April 24/98

Far east arts and cultural tour revolves
around Capilano College instructor

e was only going to stop over in

Vancouver for one year before
continuing on to Japan. That was in 1966.
Thirty-two years later, Capilano College
English instructor and Art Institute
printmaking alumnus, Pierre Coupey,
finally got his ticket to the land of the
rising sun.

“T will be having my first international
solo exhibition of paintings and prints
at the Canadian Embassy Gallery in
Tokyo from September 8 to October 27,”
Pierre says. “The exhibition is called
Notations 1994 - 1998 and will feature
about 15 pieces of my current work.”

Most artists would be thrilled with an
opportunity to show their work at any
local gallery. But after 13 solo shows and
19 group shows exhibited mostly around
the Lower Mainland, Pierre felt it was
time to branch out and reach a new
audience.

“Tt’s time to show my work nationally
and internationally,” the Montreal native
says. “The Canadian embassies in Tokyo
and Paris are the only two I know of that
have an exhibition program, so I sent
them an application. The embassy in
Tokyo responded immediately, inviting
me to send slides for a jury sitting. In
May 97 I received confirmation that I
had been selected for a show. They only
do about three or four a year, so this is
quite an honor.”

Included in the Tokyo show will be a
series of prints Pierre completed in 1996
and 1997 while he was on an educational
leave from Capilano College.

“I took a paid educational leave to
pursue writing and printmaking,” says
Pierre, who has published several books
of poetry. “It also gave me the time, focus
and coherence to apply for these overseas
shows.”

Having an exhibition in another
country is a costly venture. There are
travel costs, framing, shipping and
crating costs, as well as the huge expense
of a full-color 24-page catalogue to be
produced in English, Japanese and
possibly French.

Pierre Coupey pulls a color trial proof
from a series of collagraphs at the
Capilano College Art Institute. (Photo
by Wayne Liedenfrost.)

Although he will receive some funds
from the embassy, Pierre still needed
financial assistance to get the show off the
ground, in the air, and to a different country.
A call for help was made to Capilano
College director of Development, Lana
Robinson, who really got the ball rolling
in Pierre’s favor.

It wasn’t long before Lana had some
good news for Pierre — sponsorship for his
exhibition from Air Canada and Merit
Travel. He has also received sponsorship
from other institutions and corporations,
including the British ColumbiaArts Council
and the Seymour Art Gallery, and continues
to actively seek further support to help cover
his costs.

“Lana has been tremendously
supportive,” Pierre says. “She is enthusiastic
and visionary — she sees how things could
work and how they can be moved ahead.”

Through Lana’s efforts and timely
connections, Pierre’s show has become the
centrepiece of two 20-day Far East arts and
cultural experiences, which are being
cosponsored by the Capilano College
Foundation, Queen’s and Simon Fraser

universities. Alumni and donors from these
institutions were the first to be offered the
40 spaces for these once-in-a-lifetime
excursions to see the art treasures of Japan,
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong
Kong.

“T had met Ken Tham, the general sales
manager of Orient and Asia Travel, a
division of Merit Travel Group Inc., at a
conference last year,” Lana explains. “He
told me about the work he does with
alumni associations, organizing trips to the
Far East. After Pierre had come to me to
talk about sponsorship for his exhibition
in Japan, I called Ken and we discussed
the opportunities surrounding Pierre’s
show.

“Ken made a special trip out from
Toronto to meet Pierre and the rest is
history,” Lana says. “The 20-day Far East
Arts and Cultural Experience was born
with an entire tour revolving around
Pierre’s exhibition. Now Canadians from
across the country will have an opportunity
to enjoy his work.”

Two trips are planned with the first
running from September 30 to October 19,
and the second running from October 21
to November 9. Merit Travel and Air
Canada will host two special receptions
for these tour groups in October at the
Canadian embassy in Tokyo. Pierre will
be on hand to act as a guide, to give an
artist’s talk on his show, and to sign
catalogues.

The $7,745 all-inclusive excursion fee
is based on double occupancy, with five
per cent of each trip being matched by the
Ministry of Education, Skills and Training
to establish the Pierre Coupey Capilano
Review Endowment Fund.

“Having additional funds generated for
The Capilano Reviewis areal bonus,” says
Pierre, the founding editor of the highly-
acclaimed Canadian literary magazine.
“Tts future and survival is near to my heart
and this endowment will help ensure it will
have something to fall back on during lean
times.”

For more information on the tours, call
Christine Craft at 983-7566.

@nformer