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F O C U S G A L L E R Y A L P H A July 9, 1991, m a r k s the f i r s t anniversary of G a l l e r y A l p h a , and a l l associated with it celebrate its integrity and tenacity (it's been a struggle!). But its o r i g i n s can be traced back o v e r a decade and a half when its director (the author of this communication), submitted to Capilano College a course in aesthetics whose prime objective was to facilitate the work of the studio arts instructors by p r o v i d i n g the students themselves with the means of critical selfevaluation. The outline of that course contained a section e n t i t l e d , "T he Principles and Practise of Art Exhibition Considered As A Structuralist Activity". Half a decade later, a further attempt was made to embody and demonstrate those concepts in an exhibit of my o w n work sponsored by the N o r t h V a n c o u v e r Community Arts C o u n c i l and entitled Polymorphous. A l p h a is the r e a l i z a t i o n of those pursuits within the context of a larger, on-going creative f r a m e w o r k : the art gallery itself. In E u r o p e w h e r e the t r a d i t i o n of the art g a l l e r y as an intellectual enterprise is secure, its functions are distinct. Historically, it is perceived as a serious cultural entity, an advance guard of society. ( A r t , l i k e science or p h i l o s o p h y , constitutes a necessary social language with its own characteristic substructure and signs, its own laws and corollaries, its o w n histories, its o w n unique means of translating reality). G a l l e r y A l p h a places itself at the heart of that tradition. Its prime directive is to exhibit and promote innovative art that speaks obliquely but intelligently of human p u r s u i t s and p r o s p e c t s . Ultimately its aim is to broaden the p u b l i c u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the true functions of art generally. In a very real sense it provides an educational resource not just for the North Shore (where it is sorely needed), but for the community as a whole. W h i l e it d r a w s h e a v i l y on North Shore artists, it casts further afield for its venue in the firm belief that too restrictive a mandate would compromise its objectives. It operates a balanced exhibition programme that emphasizes the importance of the group show as a vehicle for exploring a specific theme, content or m a n n e r of e x p r e s s i o n . It exercises a c r i t i c a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n to maintain standards of quality. Because Gallery Alpha places priority on the excellence and originality of its exhibition programme, those skeptical of the g a l l e r y ' s s u r v i v a l m i g h t f i n d its o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of particular interest. A t present, all who contribute time and energy to its central operation do so strictly on a volunteer b a s i s , a n d a l l are artists or w r i t e r s themselves. A C u r a t o r i a l Committee, d r a w n from the gallery's directorship, programs and approves all exhibitions. Numbered among its directors are Gregg Simpson and C a r o l C r a m w h o administer public relations, Jim Felter and Ed Varney . Additional assistance is provided by the Supporting Members of G a l l e r y A l p h a w h o , w i t h their s m a l l annual donations, help fund the gallery's exhibition programme (among our supporting members we number Gordon Smith and Ella Parkinson!). An additional group, the A l p h a Volunteers, is a select b o d y of k i n d r e d s p i r i t s (Audrey Marsden, Louise Eckhart and Pat A r m s t r o n g to name a f e w ) , w h o assist i n the operation of the gallery at e v e r y l e v e l . W i t h o u t the generous assistance of a l l these people G a l l e r y Alpha would not exist. A t this j u n c t u r e , it s h o u l d be of interest to direct attention to G a l l e r y A l p h a ' s real achievement: the critical success of its exhibition programme. For a f l e d g l i n g g a l l e r y that nearly went under until its forces were reorganized in D e c e m b e r of 1990, it has r e c e i v e d substantial affirmative response from Va nc ou v er art critics, i n c l u d i n g A n n Rosenberg of the Vancouver Sun who has reviewed four of our shows, A r t Perry of the Vancouver Province and Janice Whitehead of Preview Magazine. Our o w n local newspaper has focused a t t e n t i o n on us o n f o u r separate occasions. Gallery A l p h a was also the subject of a fifteen minute interview w i t h myself c o n d u c t e d by Sharman Munro for Arts Access on Shaw Cable. In c l o s i n g it s h o u l d not be i m p e r t i n e n t to make the f o l l o w i n g observation: viewed from a distance, art and science are parallel entities, born of and committed to the human mind and spirit. Visual communication is a basic human activity as important and inalienable as religion or politics: to relegate it to a mere decor status is to degenerate its function to inconsequent t r i f l i n g . To place its message at the mercy of the market place alone is to put it i n j e o p a r d y , for mere commercialism too often serves best only those who know least about art. O n the North Shore, Gallery Alpha is a v o i c e i n the w i l d e r n e s s , t e l l i n g us something vital about ourselves and our times, sometimes in celebration, sometimes in warning. If we do not all w o r k to prevent that v o i c e f r o m becoming mute, we may a l l become deaf. G a l l e r y A l p h a needs a l l o u r support. Ron Falcioni, Director Gallery Alpha ARTS ACCESS SUMMER 1991 PAGE SEVEN