A Guide to the South Granville ArtWalk

Immerse in the sceneries of beautiful British Columbia at Bau-Xi during the ArtWalk, Saturday (June 20).

Over the past three years, the art district of South Granville has lost several notable galleries—including Andy Sylvester’s storied Equinox and Jennifer Winsor’s and Monte Clark’s self-named temples to modern art—to The Flats, an evolving art district east of Pacific Central Station. Yet the city’s historic Gallery Row, established with the opening of Bau-Xi in 1965, carries on the tradition with a score of exhibition spaces, many of which open their doors to visitors this weekend.None of the Granville galleries is nearly as long-lived as Bau-Xi, which, at 50, is the oldest existing contemporary commercial gallery in Vancouver. And because the founding Huang family owns the building, it’s staying put: Bau-Xi is able to resist the move eastward in search of cheaper rents.Besides, “The Flats are currently still very much a destination, whereas in the South Granville neighbourhood, there are more amenities and that’s where our clients are,” says director/curator Riko Nakasone, who attributes the gallery’s longevity to strong relationships with both artists and clients. “A gallery’s reputation lies in how it treats its artists and clients—this knowledge spreads very quickly within the artistic community.”At this Saturday’s ArtWalk, visitors to Bau-Xi will experience recent work by David T. Alexander, an artist who lives here and has shown from Dubai to Seoul. Look especially for the large-scale acrylic Infinite Travels With My Father, which re-creates feelings of being immersed within a landscape.From southernmost Bau-Xi (the gallery is near W. 15th Avenue) head north to check out the 15 other galleries taking part in this special one-day, free-admission event, now in its fourth year. The galleries are also hosting activities, including chocolate sampling, music performances, silent art auction, and more.Click here for a detailed schedule of activities at Bau-Xi Gallery, or browse a general schedule of ArtWalk activities here.