such as it is) at all. And without knowing Jessica's plans I'd submitted Print Futures an image of bales of shredded Vancouver area phone directories awaiting recycling. The two images became partners in the gallery space.

Eventually I realized that the best strategy is to keep things close to home, deal with what you know and feel strongly about. That said, every image I submitted was somehow reflective of transition, loss, destruction and public failure. Oh well. That's often the source of some great art -- and many a country music classic!

'Who needs art?'

A week after the show was hung, I was driving north along Pacific Avenue when I came across a billboard promoting a new tower. "WHO NEEDS ART?" it shouts over a dusky stock shot of False Creek without a hint of irony. It initially felt like a scream of "Fuck you!" to Vancouver's creative community and I was appalled it hadn't been vandalized yet. So do I photograph it so that the obvious vulgarity may find a future audience? Or do they have a point and should we just stop wasting our time and just carry on with our orgy of consumer nest-feathering in anticipation of blunting the effects of the next recession?

I think about it for a day, and I photograph it. I know at least ten other photographers will do the same thing. What is immediately striking is that the only point of interest in the photo is the Science World building, the "golf ball" and its reflection in the water. This is Concorde Pacific saying: "Look! We didn't do a single notable building on our site but we'll be happy to sell you a view of one that was done 20 years ago for Expo!" And if one were to pan left in the scene, you'd see a wall of towers made by a competing developer. Nice.

And so I have a Beckett Moment. "I can't go on. I'll go on . . ." hoping it may find a space on a gallery wall of the future to tell us about the values our city held in the early part of the 21st century.

Related Tyee stories:

[Tyee]

Mark Mushet is a freelance photographer and creative director of Vancouver Review magazine. Face the Music II, an encore exhibition of musician portraits will be seen at Zulu Records in 2008.

29 Comments:

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  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    huckster culture!

    That about sums it up. What bothers me the most is listening to the drones who read the news on TV, radiao or print, it's all the same. It's all about growth like it was a natural thing. More bridges will be required to handle the extra million people by 2020, more housing developments, more warts on the sides of hills... I have an idea, why not get a photographic record of all the farms where real food is being grown now and compare it to 20 years from now when there won't be anymore food grown locally. What with the extra million people. While were at it, don't just twin the bridges, Quad them. That will save us from doing it in 2040 when there are 8.2 million in the region.

  • freebear

    4 years ago

    "No vision. No will. "

    All of the these things look like the other.

    You could be in 'downtown anywhere' were it not for the being on the 'edge' with a mountain backdrop!

    What you are seeing is the assault on public space, the surrender of the commons to corporate agendas and goals, rather than civic ones.

    yes it is "somehow reflective of transition, loss, destruction and public failure. "

    Why do so many people visit Europe and are content to stroll through the city squares and plaza's?

    Because their is life there!

    There is a sense of place!

    Why do we design urban space in North America in a fashion that has us fleeing our homes and neighbourhoods to get out of the city?

    "machinations of the real estate huckster culture" indeed!

    Author James Kunstler laments the same when describing the urban/suburban landscape in the U.S. and North America in general.

    Kunstler suggests that much of urban design and urban architecture is the result of:

    we have to make the client's deadline tomorrow, so Fuck it! lets just go with the inward looking concrete box!

    As the author asks:

    "should we just stop wasting our time and just carry on with our orgy of consumer nest-feathering in anticipation of blunting the effects of the next recession?"

    I think too many people answer: aw fuck it!

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    Generica

    Quad the bridges! Quads! Hell of an idea. Make a great postcard!

    I`ve stopped sending postcards of the musical ride. I guess I`ll go with the totem poles in Stanley park. I was in Vancouver a while back
    and dropped a toonie into a cup held by a man sitting on the sidewalk. He must have thought we were were tourists he said. "I`m a first nations..you know,...we do the totem poles."
    Maybe I`ll go with the Capilano suspension bridge postcard...or the Lions Gate Bridge at night with all the strung lights on..a cruise ship passing underneath.

  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    Don't forget...

    ...a crisp new snowfall on the evergreens of Cypress mountain, while looking o'er the waters of the Straight of Georgia, toward the pristine backdrop that is Vancouver Island...

  • G West

    4 years ago

    Best place on earth

    Most Quad bridges!

    Don't tell Campbell.

    What a concept.

    In the middle ages they started building shops and apartments on the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno in Florence.

    Think of how many tenements you could hang from the Granville Street Bridge...there's a postcard from the edge for you.

    No stone unturned - no corner without development.

  • GJW

    4 years ago

    What's the problem?

    I found the gallery fascinating, although way too brief. Maybe I missed something but I only saw seven pictures, which does in no way encapsulate Vancouver.

    But I don't understand the outrage here. Development is going to happen because Vancouver is a desirable place to live. Where do you suggest people live who can't afford nice apartments in Kits like the photographer apparently can? How do you suggest people get to work from Surrey to Vancouver, who don't want to double their travel time taking public transit? It's easy to complain and spit venom at the "LIEberals" or Gordon "KKKampbell" or whatever idiotic cliche is popular this week, but I don't see much constructive criticism, or useful suggestions.

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    Quad `em!

    ok...lets go with it...Quad the mothers..
    by 2010..clubbo..get back to me if you hit any snags.
    Lets do it..Lets move forward on this!
    Quitchie mook mook and snappy will do the ribbon cutting along with Furlong and John Les. Sullivan can wave his flag..get me Dame Kiri..whatshername to sing something, have Carol there..majestic something..powerful..maybe get Allen on that.
    We`ll make bloody history with this clubbo!
    What a legacy !

  • G West

    4 years ago

    GJW - let me quote a few reporters for you:

    On Carole Taylor leaving provincial politics

    “[Finance Minister Carole Taylor] has been upset, bothered, troubled by some aspects of Campbell’s style. The meanness. He treats people badly. And she’s seen that up front and I think that really bothers her.”
    --Vaughn Palmer, Cutting Edge of the Ledge, Nov. 30, 2007

    On the fall sitting of the Legislature

    “The Liberals got sliced and diced in there... they had a pretty bad session.”
    --Mike Smyth, Cutting Edge of the Ledge, Nov. 30, 2007

    “When they wrapped yesterday it was a big sigh of relief among the Liberals they’re glad to be going home. They had a rough ride. The New Democrats came prepared. I said to the New Democrats, I hope you took your research staff out for dinner and praised them because they really pulled it together this session. They did the Opposition job.”
    --Vaughn Palmer, Cutting Edge of the Ledge, Nov. 30, 2007

    “I think it was the best session the NDP’s ever had. I think they mopped the floor with the Liberals.”
    --Keith Baldrey, Cutting Edge of the Ledge, Nov. 30, 2007

    "All his [Campbell's] colleagues are getting hammered in there by the NDP. It’s like a carnival game of whack-a-mole in there."
    --Mike Smyth, CKNW Radio, Nov. 1

    "Carole James and the New Democrats have thoroughly creamed the Liberals during this legislative session."
    --Mike Smyth, the Province Nov. 4

    “Three weeks into the fall session and you can see why Gordon Campbell only let MLAs sit for three days last fall ... Every few days brings another damaging revelation or more tough questions about everything from mismanagement of the out-of-control Vancouver convention centre to abuse and neglect of seniors.”
    --Paul Willcocks, Kelowna Daily Courier, Nov. 7

    On the out-of-touch Liberals

    “[Liberal MLAs] Randy Hawes and Iain Black. Yesterday. You wanna read an embarrassing performance? Look at those two nitwits taking on one of the real class acts around here, this incredible commissioner we recruited from Saskatchewan, Mary Ellen Turpel Lafond.
    --Vaughn Palmer, Cutting Edge of the Ledge, Nov. 30, 2007

    Hansard quips:

    On the Convention Centre

    The Premier keeps going to this idea that he's held blameless because the discussion in the report does talk about rising construction costs. But it puts that at a 47-percent
    unanticipated cost. So at best, the Premier's defence is that his government is only 53 percent incompetent."
    --Rob Fleming, Nov. 5, 2007

    On Forest Minister Rich Coleman’s non-performance

    "Is 'nonsense' parliamentary? Can I say 'nonsense'?"
    --Corky Evans, Nov. 6, 2007

  • GJW

    4 years ago

    G West

    Thanks for the interesting quotes, but what are you getting at?

    I'm not Campbell's cheerleader. I've interviewed the man and he is a cold fish control freak who bluntly ignores questions he does not want to answer. But my off-hand comment, which was not the focus of my post, was mean to poke fun at the tendency of many posters here to use over-the-top language and cliches to demonize the man and the provincial government.

    That's not dialogue or constructive criticism, it's a protest rally, and I've covered enough of those to hate them for their shallow ineffectiveness.

  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    Development, or Shit happens....

    GJW
    While I always advocate for less is more, I have been particularly aggravated lately about anyone and everyone who just assumes growth is progress. At what point will growth and NEW development end. When do we say this area is totally saturated with humans and if push came to shove couldn't even feed themselves....

    Locally & globally the assault on nature and our support systems is in exponential growth. It has to end, it's imposible for it to continue, nature will not allow it. So how many people globally do we support.... Hmmm?

  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    Double Quads...

    Each with six lanes. Thats 24 lanes, low occupancy only of course, LOV, in each direction. In bound will be on the top deck, outbound below.

    Mmmm Quatchie.....

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    20 minute cartoon

    The story of stuff, with Annie Leonard:

    http://www.StoryofStuff.com

    Club..you might get some enjoyment from this.

  • G West

    4 years ago

    GJW

    Just that there are signs of the beginning of criticism of Campbell & Co that don't meet your venom-spitting criteria in the MSM. And that all of those same things have been said, loudly and often, and for a much longer time, right here at Tyee...

    Further, most commentary here is pretty reasoned - there are some times when some of us may go over the top...but, I think most of the critiques on this thread are actually kind of funny. It's good to be able to smile and not be serious ALL the time - especially when confronted with the sterile reality that is being created here in the 'best place on earth'. [Irony Alert]

    I'm sure you get my meaning!

    It's important not to lose your perspective.

    Does that make better sense to you?

  • G West

    4 years ago

    And the Fast Cats

    Split 'em up into 450 square foot apartments and rent 'em out....

    What have we been thinking?

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    floating conventions

    Cruisin` convention centres..sailing all about the best place on the earth. Up the Fraser..under the double quad bridges..
    Up the inside passage...show investors the fish farms...check out prime beachfront
    or..casinos..perrrfect...or was that thought of already?
    What a postcard..paint `em up make `em look like Quatchie or salmon or orcas.
    Floating safe injection sites? Oh hell....

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    private clinics!

    Yeah...base `em in Victoria..make `em into state of the art clinics...take the customers out beyond the 50 mile limit..do the implants..or tucks ..brain surgery...beat the ole system! A little recovery cruise and back home again!

  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    Gambling on board...

    Slot machines with elective surgery prizes...

  • Geoff

    4 years ago

    Administrator

    Added Another Picture

    Hi Everyone,

    Just wanted to let you know that we added one more picture to the gallery, a great shot of the Arbutus corridor.

    Geoff.

  • clubofrome

    4 years ago

    The good doctor...

    Thanks Dr Evil and G West, good humour today! The story of stuff? Fabulous!

  • nightbloom

    4 years ago

    Gwest: http://andrewsullivan

    Gwest:

    http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/12/the-one-and-ori.html

    I think you quoted this JFK speech a few weeks ago (or was it someone else?). Here's the YouTube vid. I recognized it a few lines into it, after JFK takes the podium.

  • G West

    4 years ago

    Yep, that was me!

    Thanks nightbloom...I see Sully appears to have put all his money on Obama!

  • nightbloom

    4 years ago

    You're

    You're welcome.

    Yeah...Andrew Sullivan loathes Hillary and has burnt all his bridges with his former party (no matter how hard he tries to snag the Buckley mantle for himself). Unrelated to his political u-turn, I'm actually totally convinced he's slipping off his rocker. Whether it's as a result of his meds or his other non-prescription recreational "self-medication" is anyone's call to make, but I think our former whiz-kid is slowly morphing into an eccentric looney.

  • G West

    4 years ago

    Maybe

    But surely not based on his preference for Obama over Hillary.

    Truth is I hardly ever read him (except in the Times of London on Sundays) any more...not sure if that means he's howling at the moon or irrelevant.

  • nightbloom

    4 years ago

    No, not because his choice

    No, not because his choice of nominee, although I find his long-standing hatred for Hillary Clinton has reached a pathological crescendo.

    My observation is derived from following his writings and blogging for several years, although like you I've been tuning him out more and more.

  • nightbloom

    4 years ago

    Incidentally, Gwest, here's

    Incidentally, Gwest, here's another digression a propos of my occasional criticism that the liberal-left queer press is Canada is totally in bed with the community-destroying drug-circuit subculture...

    http://www.xtra.ca/public/viewstory.aspx?AFF_TYPE=4&STORY_ID=4038&PUB_TEMPLATE_ID=3

    I don't know whether to laugh, cry, shatter my computer monitor. Here's the money quote:

    Quote:
    ..."When I started going out about four years ago the circuit parties were in their heyday. These parties were legendary, now these things have sort of declined. The theatrics have gone down a little bit...Vancouver's gay scene is seriously lacking in direction and involvement from queer youth. He emphasises that he wants everyone to enjoy Rapture, irrespective of age, but wants to reach out to young people and "take Rapture to the next generation"."

    Translation: we need to sucker more queer youth into our drug scene so our nasty, evil, exploitative industry can survive. Note that the article doesn't even mention drugs, HIV, party-&-play, and all the other critical realities here. Pure liberal-nihilist lala land.

  • G West

    4 years ago

    What the hell is 'Rapture'?

    I thought that was what happened to born again Christians when they got vacuumed up into heaven at the beginning of Armageddon - sans clothes!

    Sounds seriously f/ed up to me. The drug scene and the gay scene are about as far from my experience and sensibility as it is possible to be my friend.

    But, I think I see what you're concerned about and why you'd be upset.

    Maybe you need to just move on and, as they say fuggedaboutit.

  • snert

    4 years ago

    Rapture

    Rapture.

    Whatever.

  • Dave2

    4 years ago

    Worst thread-drift ever ;)

    Worst thread-drift ever ;)

  • nightbloom

    4 years ago

    Quote:I thought that was

    Quote:
    I thought that was what happened to born again Christians...

    The cult metaphor is certainly appropriate.

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