Eastside Culture Crawl: What to expect from the biggest crawl yet
Annual free event is bigger than ever with 475 artists exhibiting in 80 locations on Vancouver's east side
The Eastside Culture Crawl is back and bigger than ever for its 19th year, with almost 500 artists in Vancouver's east side showing off the best of their craft, and more than 20,000 people expected to attend.
The crawl began on Thursday and runs through Sunday, giving the public four days to check out the work of these artists in 80 locations for free.
"We've really grown from what started out to be three buildings and a handful of artists to over 80 [buildings] and 475 artists," said executive director Esther Rausenberg.
Enjoy the east side!
To get the most out of your time, Rausenberg suggests the following:
- Visit over two days, because there is so much to see
- Go on the website and get a sense of what you would like to see (you can search by the type of medium you like)
- Be prepared to be distracted and digress from your plan, if something else catches your eye
- If you have kids, maybe try the smaller studios as the large ones will be crowded
- Leave your cars at home if possible, as most studios are within walkable distance, and there is a bicycle valet and a new shuttle service
Twisted sculpture, cracked canvas
One of the stops on the crawl, an old warehouse building on 1000 Parker Street, is home to hundreds of studios, including that of David Robinson, who makes sculptures in bronze, silver and steel and a type of polymer clay.
His sculptures play with form, and his figures look as if the bones and tendons can be seen.
"It's so fascinating to see the way in which the material will speak," Robinson told North by Northwest host Sheryl MacKay, who recently visited his studio.
"In one moment, it can go to being just this loose, gorgeous, gestural energy of a figure, to the next instant the addition of some completely unanticipated element or form, and all of a sudden it can be flayed and tortuous."
"It can be endlessly surprising to work with them … I never know when to stop."
Robinson said he is looking forward to having more of the public see his work.
"The culture crawl is an interesting thing because it's a bit of a test audience for the artist, you begin to find out how this work reads," he said.
Another studio in the same warehouse belongs to Karen Bagawaya, a visual artist who combines weaving, clay and colour in her work to create pieces that look like canvasses covered in cracks and fissures.
She said she is inspired by elements in nature, such as "lichen, the texture of pine cones, the colour of changing fall leaves."
"I love hiking, and I love being outdoors, and living here in B.C. just gives you so much inspiration," she said.
To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled: How to make the most out of the 19th annual Eastside Culture Crawl