"Beluga Whales, 2011" by Tim Pitsiulak
In Myth and Machine at Inuit Gallery of Vancouver (Apr. 14 to May 4), Cape Dorset artist Tim Pitsiulak creates contemporary coloured-pencil drawings that illustrate both Inuit legend and reality. In addition to wildlife pieces (“Beluga Whales, 2011,” pictured), you’ll see Pitsiulak’s detailed compositions of snowmobiles and boats, integral to life in the vast Arctic.—Kristina Urquhart
"Holy Man" by Robert Stonier. Photo by Tim Bonham courtesy Vancouver Art Gallery
To April 29
Take a trip back in time with the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Lights Out! Canadian Painting from the Sixties collection. The psychedelic 1960s weren’t only about mod fashion and flower power—the world was undergoing massive cultural changes, which were reflected in the political and social commentary made by Canadian modernist art at the time. This time-capsule exhibition mounts figurative and abstract pieces by artists including Greg Curnoe, Michael Morris and Ronald Stonier (“Holy Man,” pictured), with a focus on both expressionistic and geometric works that explore colour and optical illusion. Groovy, baby!—Kristina Urquhart
"Abundance Fenced" by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. Photo by KK Law
Vancouver’s public-art scene just got a little edgier with “Abundance Fenced” (pictured) by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. The First Nations artist fuses Northwest Coast motifs with Japanese graphics, which he’s dubbed “Haida manga.” The sculpture, atop a retaining wall at the Knight Street and 33rd Avenue intersection, depicts orcas pursuing salmon and is inspired by the bountiful Fraser River salmon run of 2010.—Kristina Urquhart
Society. Photo by KK Law
How’s this for an offer you can’t refuse: movie nights at Yaletown hot spot Society (pictured). Reserve a seat in the upstairs lounge to see this month’s flick, Michael Jackson’s This Is It (Apr. 4, 7 p.m.), on the big projector screen. There’s complimentary popcorn, but why settle for kernels when you could sample some specials? Try the addictive buffalo wings on the $5 snack menu or pastas and pizzas for $8 each. Meals, movies and mingling—now that’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship.—Kristina Urquhart
"Snowy Owl" by Rex Homan
March 31 to April 21
Aboriginal art aficionados and avian enthusiasts alike will appreciate the 33 graphic carvings in Rex Homan: Raven Dreaming at Spirit Wrestler Gallery. Homan, a New Zealand Maori artist, pays tribute to the Canadian birds that play a role in Northwest Coast First Nations mythology and tradition (“Snowy Owl,” pictured).—Kristina Urquhart
"Nest Mandala II" by Suzanne Northcott
Check out the contemporary paintings and drawings in New Work by Suzanne Northcott, a local mixed-media artist who favours the themes of transformation and migration (“Nest Mandala II,” pictured). At Granville Fine Art (Mar. 24 to 30).—Kristina Urquhart
"Floating Village, Cambodia" by David Burdeny
Fresh off a trip to Southeast Asia, local photographer David Burdeny presents chromogenic prints in Traverse at Jennifer Kostuik Gallery (Mar. 8 to Apr. 8). He creates these stunning photos by layering dye over a silver-halide image (“Floating Village, Cambodia,” pictured), his works often a commentary on the human condition.—Kristina Urquhart
"Cloud, North Pender Island, BC" by Toni Onley
The late great contemporary artist Toni Onley used to take his daughter Lynn on trips to remote Canadian locations in his floatplane so they could study and paint the scenery. Toni’s delicately tinted works (“Cloud, North Pender Island, BC,” pictured) live on, paired alongside his protégé’s richly coloured pieces in Connected Landscapes: Watercolours by Lynn & Toni Onley at Art Beatus (Mar. 2 to Apr. 27).—Kristina Urquhart
Photo by Chris Randle
Call us crazy, but watching dancers descend into madness is entertaining, especially when it’s set to the frenzied strains of Ravel’s Boléro. Ballet BC presents Johan Inger’s Walking Mad at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Mar. 8 to 10), plus new works by Aszure Barton and Emily Molnar.—Kristina Urquhart
Granville Street’s drab grey electrical boxes recently got a facelift from students of Emily Carr University of Art & Design, who aim to curb unwanted graffiti while beautifying the blocks between West Cordova and Drake streets with their eye-popping vinyl WRAP project. Visit www.downtownvancouver.net for details and a map.—Kristina Urquhart (more…)
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