Douglas Coupland and his Canadian identity
Douglas Coupland is an extremely talented artist, writer, and designer from Vancouver. I am fascinated by how contemporary and modern his works are, especially his sculptures. He has made many works contributing to the exploration of the Canadian identity.
According to Douglas Coupland, ” [he] did 10 of them in 2 days and shortened [his] life by about a year by doing all that so quickly.” How relatable as a creator. However, the idea behind this still-life photography still amazes me. He purposely took time to find these objects that represented a modern-day Canadian era and placed them in a format that resembled a still life painting. Instead of the traditional objects like fruits, plates, and tablecloths, he wanted to express that the time we are experiencing now is the same as any other time in history. What a thought-provoking concept.
Postmodern sculptures of architecture are a common theme seen in Coupland’s works. This concept that seemed like a dystopian interpretation of society’s progression emerged from his post-war upbringing. It is a reflection and reaction to the over-optimized progress that he was exposed to in his childhood.
Located near Vancouver Convention Centre, this iconic pixelated orca has become a famous symbol of Vancouver over the recent years. It blends beautifully with the harbour scenery around it, connecting Vancouver’s past and present of the ever-changing pace of this harbour.