54 Va n c o u v e r A r t G all e r y ; H e r z o g & d e M e u r o n ; A n i t a B o n n a r e n s
B C B U S I N E S S . C A
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 24
we'll have five dedicated spaces," Kiendl
notes. Once built, the new museum will
support artist residency programs, offer
multipurpose spaces, increase the exhi-
bition space to 80,000 square feet and
include a garden with outdoor artworks
on display. It will also have a theatre that
can be used for film production, cinema
programs, poetry readings and literature
and performance events.
"Donations like this help us build our
resilience and our capacity for programs,
and they help us keep operations going,"
Kiendl says.
As firm believers in the idea that good
art can be transformative, the Macintosh
family sees the
VAG as an expert in the
field of art education. Their donation will
help more under-resourced kids be able to
access and learn from art, whether that's
through subsidized visits, scholarships or
new programs.
"When we travel, we always find galler-
ies to go to," says George. "You see the kids
traipsing through, and you see them with
the right teachers or the right lecturers,
and you can see their eyes light up. I don't
think you can have too much of that."
The Art
of Giving
Last year, 16-year-old Henry
Wang sold his own art and
donated proceeds to the
Vancouver Art Gallery
Born in China in 2007, Henry
Wang started drawing at the
age of five and moved to
Vancouver at the age of 11.
After participating in the
VAG Teen Art Group program
(which, through a partnership
with Emily Carr University,
helps 15- to 18-year-old stu-
dents explore art-making and
culture), Wang decided to hold
a solo exhibition in 2023.
He sold 10 of the 65 pieces
displayed. "It boosted my con-
fidence by a mile after seeing
that people actually wanted to
purchase my work," he says.
Wang's decision to donate
$12,000 to
VAG's Institute of
Asian Arts—which celebrates
historical and contemporary
Asian art through exhibitions,
programs and events—comes
from the heart.
"I wanted to represent the
prospering young talents of
Vancouver and bring more
spotlight to up-and-coming
artists," he explains. "I also
wanted to represent the Asian
community. I believe that
more and more young Asian
talents are going to take the
steering wheel in the Van-
couver art scene in the next
couple of years."
WORK OF ART
Swiss architectural firm Herzog &
de Meuron offers up a rendering
of the new Vancouver Art Gallery,
which will have 80,000 square
feet of exhibition space
