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SATURDAY EVENING POST
November 23rd, 2024
The Fondation Jacques Rougerie – Académie des Beaux-Arts Artistic Prize for Space is a prestigious biennial award established in 2020 in partnership with the Académie des Beaux-Arts. This prize honours artists who explore innovative expressions related to space, encompassing disciplines such as painting, sculpture, engraving, drawing, musical composition, film, audiovisual, photography, and choreography. Recipients are awarded €10,000 in recognition of their contributions.
Our artist David Spriggs, a Canadian artist renowned for his large-scale, three-dimensional installations, was honoured with this award for his exceptional work this week, acknowledging his innovative contributions to contemporary art and his exploration of space-related themes.
Winning the Fondation Jacques Rougerie Artistic Prize for Space at the Institut de France is undoubtedly a milestone in David Spriggs’ career, but it’s far from his first brush with international recognition. His groundbreaking installations, which use layered transparent imagery to create immersive visual experiences, have captivated audiences worldwide. Just last year, while we hosted Spriggs’ exhibition in our gallery, his work was also being featured at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre, Paris, as part of Iris van Herpen's exhibition. Yet, despite these remarkable achievements, the local and national media remained completely silent.
Throughout the exhibition, we engaged in persistent efforts to connect with major media outlets—CBC, CTV, Global TV, The Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Georgia Straight, and one of the few art magazines left in Canada Border Crossings Magazine. Despite repeated outreach through phone calls, emails, press releases, and the provision of images, our attempts were met with silence. Is it that these institutions are too preoccupied, or is there a deeper cultural disregard at play? Is the celebration of local artistic talent considered too trivial or unworthy of attention?
Why is it that the Canadian media so often fails to acknowledge and celebrate its own talent when they receive global recognition? Is it indifference, or is there simply no one left to write knowledgeably about art in this country? When one of our own is showcased in an institution as prestigious as the Louvre, it should spark national pride. Instead, the lack of coverage sends a troubling message: that art, even at its highest levels of international acclaim, is not a priority here.
This disregard for Canadian artists isn’t an isolated incident, it’s a systemic issue. Time and again, exhibitions and artists that deserve attention are met with silence. The neglect is not just disappointing, it’s appalling. Art is a vital sector of society, shaping our cultural identity and influencing how we engage with the world. Yet, our media’s failure to celebrate these achievements undermines its importance and leaves one to wonder—who will champion Canadian art if not Canada itself?
David Spriggs with Red Wave, 2023, Acrylic on layered plexiglass in display case, 60 x 60 x 15 inches. Photo by Kyle Juron. © Paul Kyle Gallery.
So, what does it mean to be a Canadian artist? Are we relevant?
The idea that Canadian artists often need international recognition before gaining acknowledgment at home reflects a persistent and significant dynamic in Canada’s cultural landscape. This phenomenon is not just an anecdotal observation, but a recurring theme echoed by many artists, critics, and art historians. It often points to underlying structural and cultural tendencies in the Canadian art scene, which can hinder the domestic celebration of talent until it has been validated abroad.
Jeff Wall, a leading figure in the Vancouver School of photoconceptualism, has articulated this sentiment directly, stating that to be known in Canada, one must first gain acceptance internationally. His career exemplifies this pattern. Wall’s critical reception in Europe not only established his international reputation but also legitimized his practice for Canadian institutions and collectors. His eventual recognition in Canada, including retrospectives at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Canada, came only after his global status was solidified.
Jeff Wall, The Destroyed Room, 1978. Transparency in lightbox, 159 x 234 cm. Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.
Jeff Wall, Milk, 1984, Transparency in lightbox, 187 x 229 cm. Museum of Modern Art, New York, courtesy of the artist.
Jack Bush, a prominent figure in Colour Field and Post-Painterly Abstraction, and a member of the Painters Eleven, experienced a similar trajectory. Despite being rooted in Canada, Bush’s career was propelled by his relationship with the influential American art critic Clement Greenberg. Bush’s exhibitions in New York during the 1960s garnered widespread acclaim, aligning him with the American abstract expressionist movement. This success abroad validated his work and encouraged Canadian institutions and collectors to reevaluate his contributions. Only later did major Canadian institutions, such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, fully embrace his significance as a leader in postwar abstraction.
Jack Bush: In Studio at the Esker Foundation, 2016. Image courtesy of the Esker Foundation, © Esker Foundation.
Jack Bush, Spin-Off Yellow, June 1976, Acrylic on canvas, 67 x 140.5 inches.
Agnes Martin, born in Macklin, Saskatchewan, gained prominence as one of the leading figures of Minimalism, but her career flourished primarily in the United States. While she is now celebrated as one of Canada’s greatest artists, her recognition at home lagged behind her success in New York.
Agnes Martin, White Flower I, 1985. Acrylic and graphite on canvas, 183 x 183 cm. Purchased 1995. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Agnes Martin Foundation, New York / SOCAN, Montreal (2022) Photo: NGC.
Charles R. Rushton, Agnes Martin, April 6, 1991. Galisteo, NM, 1991. © Charles R. Rushton / ARS, NY. Photo: Courtesy of Charles R. Rushton / Art Resource, NY.
Jean Paul Riopelle’s career trajectory is another example of this dynamic. Although he was born in Montreal, a leading member of the Automatistes, his work became celebrated in Paris, where he was part of the Surrealist circle, and then the Lyrical Abstractionists. During the 1950s, American critics associated him with the Abstract Expressionists, though he rejected this comparison, his international reputation eventually led Canadian institutions to recognize his significance.
Jean Paul Riopelle, Hommage aux Nymphéas – Pavane [Tribute to the Water Lilies – Pavane], 1954, oil on canvas, 300 x 550.2 cm. Purchased 1963. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Estate of Jean Paul Riopelle, (Copyright Visual Arts-CARCC, 2023) Photo: NGC.
Canada has historically looked to the United States and Europe for cultural validation. This reflects a colonial mindset, where achievements recognized by larger, more established art markets are perceived as proof of quality and relevance. This perception has slowly shifted, but historical patterns of recognition have revealed the underlying challenges in fostering local pride in Canadian art before international acclaim.
This tendency raises deeper questions about the cultural and institutional priorities in Canada. Does this pattern suggest a lack of confidence in Canada’s own cultural output, where success is often measured by how well an artist performs in more established art centres? This hesitancy undermines the ability to develop a strong, self-sustaining national art market. Canadian institutions and private collectors may need to take a more proactive role in identifying and supporting homegrown talent early in their careers. By investing in artists before they achieve global fame, we can help shape a more robust national art identity. Supporting not only emerging artists, but important mid-career artists and providing them with the resources to experiment and grow domestically can often reduce the reliance on external validation. When Canadian artists achieve recognition abroad, media and institutions should highlight these achievements as a source of national pride, encouraging more attention at home. By emphasising the value of Canadian art within, and within the context of global innovation, institutions and private collectors can build a stronger sense of national pride in their cultural contributions.
Marcel Dzama in his Brooklyn studio, 2021. Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, photo by Jason Schmidt.
What about media coverage?
The lack of art coverage in Canadian media reflects a broader cultural and systemic issue, one that prioritizes immediacy and mass appeal over depth and intellectual engagement. This imbalance not only neglects the contributions of Canadian artists but also contributes to a society that undervalues cultural and aesthetic experiences.
I often feel that sports coverage dominates Canadian media in ways that reveal a societal inclination toward entertainment that reinforces community and national identity through lazy narratives. If a hockey player breaks a fingernail, it is headline news! What does this reveal about our societal values? While sports undoubtedly have cultural value, their disproportionate focus in the media marginalizes other cultural pillars, like the arts, that are equally crucial to understanding and expressing national identity.
Leading Canadian newspapers have often relegated art coverage to occasional reviews or lifestyle features, without the prominence of dedicated sections. And what happened to our art critics and art writers? Art’s potential is often overshadowed because it is presented sporadically and without the consistent framing that sports or other sections receive. Canadian artists achieving international acclaim, such as those winning prestigious prizes or exhibiting in groundbreaking shows, are often ignored unless their achievements can be tied to broader, sensationalised narratives.
News media heavily emphasize political scandals, violent crime, and tragedies, feeding a culture of anxiety and desensitization. While there is a role for reporting these events, their dominance in the news cycle comes at the expense of stories that celebrate human achievement, beauty, and creativity. The relentless focus on negative news erodes public optimism and fosters a sense of disempowerment. In sidelining stories about cultural innovation and artistic excellence, the media deny audiences the opportunity to experience moments of inspiration, hope, and collective pride. Reporting on art, culture, and beauty provides an antidote to the prevailing narratives of despair.
When the media does cover visual arts, it often gravitates towards sensational or superficial narratives, stories about monetary value, or viral spectacles like a duct-taped banana selling for millions at Sotheby’s. Such coverage reduces art to a spectacle, shaping public perception, particularly among younger audiences, to view art as nothing more than a frivolous commodity or gimmick. Why do we allow uninformed anchors, with limited knowledge and unexamined biases, to dominate the discourse, perpetuating lazy and misleading interpretations of art and culture?
Consider the infamous controversy surrounding Voice of Fire at the National Gallery of Canada. Rather than fostering a meaningful discussion on the painting's significance within the history of abstraction or its pivotal role in contemporary art, the media seized on its perceived simplicity, spouting reductive, populist clichés like "a child could do it." This approach was not an attempt to educate or provoke thoughtful critique; it was an exercise in ridicule, reducing a culturally significant acquisition to a spectacle of public derision.
Why is art so often framed as trivial, as a joke, or worse, as a scam? Why does the media seem more interested in fostering cynicism than cultivating understanding? This is not merely a failure of journalism, it is a cultural disservice. By trivializing art, the media erodes its potential to inspire, to challenge societal norms, and to provoke critical reflection. The dismissal of art as insignificant is not harmless; it represents a profound loss of cultural and intellectual richness, stifling the very discourse that allows us to connect with ideas that shape our humanity.
The media often cater to what they perceive as mass appeal, delivering content that is “accessible”, but, in many cases, reductive. Does this approach reflect a broader trend of undervaluing audiences’ intellectual and cultural appetites? The idea that the public is not interested in art or cannot engage with complex cultural narratives is misguided. When the media actively prioritize art, as seen in countries like France or Germany, audiences rise to meet the challenge, becoming more engaged with their cultural heritage. By focusing narrowly on topics like politics, celebrity scandals, and sports, the media perpetuate a cycle where art is seen as niche, elitist, or irrelevant. Art is a right, not a luxury, culture and beauty are not frivolous extras but essential components of a thriving society. This neglect deprives society of the chance to encounter ideas that challenge, provoke, and expand understanding.
Marcel Dzama, Untitled, 2002, Ink, watercolour, and root beer concentrate on paper, 11 x 14 inches. The Judith Rothschild Foundation, Contemporary Drawings Collection Gift. © 2024 Marcel Dzama.
Art programs in schools are often the first to be cut, falling victim to budgetary constraints and being dismissed as non-essential. These programs are frequently seen as expendable components that school administrations can eliminate when faced with financial challenges. Issues such as inadequate funding, insufficient space, a lack of qualified teachers, or difficulties in assigning classes to existing staff all contribute to the marginalization of the arts in education.
But can we imagine cutting math, English, or social studies with the same ease? What about mandatory language programs like French? Why is it that the arts are so readily cast aside, labeled as "unnecessary"? This raises a fundamental question: what are we teaching the next generation when we dismiss the arts?
What happens to young, aspiring artists who rely on opportunities to nurture their creativity and explore their potential? Beyond organizations like Arts Umbrella and a handful of other initiatives, where can they turn?
Why does the arts sector consistently suffer in Canada? Is this why we often look to other countries—countries with robust arts programs, well-funded institutions, thriving organizations, and media that celebrate and support the arts? Have we lost a part of our national identity because we undervalue the arts from such an early stage? By failing to prioritize the arts, are we inadvertently teaching our youth to lose themselves before they’ve even had a chance to find their voice?
Can we do better as Canadians by resisting the impulse to "dumb down" content and instead trusting our audiences to engage with profound, challenging, and inspiring stories? Art, after all, captures the complexities of the human experience, offering a lens through which we can examine societal values, struggles, and aspirations.
