Vancouver’s urban heritage honoured in new exhibit at Douglas College

On January 31, historic Vancouver architecture is reborn in Sherry Cooper’s final art exhibit Industrial Remnants at the Amelia Douglas Gallery.  

Inspired by the Wilkinson Steel building at the edge of False Creek, Cooper’s art captures the rusted, weathered hues of the city’s past. Through layers of recycled fabric, latex and patina, she hopes that her art will help viewers reframe the way they look at things that seem old or broken, instead of casting them aside.  

“I love the patchwork surfaces of the old boarded-up building. To me, it looks very much like a collage of textured patterns and artistic elements,” said Cooper. “The building has survived the passage of time, the corrugated steel cladding, aged and weathered by wind and rain offers up an alternative concept of beauty." 

The Industrial Remnants collection at the Amelia Douglas Gallery will be 80-year-old Cooper’s final art exhibit. 

“Combatting the cold, industrial nature of the materials, Sherry manages to create a warm, pleasing aesthetic by layering textiles and textures,” said Jacci Wintermans, Arts Events Officer and Amelia Douglas Gallery Co-Chair. “As throwaway culture continues to prevail in Western society, it’s refreshing to see what was once considered industrial waste used to create beauty.” 

Although this will be her last exhibit, Cooper still plans on creating art. In fact, Industrial Remnants could be just the beginning of a series of architecturally-inspired collections. She says that she is interested in deconstructing the appearance of modern buildings and reimagining them through collages of recycled materials.  

“Juxtaposing recycled shiny plastics with the density of the buildings might make one ponder what would decay first,” said Cooper. 

Cooper worked as an art teacher throughout the Burnaby and Coquitlam school districts, as well as at UBC. She has also been heavily involved in the Metro Vancouver theatre community as a volunteer for several years on the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards committee. 

Industrial Remnants will have an opening reception on Jan. 31 at 5pm, followed by an artist’s talk at 7pm. This exhibit will run until March 22.  

Douglas College is the largest degree-granting college in B.C., combining the academic foundations of a university and the employer-ready skills of a college to graduate resilient global citizens who adapt, innovate and lead in a changing world.    

For more information, visit douglascollege.ca    

-30-    

Contact    

Elizabeth Douglas   

Communications Coordinator  
douglase2@douglascollege.ca

  • Community
  • Current Students
  • All Students