The annual Splash Art Auction will take place on Saturday, October 24, and will feature an impressive collection for the live and silent auction, which has been generously donated by renowned Canadian artists.

The Splash Art Auction is the most significant fundraiser for Arts Umbrella during the year, and it is a chance for donors to contribute to the future of the brightest and best budding artists across Canada.

Launched in 1979 as a grassroots project, Arts Umbrella has evolved into Canada's leading non-profit organization for arts education for young people. The event has raised more than $7.2 million in net proceeds to date, allowing young people across Metro Vancouver to access Arts Umbrella programs and workshops through bursaries, scholarships, and donor-funded community programs.

We had the pleasure of attending a preview of the Splash Special 2020 Art Collection, and our host, Arts Umbrella President & CEO, Paul Larocque, shared many delightful stories behind the creation of the spectacular art pieces.

BLUE GREEN WAVE IIIIII by ANDREW DADSON

Andrew Dadson employs a variety of mediums including film, photography, installation, and painting to investigate urban territories, the landscape, and a constantly changing environment. 

With this art piece, the artist has repeatedly and tirelessly layered on the colours with a knife, using a technique that reveals the beautiful, multi-faceted colours in the layers below. A mesmerizing wave of vibrant colours is presented in the context of a unique textural surface.

UNFOLD BY MARIE KHOURI

The story behind this work of art, as shared by Paul Larocque of Arts Umbrella on our guide tour, captivated our attention and helped us to appreciate the meaning behind the piece. ‘Unfold’ tells the story of Marie Khouri’s childhood as a young Lebanese child; her father, who was a high-ranking senior official, was assassinated, and Marie and her mother were put in confinement and this is Marie’s view as she peered out from behind barb wire fences.

Marie Khouri is a Vancouver-based sculptor whose works are rooted in a profound sense of dislocation and the search for a greater sense of place. Khouri’s art—that relays messages of movement, community, and connection—speaks to a unified and diverse audience. 

EARL GREY SKY BY DANNY SINGER

This photography by Danny Singer captivates with its unique viewpoint. Whereas a usual landscape composition would draw the eyes towards the buildings and the people subjects in the photo, this visual incorporates the sky and allows it to take the center stage. Danny Singer’s iconic photographs of small town Main Street photos have appeared in exhibitions across Canada, the United States, and Europe, and his work can be found in numerous public collections including the Vancouver Art Gallery, The Crown Collection for the Official Residences of Canada, National Gallery of Canada, Mendel Art Gallery, the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and The Department of Foreign Affairs. This photo was taken in Earl Grey Village in Saskatchewan.

BLUE BY ANGELA GROSSMAN

This enchanting silhouette of a woman with her back turned to us is captured by Angela Grossman in a brilliant blue against a stark white background. Painted on an angle to create the ‘drip effect’ on the painting, the female figure is portrayed as strong and determined even though we do not see her face.

Angela Grossmann is a visual artist based in Vancouver whose work examines gender and body politics. Douglas Coupland describes Grossmann’s work as material about “people who have been forgotten but have been preserved somehow. She gives their lives an arc, a trajectory, a mobility, a meaning.”

This year’s collection consists of 30 live auction and 64 silent auction art pieces. To learn more about each of the artists and the available pieces, visit splashartauction.com to learn more and to place your bids.

HOW TO ATTEND AND SUPPORT THE EVENT

This year’s events will be a combination of in-person and virtual experiences. For the first time, Splash will be hosted across multiple locations ranging from leading restaurants to private venues, each with a maximum of 50 people as per provincial government and health official guidelines. With this year’s reimagined format and experience, organizers anticipate attendance to exceed more than 500 business and community leaders, patrons, collectors and art enthusiasts from across the country. With the online bidding format, donors could support the cause no matter where they are located in Canada.

Splash has earned a citywide reputation as one of the most successful annual fundraising events, and this year guest health and safety will be a top priority for Arts Umbrella. All guests registered to attend a private gala location will be contacted with a COVID-19 safety checklist, and are required to comply with requested screening and protocols.

To view the entire live and silent auction collection online, visit splashartauction.com. If you are interested in attending one of the events, visit this link for ticket information.

ABOUT ARTS UMBRELLA

Arts Umbrella believes that art is powerful. Powerful enough to change a child’s life. That’s why Arts Umbrella’s programs in Dance, Theatre, and Art & Design are made accessible to all young people— through bursaries, scholarships, and donor-funded community programs. Since 1979, Arts Umbrella has been active in our communities, inspiring children to build their creative confidence and develop the building blocks for life: critical-thinking skills, improved self-esteem, and tools for collaboration.

Photos courtesy of Arts Umbrella