What The Kids Are Doing Today…
The Emily Carr University Grad Show
The Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) is a world leader in art, media, and design education. Ranked the best in Canada and 24th in the world. It just happens to be in my backyard, so when they announced their Grad Show, I paid attention.
I have been attending their annual Grad Show for decades. I am always curious as to what the kids are doing these days. So when my friend Michael suggested we go to view the exhibition — I jumped at the chance.
Michael is a talented photographer and a dear friend, so that makes him the perfect companion for a show at ECU. The bonus is that Michael was in charge of the audio-visual department at ECU for many years, so he has a personal connection to the institution.
We entered the exhibit and drifted through the various displays. The variety of work on view was impressive: painting, illustration, sculpture, new media, film, animation, industrial design, and what we were primarily there to see: Photography.
What became evident rather quickly is that photography — which used to be a major part of the Grad Show — is now a minor player. Considering that the student population has quadrupled in the past few years it was a bit of a shock for both of us.
