PHOTOGRAPHS : ( CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT ) COURTESY CONTEMPORARY CALGARY ; BY KELLY HOFER ; ENTERTAINMENT LEGEND STEVE MARTIN ASSISTS AUCTIONEER STEPHEN RANGER ( WADDINGTON ’ S ) TO AUCTION A CHRIS CRAN PIECE ( PICTURED LEFT ) AT LOOK2016 , CONTEMPORARY CALGARY ’ S PREMIER FUNDRAISER , ON OCTOBER 22 , 2016 . A PIECE BY ARTIST DIANE LANDRY IS ALSO PICTURED , BEHIND RANGER ; ZIMOUN , 370 PREPARED DC-MOTORS , COTTON BALLS , CARDBOARD BOXES 71X71X71CM , 2014 , MOTORS , COTTON , STEAL , CARDBOARD , POWER SUPPLY . DIMENSIONS VARIABLE . INSTALLATION VIEW : BEALL ART CENTER , LOS ANGELES , USA , PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDIO ZIMOUN . its interior appearance to the building ’ s orientation .
In days past people would arrive to Calgary by rail , stay in the Fairmont Palliser , and walk across the street to Glenbow . The firm will look to reorient the museum ’ s entrance onto 8th avenue , where there ’ s a high volume of pedestrians throughout the day .
The museum ’ s directors envision a bright future for the space . They want up-to-date amenities to match other prominent museums across the globe , and a pulse that suits the vibrancy of the city ’ s East End . Imagine an allencompassing experience that includes exhibitions , food service , and shopping , while maintaining their Museum School program that allows students to escape the confines of the classroom and accounts for half of their visitors . That ’ s the future of Glenbow .
It continues to be an exciting time for Calgary arts and culture : Contemporary Calgary is transforming the Centennial Planetarium into the city ’ s home for modern and contemporary art .
Pierre Arpin , director and CEO of Contemporary Calgary , is helping lead the effort , since taking on the inaugural role in April 2016 . Having worked at some of Australia ’ s most prominent institutions , Arpin has the winning blend of experience and vision that could develop Calgary ’ s arts community . According to him , Calgary is young when it comes to art galleries . Some cities were established for 100 years before getting a dedicated art space , which means that while Calgary ’ s late to the party , we still have the potential to be the life of it .
“ Contemporary art is part of how we live in our communities and how we connect with cities around the globe ,” says Arpin . “ It ’ s important for a city like Calgary to have a space like this .”
The City of Calgary has
( Opposite page , left to right ) Glenbow Alberta Art Gallery staffers cataloging recently acquired paintings and drawings in 1970 ; Jeff de Boer , Barbed Wire Bronco , 2006 , Collection of Glenbow . ( This page , clockwise from top left ) Installation by Tia Halliday at Look2015 in the Centennial Planetarium , the future home of Contemporary Calgary ; Installation by Randy Niessen at Look2015 in the Centennial Planetarium , the future home of Contemporary Calgary ; Art Auction at Look2016 for Contemporary Calgary ; Zimoun , an installation that was on display at Contemporary Calgary ’ s current home on Stephen Avenue . committed $ 24.5 million to the project , which will repurpose the old science centre into the type of cultural art destination that Calgary has been missing . It could also help revitalize the West Village , in conjunction with the prospect of CalgaryNEXT tentatively relocating sports and leisure along the Bow River . That means the West Village could soon challenge the East for bragging rights as Calgary ’ s entertainment destination . It ’ s the type of healthy friction that could generate a lot of heat for a growing city that ’ s often overlooked as a hotbed of culture .
The building itself is an historic landmark , born of the mid-20th century brutalist architecture boom . It will provide 45,000 sq . feet of creative workspace , a feature that could attract and accommodate artists and exhibits from across the globe . The mazelike design that added to the mysticism of the science centre will also translate nicely as an art space , with unique rooms that facilitate the shift from theme to theme . A space like the original IMAX Dome , which once captured the imagination of school children and adults alike , now provides interesting potential for vertical and film art installations , and the globe-shaped white ceiling could be repurposed as the canvas for a projector .
The building can also host one hell of a party , as it ’ s done with three annual iterations of Contemporary Calgary ’ s LOOK gala and fundraiser . Featuring guest speakers ( most recently , Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik ), art auctions , a gourmet dinner , live music , and art installations , LOOK has been one of the most fun and memorable fundraisers in town . The planetarium is a multi-level labyrinth of slopes , angular walls , and shadowy spaces . It ’ s the perfect party setting , allowing room for hightraffic conversation and little quiet pockets for more intimate discourse .
The city ’ s financial commitment is a step in the right direction , and shows a welcome sense of urgency as the city has fallen behind in Canada ’ s arts race . Let the games begin . Glenbow , 130 - 9 Ave SE , 403-268-4100 , glenbow . org Contemporary Calgary , 117 - 8 Ave SW , 403-770-1350 , contemporarycalgary . com
THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2016 / 17 25