ECU 100 | ECU Alums On Reimagining Art Spaces in Vancouver

The panel discussion space makers: possibilities for other models held at the Libby Leshgold Gallery (LLG) brought together Bopha Chhay, associate curator at the LLG, alums Patrick Cruz (BFA 2010) of Kamias Triennial, and Scott Kemp (BFA 2014), Jordan Milner (BFA 2013) and Kara Ditte Hansen (BFA 2013) of Duplex (formerly Avenue) – two project spaces which reshaped how artists create and collaborate within the global art community.

Avenue and Kamias Triennial were formed in 2014 and allowed their founders to refashion how curation and art exhibitions can look when resources are thin, but creativity is limitless. The panellists recalled how their time at ECU was the key catalyst for these collectives by banding together with friends and creating art together. For Patrick Cruz, the Triennial emerged out of a desire to reconnect with his roots back home in Manila after moving to Vancouver and experiencing its perceived coldness.

“It actually started as a joke,” Patrick laughed. “I had 200 bucks and a few friends in Manila. We had funding for drywall and fluorescent lights, and we threw an exhibition, where we invited art collectors, family and friends. It was completely an experiment in the spirit of play and fun. I felt lucky to have one foot inside the door, because if I didn’t have that art-world experience, I don’t think I would’ve had the same opportunity for that kind of cultural exchange.”

Avenue/Duplex emerged from similar conditions of spontaneity and scarcity. “We couldn’t stay late when the old Emily Carr University campus closed,” recalled Jordan Milner. “So, we scavenged wood and plexiglass from construction sites. Some of us were also living out of these studios, so we needed somewhere new fast!”

Using what they learned from ECU, they carried forward the spirit of using everything at your disposal and transforming it into something meaningful – a sentiment which echoed throughout the discussion, where creative resilience necessitates new forms of collaboration. Seated amidst photos and papers documenting their work in the exhibition, the panellists reflected on the irony of archiving projects that were meant to resist that very frozen quality.

“I had a box aggressively labeled ‘DO NOT TOUCH’ which I hid somewhere in the new Duplex space,” said Kara. “It was like a time capsule of memories from shows, flyers, and cigarettes rolled for an art show.”

The Avenue/Duplex team recalled that lack of preciousness when they hung artwork inside the walls of their initial studio, where a little piece of history is archived within.

As for legacy, Patrick acknowledged its ambivalence. “It’s good when projects end,” he said. “Things are finite, and that’s okay. It’s a bit romantic to think of legacy when you’re in the immediacy of survival.”

In celebrating ECU’s centennial, the panellists highlight a legacy that has empowered students to rely on creativity to flourish in moments of uncertainty and where artist-run spaces can be a beacon of connection for emerging artists.

The event was organized in support of ECU 100, marking the university’s centennial anniversary. Join us for the next ECU 100 event: A Walkthrough with Archivist Kristy Waller on November 13.

For more information about ECU 100 centennial celebrations, upcoming events and stories, visit our webpage.