NARRATIVE EXPERIENCES
In 2017, the museum embarked on a new venture to provide narrative and interactive experiences as part of its outreach programming. Through funding from the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Public Art division, the museum launched Defining Moments exhibition. Defining Moments is a legacy project to engage youth through technologically enhanced presentations of our collection. This will be done through interactive, experiential, and phenomenal approaches via film, sound, moving visuals, artefact engagement, and storytelling.
VAN KIJKDUINSTRAAT - Artists: Irwin Oostindie and Inessa Baustad Oostindie
Van Kijkduinstraat is a multi-channeled media arts installation commemorating the emotional story of the artists’ father and grandfather, Dirk Oostindie, who as a Dutch youth escaped the ‘Hunger Winter’of Amsterdam under Nazi occupation during World War II. The work illuminates Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands. Even today, Canada is fondly remembered by the Dutch, as liberators, who in 1945 rescued millions from distress and starvation.
Curators, Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O’Hara recognized that Van Kijkduinstraat resonates a “defining moment” in Canada’s military history and engages viewers by way of its multi-layered expressiveness. It is a poignant national and local human-interest story and it was chosen to be the museum’s inaugural public art exhibition funded by Vancouver Cultural Services.
Since immigrating to Canada, Dirk shared glimpses of the story of his escape to the family over the years. In 2016, Irwin and Inessa (father/daughter) traveled back to the Netherlands where they set out to retrace Dirk's escape route and to discover for themselves their intertwined Dutch/Canadian connections of this deeply emotional story. From the vivid experiences in the landscape of the North Netherlands, they stopped in many of the places Dirk had sought refuge. From their film, photo and sound documentation the artists combine the media to create a multi-channel visual installation.
Van Kijkduinstraat is a local, national and emotional personal story that also comments on a historic moment for Canada’s military. This installation includes audio interviews with Mark Zuehlke (Canada’s foremost WW2 historian and Recipient of the 2014 Governor General's History Award for Popular Media Author of the Canadian Battle Series), as well as commentary from Dutch journalists and photographers met along the journey.
Designed as a progression of multiple parts, the exhibition will capture the viewer as the visuals shift as a multi-screened choreographic visual and sound symphony as if moving in temporal waves. This event is made possible through the generous support of Vancouver Cultural Services Public Art Grant, William F. White, International, IMAPON, with assistance from the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Vancouver, the Commemorative Partnership Program of Veteran Affairs Canada, and Templeton Secondary School. See: www.vankijkduinstraat.nl #vankijkduinstraat for further details.
Curators, Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O’Hara recognized that Van Kijkduinstraat resonates a “defining moment” in Canada’s military history and engages viewers by way of its multi-layered expressiveness. It is a poignant national and local human-interest story and it was chosen to be the museum’s inaugural public art exhibition funded by Vancouver Cultural Services.
Since immigrating to Canada, Dirk shared glimpses of the story of his escape to the family over the years. In 2016, Irwin and Inessa (father/daughter) traveled back to the Netherlands where they set out to retrace Dirk's escape route and to discover for themselves their intertwined Dutch/Canadian connections of this deeply emotional story. From the vivid experiences in the landscape of the North Netherlands, they stopped in many of the places Dirk had sought refuge. From their film, photo and sound documentation the artists combine the media to create a multi-channel visual installation.
Van Kijkduinstraat is a local, national and emotional personal story that also comments on a historic moment for Canada’s military. This installation includes audio interviews with Mark Zuehlke (Canada’s foremost WW2 historian and Recipient of the 2014 Governor General's History Award for Popular Media Author of the Canadian Battle Series), as well as commentary from Dutch journalists and photographers met along the journey.
Designed as a progression of multiple parts, the exhibition will capture the viewer as the visuals shift as a multi-screened choreographic visual and sound symphony as if moving in temporal waves. This event is made possible through the generous support of Vancouver Cultural Services Public Art Grant, William F. White, International, IMAPON, with assistance from the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Vancouver, the Commemorative Partnership Program of Veteran Affairs Canada, and Templeton Secondary School. See: www.vankijkduinstraat.nl #vankijkduinstraat for further details.
Left to Right: Curators: Gayle O'Hara, Laura Lee Coles, BC Yukon Zone Commander Robert Underhill, Inessa Baustad Oostindie, Irwin Oostindie, Hon. Dutch Consul-General of Vancouver, Gert Heijkoop, and Dutch Consul, Barry Nieuwenhuijs.
DEFINING MOMENTS: CORRIDOR & FIREPLACE: ARTISTS: ROB SCHAREIN & DAVE LEITH.
In addition to the Van Kijkduinstraat installation, the grant from the the City of Vancouver provided the ability to begin a legacy project/ installation with soundscape artist Dave Leith and media artist Rob Scharein. The RCL 176/Billy Bishop/Kerrisdale has been transformed with a a series of soundscapes which play to create an immersive environment in certain areas of the legion.
Funded by a grant from the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Heritage Public Art.
Curated by Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O'Hara
Funded by a grant from the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Heritage Public Art.
Curated by Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O'Hara
FIREPLACE INSTALLATION AND PHONE APPLE PHONE APP
As part of Defining Moments legacy project, patrons can enjoy an interactive installation at the Fireplace via a mobile phone app. Billy Bishop and paintings of the Sopwith Camel fighting the Iron Cross machines come to life via sound and textual narratives. Also, one can receive the history, provenance and meaning of various military insignia plaques which surround the reproduction portrait of Billy Bishop painted by Alphonse Jongers.
Funded by a grant from the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Heritage Public Art.
Curated by Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O'Hara. Artists: Rob Scharein, and Dave Leith.
Funded by a grant from the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Heritage Public Art.
Curated by Laura Lee Coles and Gayle O'Hara. Artists: Rob Scharein, and Dave Leith.
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE RCL 176/BILLY BISHOP/KERRISDALE, THE OFFICE OF THE DUTCH-CONSUL GENERAL VANCOUVER, ALL OF OUR FUNDERS, SUPPORTERS, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS FOR MAKING THE DEFINING MOMENTS PROJECT A REALITY.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP - ARBRES DE MEMOIRE, TREES OF MEMORY
Opening remarks and exhibition began in the West Point Grey Community Centre Gym and then moved out to the lower meadow. Gayle O’Hara, archivist from Kits Point Military History Museum and other guest speakers spoke about the military history. Both museums exhibited historical photographs and artefacts from WW1. Digital installations were created by Laura Lee Coles and Rob Scharein, a soundscape by artist Dave Leith and a live performance by Dave Leith and Lee Hutzuluk. Participants were invited to freely walk and roam the site, a small Cottonwood grove on the grounds, which has uncanny features similar to that of the iconic grove of trees found at Vimy Ridge back in the day.
The Kits Point Military History Museum participated in the premiere of Arbres de Memoire (Trees of Memory) a digital installation, which provided an immersive and interactive site-responsive experience. Created by LocoMotoArt, Trees of Memory combined 3-D Anaglyph, computer generative visualizations and soundscapes to offer a visceral, immediate emotional impact on the subject of honouring those who gave their lives 100 years ago at Vimy Ridge during WW1. The installation was presented in the meadow garden of Aberthau Mansion on August 17, 2017. The Seaforth Highlanders Regiment Museum also participated.
Address to Canadian Corps, March 1918:
"To those who fall I say:
You will not die but step into immortality. Your mothers will not lament your fate but will be proud to have borne such sons. Your names will be revered forever and ever by your grateful country,
and God will take you unto Himself."
Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie
Left to Right: Gayle O'Hara, archivist Kits Point Military History Museum, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Catherine Evans, Laura Lee Coles, James Calhoun Curator and Meagan Stewart Assistant Curator from Seaforth Museum, and Seaforth Sergeant Patrick Farrell.
Initiating Project that inspired Narrative Experiences
The first narrative experience developed is a local walking tour titled: "Kits Point History Walk: How The CPR Shaped Our Neighbourhood". Both guided and self-guided, the project and printing of brochures was made possible by way of the Vancouver Foundation's Neighbourhood Small Grant - 150 Year Celebration program issued by Kitsilano Neighbourhood House. Museum Board Members, Gayle O'Hara and Laura Lee Coles researched, developed and conducted the first tour on February 4, 2017. Whilst on the walk, Gayle and Laura Lee presented a perspective of past and present through a series of historic photographs seen below.
Photo above: Kitsilano Beach/Kits Point circa 1890's.
Historic photos used for past & present site observation during the walk.
These photos were obtained from open source. Please see captions for descriptions.
It is recognized that Kits Point is unceded coast salish territory. We have made efforts to note the correct names, spellings and titles of the villages depicted in the photographs.