Fletcher Quince recently took over as curator of the Kootenay Gallery in Castlegar, replacing Maggie Shirley. He’s from Rossland, where he is on the board of the Rossland Arts Centre Society, Lower Columbia Community Development Team Society, and Greater Trail Community Skills Centre. We caught up with him last week.
Why were you interested in this job?
It’s just the continuation of my relationship with arts in the Kootenays after running the gallery in Rossland for 10 years. It was an opportunity to switch over to the public art sphere and look at things from a different lens, participate in shows that otherwise wouldn’t have existed in a private setting, and continue to contribute to the region in what exposure we can give regional artists and also arts to the regional population.
Many people will be familiar with your background with the Rossland gallery, but for those who aren’t, tell us a bit about yourself and that gallery.
The Rossland Art Gallery, which went through a number of different names changes, started out as a non-profit which was the Rouge Society back in 2010. They took possession of the main bank hall in the historic Bank of Montreal that sat vacant for about a decade. During the two years they operated, it was more of a local co-operative where they would man it themselves and do shows. Eventually they struggled and the revitalization of the downtown core was sort of the last nail in the coffin. Pretty much a summer of no sales.
When they decided to shut down, I offered to take over because I felt the public perception of the cornerstone building as a venue for regional artists really enhanced the community and cultural and social fabric. I started doing events and more month-long shows organized by artists. That slowly morphed into a more permanent collection and a stable of artists that would show there.
It went for about 10 years and then more recently it transitioned into being an engineering office. It was an unfortunate closure, but it’s the reality of some of the gentrification of Rossland and some of the success of the community and the people who want to live there and the businesses that are operating.
During that time did you have any relationship with the Kootenay Gallery?
A little bit. I’d come out here and do shows with people in the gallery. People like George Koochin, I’d come out and see his show. The Kootenay Columbia Invasive Species Society did one which was really interesting. So back and forth. We were always on friendly terms and cross-pollinating what we were doing and who were talking to. But very different as a public gallery who they would bring and our side as a private gallery based on promotion and sale of regional artists.
What are you inheriting? What do you see as the Kootenay Gallery’s place in the local arts scene?
I think it’s a very expansive inheritance. I think people forget that it’s the Kootenay Gallery of Art, Science, and History. So the science and history portions I think are interesting pieces of the puzzle. With science, there’s a lot of regional initiatives, start-ups, and Teck, and then also the regional history with the Doukhobor Discovery Centre next door.
I see an opportunity to return to some of the roots of what the gallery was set up as in the 1970s and to enhance programming and offerings here by complementing it with the science and history sides. The gallery side is a little bit more local and not quite as regional as it could be and I think it would be nice to promote it further afield and draw some attention to the region as a whole.
It’s a beautiful gallery and a lot of people don’t realize it’s here or what a lucky community Castlegar is to have been chosen by the National Exhibition Centre. It’s a true gallery: climate controlled, air conditioned, white walls, no natural light, and it’s hidden away. It has so much potential and so much to offer Castlegar and the region around it.
Is the programming set for the next little while? When do you get to start putting your stamp on things?
I inherited the rest of the year. The Young Visions show with School District 20 was up when I got here. The West Kootenay Camera Club show was my first opportunity to hang one and now the current show, Layers of Connection which is Theshini Nacker out of Rossland and Nothing is Indifferent which is Jane Kidd of Saltspring Island.
Then we have the Z’otz* Collective coming from Toronto with Rocio Graham from Christina Lake at the end of August. That will run into the craft show that begins in November and runs through Christmastime. There’s a couple of shows on the books for next year, but next year is largely when I’m able start to have a say and having an influence and bringing to fruition some of the ideas and place my own stamp as curator.
Anything you’d like to add?
Just that I’m excited to be here. It’s a great group of people. I think it’s a very forward-looking organization. There’s been a lot of changeover, which is sort of a rebirth.