Pandora’s WestCoast box

I’m coming to you courtesy of free wireless at the Regina Public Library, where an hour ago i visited their in-branch art gallery. (How visionary — are you listening, Ucluelet, with your coming new community centre?)

The show currently running is Pandora’s Box, an 11-woman show of more or less controversial images rooted in the double-edged Greek myth portraying Pandora as the first woman, who brings either many gifts or (via her infamous box) all evils.

In talking with the curator, i suddenly flashed on the idea that the Pacific Rim Arts Society should introduce a little depth and controversy into the WestCoast visual arts scene by commissioning 10 artists to produce a work each that will:

• address at least one significant local issue head-on;
• piss at least one person off (local or tourist);
• probably never hang on someone’s living room wall.

That would be such a welcome change from our endless stream of what i call “eco-porn” — pretty images of idealized wilderness intended to covey nothing but feel-good.

The whole country seemed to be devolving into a mania for the distraction it called entertainment, a day and night mimicry of art that menaced nothing, redeemed nothing and meant nothing but forgetfulness.
–Arthur Miller in his autobiography Timebends

Author: Greg Blee

Poster to my own gregblee.ca blog, and others. View all posts by Greg Blee