Venice Bienniale venue in Cambridge?

[rdaner]

Why is no one talking about this? If I am reading this correctly and am understanding it, this would be as significant to the arts in Ontario as 10 ROM and AGO expansions. Has anyone else here been to the Biennale? Why isn't the Toronto press getting the word out about this? At the very least someone on this site should have picked up on this.



Exhibit's Venice premiere is a local coup
February 20, 2008
KEVIN SWAYZE - RECORD STAFF - CAMBRIDGE
http://news.therecord.com/News/Canad...article/311462


A travelling show created in Cambridge to highlight the best in new Canadian buildings will represent Canada at the world's biggest architecture festival.

Two years ago, Cambridge Galleries unveiled 41 degrees to 66 degrees: Architecture in Canada -- Region, Culture, Tectonics.

Yesterday, the Canada Council said the show will represent the country at the 2008 Venice Biennale in Italy.

This was the first time the Cambridge Galleries, run by the Cambridge Public Library, have created an art show that's gone international.

The achievement might seal a possible deal to bring the Biennale's proposed North American expansion to Cambridge and Waterloo Region next year.

"It certainly strengthens our position and our credibility about where we're going," said Rick Haldenby, director of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. "We can do this."

Haldenby has been working behind the scenes for more than a year to make Cambridge and Waterloo Region home to the proposed expansion of the Biennale across the Atlantic.

He's optimistic the deal will fall into place for 2009, but to make it happen signatures must be dry by June.

"This is, to be honest, a very useful piece to fall into place," he said of the Cambridge show's selection for the Biennale.

"It certainly helps the cause."

La Biennale, which happens every even-numbered year, will run from Sept. 14 to Nov. 23. Haldenby's vision is to bring key parts of the display from Venice here for a show in the following years. He would also add components to localize the show.

Such an event would boost the region's artistic credibility on a world stage and draw tens of thousands of visitors, supporters say.

Mayor Doug Craig announced the Cambridge show's trip to Venice at the Riverside Gallery, in the School of Architecture, during the opening of Logotopia, a show about the architecture of libraries.

He hinted that more good news was brewing about the Biennale.

"I think it is very obvious this is a great step to looking at the Biennale coming to Cambridge," he said.

Cambridge MP Gary Goodyear praised the city for growing its artistic side in a big way.

"You can palpate the movement of this community onto the world stage."

The 41 degrees to 66 degrees show presents contemporary buildings from all parts of the country. Architecture professors John McMinn of Cambridge and Marco Polo of Ryerson in Toronto were lead curators.

The show going to Italy will be a customized version of the drawings, models and art now travelling across Canada, said Mary Misner, Cambridge Galleries director.

The Venice presentation will be tailored over the next six months into a more interactive event, fitting for the Canada pavilion in Venice, Misner said.

"It's kind of a rejuvenated version."

 

[rdaner]

more information

From the Cambridge Times:

(all of this is supplied by DHLawrence on SSP)

First it was the school of architecture, then the new city hall, and Drayton Theatre. Now city officials are contemplating another "monument" .

Monday night council voted to pay for half of an $80,000 feasibility study to determine whether or not Cambridge should partner with Venice, Italy, to host the world's largest architectural exhibition - Venice Biennale.

While the study passed six to one in favour of funding a study, several councillors voiced concerns.

"Here we go again creating another monument," said Coun. Rick Cowsill, who questioned why the project wasn't brought to council prior to setting the 2008 budget last week.

Chief librarian Greg Hayton explained that Rick Haldenby, director of University of Waterloo School of Architecture, couldn't bring the project forward until they had support from an anonymous donor who is paying the other half of the study's cost.

"The problem is they don't work along the same timelines as the city," he said.

Mayor Doug Craig took exception to Cowsill's shot at creating another monument.

"Those other monuments seemed to have worked out pretty well for the city."

City chief administrative officer Don Smith told council that part of the proceeds from the sale of the former Woolco building at 90 Main St. can be used to pay for the study and two city staff members will sit on its steering committee.

"We want to go through this carefully," he said. "It's a big commitment on the part of the city and we need solid information before any recommendation can be made."

Coun. Linda Whetham was the only councillor to vote against the study.

"We have a lot of other things that need to be done first," she said. "We seniors need a new seniors' centre, the youth need a new youth centre, we need to do something about job losses and then there are the potholes that have to be fixed. I'm trying to look at this with an open mind, but right now we're not ready for this."

In an interview after the meeting, Whetham said the project is outside the city's mandate.

"Our job is to take care of the trash, put up stop signs and things like that."

Councillors Karl Kiefer and Gary Price also had reservations. They, along with Cowsill, want to make sure the public has a say in what happens.

"For something of this magnitude, we need to go to the citizens," Kiefer said. "I can see the benefits, but this needs careful consideration."

Another concern Kiefer had is whether Cambridge is ready for a different kind of culture.

"This is a hockey town and I'm not sure our citizens are ready for this type of thing," he said.

Councillors Pam Wolf and Ben Tucci supported the project. Before asking for public input, Wolf said council needs to gather all available information - that means completing the feasibility study now.

She also noted that a project like the Venice Biennale would create jobs in the hospitality industry, increase tourism and again put Cambridge on the map.

Tucci said it's easy to take care of potholes, but council needs to have vision to make "bold decisions that will take the city to the next level".

Tucci said the project may be "too big for Cambridge, but it isn't too big for Waterloo Region."

"It's a huge opportunity that will benefit not just Galt, but other parts of the city, as well as North Dumfries and up as far as even St. Jacobs," he said. "We're talking about Venice, Italy here and they want to partner up with us. It just doesn't get better than that."

With council approval, terms of reference for the study will be drawn up immediately. An interim report is due in June and the final report will be completed by September. Once the report is tabled a meeting will be called to get public input.

In making his presentation to council, Hayton noted that a number of North American cities have asked to be called should Cambridge decide not to proceed.

 

[Roy G Biv]

I was at the Bienniale last year. It was pretty cool, as far as modern art goes.

David Altmejd's exhibit was very popular.

 

[Tewder]

Cambridge is a pretty little town, nice setting by the river and beautiful heritage buildings, that could really showcase something like this well. What a stimulant for southwest Ontario too, with Stratford and Elora/Fergus nearby as well as the Brantford casino. Maybe Paris should jump on the bandwagon, and the whole area could cooperate in an overall tourism strategy.

 

[Hipster Duck]

This sounds very exciting, but I'm kind of cautious about going ga-ga about high profile cultural projects in Ontario small towns that sound a little too good to be true.

For example, I remember going apeshit when I learned that the MacLaren art centre in Barrie was supposed to permanently get the second largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of Paris. I don't think this ever happened.

 

[TKTKTK]

I'm not sure I understand why this is being considered for Cambridge? Is there a perception that the Venice Biennale would get lost in Toronto?

Also, this is specifically about the Architecture Biennale, which isn't as big a deal as the odd-year art Biennale.

 

[adma]

I'm not sure I understand why this is being considered for Cambridge? Is there a perception that the Venice Biennale would get lost in Toronto?

Also, this is specifically about the Architecture Biennale, which isn't as big a deal as the odd-year art Biennale.

It's probably the "architecture" part that explains it, thanx to U of W's school there. (Sometimes, the right lobbying and the right connections can do the trick.)

 

[rdaner]

a little more info

From the Creative Intersections report presented to Cambridge City Council it looks like the plan is to convert a large turn of the century factory into a permanent exhibit space similar to what they have in Venice and also to create 20-25 permanent small scale exhibit pavilions in and around downtown Cambridge and Kitchener to be designed by individual nations, also similar to what is in Venice.

 

[rdaner]

more information

From Cambridge Times

http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news/article/123256

Team will help put Cambridge on map
By Ray Martin
News
Apr 04, 2008
Large Medium Small Print This Article Tell a friend

The connection between Cambridge Library and Galleries and University of Waterloo School of Architecture is paying some unexpected dividends.

Last year, Canada Council for the Arts approached the local library to manage the Canadian exhibit at the 2008 Venice Biennale taking place this September. Cambridge was selected because of its four-year experience in operating one of Canada's few galleries dedicated to design and architecture - Design by Riverside - which is part of the school of architecture on Melville Street.

"To be asked to be involved like this is quite significant and says a lot about our library," said chief librarian Greg Hayton.

Then in February, the other shoe dropped when the council named 41? to 66? Architecture in Canada Region, Culture, Tectonics, one of the first exhibits to be showcased at Design by Riverside, as its choice to be exhibited in the Canadian pavilion at the 2008 Venice Biennale.

"It came as a bit of a surprise," said Gallery director Mary Misner. "We're very excited about doing this."

41? to 66? Architecture in Canada Region, Culture, Tectonics is a selection of contemporary buildings representing six different cultural and geographic regions of Canada.

The made-in-Cambridge exhibit features a variety of leading contemporary Canadian architects whose work draws on iconic Canadian building types like the igloo, teepee and sod house as a means to address regional and cultural identity, landscape, climate and sustainability issues.

Putting the importance of the exhibition in context Rick Haldenby, director of the UW school of architecture explained that many of the concepts unveiled at the Venice Biennale will shape the future design of architecture around the world.

Since the announcement, the library has pulled together a team to tweak the exhibit, manage the show's logistics and do some fundraising. It includes co-curators John McMinn and Marco Polo, who are architectural professors from Ryerson and Waterloo. Also joining the team are representatives from Christie Digital, who will add some special effects to the exhibition.

"This is a good exhibit which represents architectural forms from across Canada and now we are working to further embellish it."

The exhibit has a budget of $200,000 of which $20,000 will be put up by the Cambridge Library and Galleries. Additional funding is being provided by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Talks are also ongoing with a number of sponsors to help cover any additional costs.

"We've got a lot of work to do between now and September," Misner said.

"There is no question this project will put Cambridge on the international map."

 

[jeicow]

From my understanding, a lot of the profs @ UWArch's Rome School are fairly high up in the architecture community over there so I wouldn't be surprised it they were holding some weight. I'd think it'd be a real boost for Cambridge (well, mostly Galt in all honesty) since the place is still pretty depressed. Hopefully with the new loft converions we'll see a much more vibrant place over the next few years.

 

[unimaginative2]

It's not that Cambridge is depressed. In fact, it's a very prosperous place. It's just that Cambridge is, as the councillor aptly put it, a "hockey town" where they like to shop in strip malls, drive everywhere, and consider downtowns and heritage buildings things be avoided.

The idea of the Bienniale in Cambridge is comical. Waterloo, maybe, but Cambridge... come on. Maybe that's just the Kitchener in me.

 

[ShonTron]

Cambridge looks a bit like a depressed place if you drive down Highway 8 from Preston to Galt (like the very typically rust-belt look of Babcock-Willcox), but it's solidly middle-class middle-of-the-road kind of place, but not all that sophisticated. Kitchener or Waterloo itself would appear to a more apt setting, but downtown Galt would work.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Glynde was just a sleepy croquet town before the opera house made it part of the summer season for Londoners three weeks a year.

 

[unimaginative2]

Stratford was a railway and agricultural town. Last steam shops in Canada.

 

[TKTKTK]

Isn't this a bit like hosting the Biennale in Mestre?

Why wouldn't we push for it to be hosted in Toronto? The Portlands? the West Don lands, Commissioner's Rd? The Waterfront? There are plenty of locations that are ripe for this kind of programming - especially in concert with new neighbourhood plans.

No Olympics, no expo, and now no Biennale? Our siblings seem to get the better deal, as usual.