September 20th Simon Fraser University opens Metro Vancouver’s newest culture hub – the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum (the Gibson).
Opening with an inaugural group exhibition, Edge Effects, showcasing 15 acclaimed Canadian artists, the landmark institution marks the beginning of a new cultural legacy for the university, as its first purpose-built art museum that consolidates what was previously known as SFU Galleries.
The inaugural exhibition’s title, Edge Effects, is a reference to the ecological term “edge effect,” which describes the conditions created where two adjacent ecological communities meet, such as an estuary between a river and the ocean. This results in a complex co-existence between species that would otherwise never have the chance to interact – like the museum position at the edge of academia and the public.
The Gibson gives the public the chance to view the groundbreaking building on its opening weekend, September 20-21, with a family-friendly program on Saturday from 2–5pm. Following welcoming remarks, there will be a performance by Lucien Durey, an art studio with kids’ activities, light snacks and refreshments. On Sunday, the museum will host an artist talk with participating artists Patrick Cruz, Sameer Farooq and Jared Stanley at 2pm.
The Gibson features an award-winning design by Siamak Hariri, founding partner of Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects, in partnership with Vancouver-based Iredale Architecture, the 12,100-square-foot museum is defined by its unique polygonal form and expansive windows that draw in the natural landscape and foster a sense of openness.
“In part inspired by the intelligence of trees and their underground networks of communication and support, the Gibson is a space where art and learning come together to create a vibrant canopy of activity supported by deep connections,” says Kimberly Phillips, director of the Gibson. “My desire for natural light and porosity, for bringing the outside in, stems in part from Dr. Edward Gibson’s own belief, as an urban geographer, in art’s connection to its surroundings and the unique experience of Arthur Erickson’s architecture on the Burnaby campus. Many works in the SFU Art Collection are deeply rooted in this place, reflecting its history and territories. As the new home for this collection, the Gibson deserves to be a space open to the world, allowing the art to engage with the very environment from which it emerged.”
The Gibson’s architectural and design details all highlight this sense of flow and warmth, including the craftsmanship of its intricate brick work and the decision to have two entrances into the building: one facing the SFU Transit Exchange (main bus loop) and the other toward the campus that allow visitors to explore seamlessly. The structure is made from BC-sourced mass timber beams that distinguish the 15-foot-high ceilings. The building is fully electric and LEED Gold certified. Flexible programming spaces feature areas with long tables for farmhouse style seating and a central hearth that will serve as the home of a new site-specific, semi-permanent installation by Cindy Mochizuki. In addition to the furniture designed locally by Lock & Mortice, there are pieces brought in from international companies, such as fully compostable upholstered lounges from Milan-based Studio Urquiola and the Danish-made bricks that reference Erickson’s favoured concrete but are characterized by a warmer colour.
For more information about Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, visit gibson.sfu.ca and see The Gibson in person at the SFU Burnaby Campus, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby. Regular opening hours Wednesdays to Sundays from 11am–5pm