Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 Source: Peak, The (Simon Fraser U, Edu CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Peak Publications Society Contact: http://www.peak.sfu.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/775 Author: Kimberly Brown, The Peak READING: THE DRUG ADDICT'S READING LIST The Nova Library will be on display during regular library hours on the main floor of the Vancouver Public Library's Central Branch (350 West Georgia Street), until November 30. "Maybe we need to condemn addicted people to make ourselves [feel] better," suggests artist Hans Winkler. Born and raised in the Bavaria region of Germany, Winkler is responsible for the creation of the Nova Library, a collection of books chosen by drug users and ex-addicts of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Produced by the Grunt Gallery, this interactive exhibit is a collection of approximately 500 books that "represents the spirit, ideas, and creativity" of that unique population. The name Nova Library was inspired by the book Nova Express by William S. Burroughs -- renowned author, drug user, and beatnik -- just one of the books included in the interesting, and surprising, collection. The project attempts to narrow the gap between "us" and "them." It shows that we are all living beings with minds capable of containing thoughts, and thoughts that may not be so different from each other. Winkler's interactive art has been responsible for bringing many regional social issues to light. Between 1988 and 2000, Winkler and an associate operated under the name P. T. T. Red (Paint The Town Red), creating many pieces in public space. Some of their "social sculptures" include self-producing a newspaper in Istanbul earlier this year with 15 young Turkish artists, focused on walking and working in public space. The paper was intended to open the eyes of the readers to help them discover the aesthetic value of everyday life. In 2002, Winkler created his sinking gondola project in Venice, Italy, that mimicked the reality of the permanently sinking city. Winkler was also responsible for a piece in which red film footage was projected onto the Statue of Liberty. This bathed Lady Liberty in a warm, red glow that lasted until authorities clued in and dismantled the exhibit. "My art is based on site-specific work," Winkler said in an interview. "So I try to intervene into the city -- work with their symbols, my impression of the city, and the people -- and to involve their ideas into the art piece." So when Winkler was asked two years ago by the curator of the Grunt Gallery, Glen Alteen, to do a Vancouver-based project, he readily accepted. After an extensive scouring of the city on foot, he became very interested in the dichotomy between the city's beautiful surrounding landscape, and the image and surroundings of the Downtown Eastside. Wandering through the area, he often noticed "many drug users sitting and reading." He often discussed the concept of the Nova Library with the people he saw. "They just got the idea immediately and they liked it," Winkler said. "It became a very democratic and public intervention for the public library," he explained. As democratic as it may have begun, when art met bureaucratic institution, things ceased to run as smoothly. Winkler had to downsize his ideas: accept a smaller number of books to be on display, and a smaller space than was anticipated. He explains that he was refused the right and the funds to do construction in the space he initially desired, and was unable to hang banners from the cement roof as he had planned. He was quite reluctant to follow that unbreakable rule of never posting or painting anything on the cement pillars. If he'd hoped that the word "Nova" painted in bold black letters on the central pillar would go unnoticed, it wasn't to be. Despite complications, both parties ended up pleased with the outcome. "It was part of the project," said Winkler. "Two worlds are getting into a conversation, a dialogue . . . and by the end of the process I got a wide, interesting, and beautiful selection." - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)