Colville (1920–2013). Although previously unknown
families that they try to engage in learning about
to us, Colville co-represented Canada in the 1966
indigenous art history, or the art community which
Venice Biennale, and has been widely exhibited
they try to attract by showing up and coming art-
internationally. His paintings made with ‘glazed
ists, or possibly the sponsors that they are aiming at
oil emulation’ have quite an unorthodox charm for
by focusing on the art market’s current hypes.
their time, giving the impression of digital prints or screenshots from a video game, capturing the sub-
The evening was marked by our presentation of
jects in a static moment and captivating the eye of
Supermarket – Stockholm Independent Art Fair at
the spectator. Later in Toronto I managed to grab a
SAW Video Media Arts Centre, an independent video
bargain in a second-hand book store and purchased
production initiative which was initially launched
a publication with his collected works; the beauti-
by Galerie SAW Gallery. We also had the opportu-
ful book made my heart beat faster and shined
nity to show Supermarket’s new promo video for
even brighter light on our trip. In all truthfulness, I
the first time, shot and edited by Swedish artist
was searching for the full edition of Anne of Green
Andreas Nur (and the crowds loved it). The presen-
Gables, the marvellous character of my childhood
tation space was located above Galerie SAW Gal-
recently poorly adapted into a tv-series which made
lery’s new venue in Ottawa city centre, at the time
the lovely story of Anne’s life into a drama of abuse
still under construction and to be opened in spring
and despair. I was shocked that my colleagues never
2019. We got a tour around the already good-looking
heard of Anne of Green Gables! Until they suddenly
construction site, with the impressive size of nearly
simultaneously realised and said: “Aha, Anne på
1500m2, aside from the gallery and exhibition space
Grönkulla! I thought it was Swedish”. Apparently,
containing Club SAW, the Nordic Lab initiative, live performance venue and residency space – and probably much more that I have already forgotten. SAW is an impressive example of how well-developed the artist-run structure in Canada is: having been established in 1973, with permanent staff and venue, and a quite secure yearly budget (if still dependant on state funding). SAW Gallery attracts over 30,000 visitors each year to its different programmes, faring very well in comparison to larger public and private art institutions. What I find as quite a striking disparity to European artist-runs is the approach to fundraising and private sponsorship. Where on the continent non-profit galleries mostly shy away from private donations and crowdfunding for art projects is seen as something nearly dirty and belonging to commercial realms, it seems to be a common practice in Canada unburdened by any such preconceptions. It is probably due to the lesser division between the
On the train to Montréal, 2018, photo: Jason St-Laurent
they never even read the Swedish translation of this
for- and not-for-profit art centres in the country, and
must-read classic – notwithstanding the fact that
therefore also lack of prejudice between the two, or
the 1909 translation to Swedish by Karin Jensen was
simply based on the strongly privatised society in
the first translation of the novel from English.
all its economic sectors.
Just at the time of our stay in the city, the new Ottawa Art Gallery opened but we missed the public
Montréal
opening and only passed the angular modernist building. It is always interesting to guess and see what a new arts centre brings to a local community – will it be successful in addressing the different au-
Day 4
diences, fulfilling its educational programme, giving
The faithful SAW Galleri-ans Jason, Alex and the
a diverse picture of the different art currents? So
gallery’s director Tam-Ca Vo-Van accompanied
many of them end up in a stuffy suffocating exist-
our team to help us navigate around Montréal. We
ence, not quite sure if their target audience is the
took the train from Ottawa Train Station, a black