Enjoyed: Graham Gillmore at Clark & Faria

I really enjoyed Graham Gillmore's show at Clark & Faria, which closed on the weekend. Though the above work wasn't in the show, it's a good example of the way Gillmore is really able to deal interestingly with text and colour. Kind of a shoe-in for a word person who likes art, but whatever.

On a somewhat related note, I noticed while I was visiting the Distillery that Gibsone Jessop is gone—windows papered over, sign removed. This makes it the fourth gallery to depart the Distillery in less than a year. (Though their site mentions in small print that it's moving elsewhere, no other address is listed. I'll believe it when I see it--Sandra Ainsley and Artcore's new spaces having gone MIA.)

While some might say the galleries that left were basically "leaving since they opened," and would have failed anywhere in town, I marvel at the Distillery's ability to shed these art venues while at the same time retain some of their cultural branding cachet. It's kind of like Gentrification Classic (TM), with the art businesses coming in to raise property values until Fresh & Wild arrives. Now I know Fresh & Wild has its benefits—particularly because there's no grocery store nearby to feed local condo dwellers—but it's sad to see the area lose a bit of its art-critical mass. I don't shed a tear for these galleries that have left, but that kind of planning strategy is saddening.

Then again, who knows? Maybe all these guys skipped rent. Anyone with details is welcome to share.

Image of Graham Gillmore's Rejection Letter 2009 from canadianart.ca