Intro
The “Everything Is Going To Be Alright” Sign
Who: | Rennie Collection at Wing Sang www.renniecollection.org |
What: | Contemporary art exhibit |
When: | Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays (varied times) Between February and April 30, 2016 |
Where: | The Wing Sang Building 51 East Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6A 1S9 Canada |
Price: | FREE, by appointment. Check out their extended tour dates! |
It turns out the Wing Sang Building has been under my radar for a long time… about 3 years. While riding on the SkyTrain, I would sometimes catch a glimpse of those bright white neon words “Everything Is Going To Be Alright”.
Sometimes, they encourage me. Other times, it reminds me how we’ve abandoned Chinatown and its surrounding neighbourhood of homeless people, of drug and alcohol abuse. It reminds me how there is the need for things to be alright, because it’s not.
I never had the intention to find out where exactly and why the sign is there, until I saw it on the Rennie Collection website. And what do you know? The Rennie Collection is a contemporary art museum. If you have been following me, you know I like contemporary art.
Exclusive Private Museum
You know that feeling when you get exclusive access to something that everyone wants? The Rennie Collection is like that.
- They are privately-run.
- Free public tours are by appointment only.
- They say little about their upcoming collections.
- Subscribers get exclusive announcements of tour releases.
- The time slots are booked as fast as their release.
I’m sold.
Winter 2015 Collection of Contemporary Art
It is a guided 1 hour tour. We, about 12 visitors, are encouraged to participate and discuss.
I like a how an interpretation of conceptual art unravels before me. It enters through perplexed eyes, gets processed as a familiar idea through discussion, and exits as a savoury grin. Here is a snapshot of the exhibition.
Packaging
History
Or sometimes it’s a feeling that moves into the digestive tracts, twist and churns, against the bitter memory of knowledge.
Black & White
Sometimes art welcomes flash photography.
Reflection of Humanity
It tickles your obsessive compulsive behaviour to put those pieces together. To fix things.
Identity
And contrasts itself to make a point.
Ha.
Art makes you wonder about value, and laughs at you for falling prey as spectator.
Torn
It breaks you.
My Thoughts on the Collection
With the Rennie Collection I have an increased admiration for the art of curation. The way all the pieces seem to talk to one another, a common topic of race, of identity.
Yet, at the same time, I feel deprived. I get that it is a personal collection but I want it to speak to me. To speak not only Black and White. To speak Chinese, Chinese Canadian, Punjabi, Filipina, other cultural races; to speak of identity that’s not lost, but embraced in bits; to speak local, more reflective of Vancouver.
Any ideas where I can find this?
Thanks to CL and PG for coming for the ride.