The Vancouver Art Gallery & Looking Back

- March 19, 2026

Isn't it remarkable that we have an entire vocabulary and creative urges with which to express ourselves. Although existence is an integrated system where humankind must find common ground to survive, we contribute uniquely with a personal spin on things.

The Vancouver Art Gallery I visited provided paper and pencils to encourage mini art projects and poetry. My poem below, written after the visit, was inspired by the Poets and Storytellers United prompt "looking back" and the multi-media displays at the gallery reflecting indigenous and like-minded holistic views from past to present.

I took many pictures that day but failed to photograph even a single painting by the great Canadian West Coast artist, Emily Carr, who conveyed her extraordinary enchantment with nature through luxurious, bold and motion-filled strokes.

Oddly enough, the original painting of my print copy (above) was not included in the extensive Emily Carr collection at the gallery. I learned there was a bit of a controversy about the painting's name, titled Indian Church and later changed to Church at Yuquot Village. You can read about the painting and the artist's evolving techniques HERE.

There was much to dazzle the senses, including this art installation by Jim Lambie described in detail HERE. Installing this work must have been a tremendous challenge.

Striking and thought-provoking indigenous art was featured from the gallery's permanent collection. The Pacific Coast themes of water and all nature as living entities show the profound interconnectedness of existence. My last photos at the bottom are of a beautifully rendered film of overlapping images by Sydney France Pascal called Distance which to me conveyed moods of both separation and of coming together.