Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/609048
FALL 2015 simon 31 SFU.CA KEN LUM Unlike some artists, whose works remain shut into quiet, white-walled galleries, Ken Lum's public art literally lights up the city. His most notable example, Monument for East Vancouver, is a 20-metre-high, LED-illuminated cross that spells out "East Van," sta- tioned at the corner of Great Northern Way and Clark Drive. Since its erection in 2010, the cross has both delighted and offended, sparking conversation among Vancouver residents about what it means to be part of a community. In everything from sculpture to multimedia pieces to photos, billboard art, painting and text, the inter- nationally renowned artist has taken on a wide range of social themes. One of his latest works, Vancouver Especially, addresses Vancouver's skyrocketing real estate prices, as well as the transformation of historic Chinatown. The installation (located at 271 Union Street) is a miniature replica of a quintessential two-storey Vancouver Special house complete with low-pitched roof, ground-fl oor brick façade and front- facing second-level balcony. Lum wasn't always an artist, though, until an evening class changed the course of his studies in biological sciences at SFU in the late '70s. "My future became clearer to me at SFU in terms of what I wanted to do. Everything seemed open to me and I wanted to try everything. I joined [SFU student newspaper] The Peak to write columns on art. I experimented with performance and video art in ways that I would never have dared prior to SFU. I took a dance class, which was transformative. I shared a house with dancers, theatre and fi lm people and discovered in a deep way the creative linkages. I owe so much of who I am today to my time at SFU." In recognition of the impact of his work in the arts, this year Lum was awarded an honorary SFU degree. ROSEMARY BROWN A lifelong advocate against racism and sexism, Rosemary Brown experienced both fi rst-hand. A Canadian immigrant from Jamaica, Brown suffered from discrimination as a student at McGill, but used the experience to propel an interest in social and political activism. She became a founding member of the Vancouver Status of Women Council, and in 1972 became the fi rst black woman to sit in the Legislative Assembly of B.C., kicking off 14 years as an MLA with the NDP. Three years later, she ran for leadership of the federal NDP party and only narrowly lost to Ed Broadbent. She became a professor of Women's Studies at SFU, and later served as chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Before her passing in 2003, Brown was named an offi cer of the Order of Canada. Q E W Q Working with fellow architect Geoffrey Massey, the late Arthur Erickson designed SFU's world-renowned Burnaby campus, a much-lauded structure that would cement the legendary architect's reputation in the inter- national arena. W Twenty years after he invented the V-Chip, SFU engineering sci- ence former professor Tim Collings has been appointed to the Order of B.C. for his efforts to decrease the violence children have access to on TV. He conceived of the chip in response to the 1989 Montreal Massacre, which got him thinking about the effect of television violence on behaviour. He spent the next several years developing a device that allows parents to control how much violence their kids are exposed to. THE DIAMOND FAMILY The Diamond family's relationship with SFU spans more than four decades, beginning in 1967 when Jack fi rst served on the University's Board of Governors and later as chancellor; he and his late wife Sadie's fundrais- ing on behalf of SFU helped build the University in its early years. Since then, SFU has celebrated his son Gordon and daughter-in-law Leslie's achievements: Gordon received an SFU honorary degree in 1999, and 10 years later, the pair received the SFU President's Distinguished Community Leadership Award. In honour of Leslie's 70th birthday, Gordon donated $1 million to the University to create the Leslie Diamond Chair in Cancer Survivorship. C H A MP IONS , INNO VATORS , DOERS + C H A NGE M A K ERS