The Demise of Woodwards
Nothing ever remains the same...
Woodwards was a venerable old department store that served Vancouverite's for 90 years until it closed its doors in 1993. Its history has been well documented; during that time articles and essays in various publications, along with interviews and film clips of those working and shopping at Woodwards and the protests and occupation along with the planning and construction of the new Woodwards. The stories are fascinating and worthy of a complete documentary.
Around 2005/6 I took many photographs of the changing face of Vancouver and questioned the rapid pace of development with little regard for the existing community and heritage buildings. Amoung those photos were several of the abandoned Woodwards as well as its destruction.
This exhibition focuses on that demise and destruction.
In each scene I have creatively re-interpreted the reference material to draw attention to the aesethics of light and colour that can easily be overlooked in pictures of visual pollution. The drama of each skyscape compliments the narrative frameworks.
"Delapidation" illustrates the grittiness of the Downtown East Side. I have filled the bottom the painting with a scene of action amoung the variety of people that interact there. The people are dwarfed by the sick building of Woodwards and a fast moving powerful cold front overtaking the blue sky. Further to that I employed the Vancouver motif of crows who are flocking together with the freedom to escape the area.
"Demolition" casts harsh light into the atmosphere of tumbling masonry, clouds of billowing dust and the deafening sounds of excavators going about their work seemingly in a ballet of choreography.
"Detritus" is referenced from B&W photos taken at mid-morning on a dreary rainy day by photo-journalist Rafel Gertsak. For a different commentary I created a composition of single point perspective, changed the time of day to dusk and filled the sky with deep colour changing the setting from a prosaic day to one of melancholy.
Now there is a new Woodwards on the site of the old one. Its stunning architecture incorporates the iconic features of the old building along with a large photo display along E. Hastings Street depicting the employees and shoppers bustling with life inside the former store. The new Woodwards consists of market and mixed use social housing, child and welfare services. a large drug store, a supermarket and a university annex. Clearly the 100 block of E. Hastings Street has been revitalised.
I hope my three paintings give pause for thought and that one day they may become part of Woodwards' much storied history.