On June 11th my friend Ian Bateson went to a show at Yukiko Onley’s Visual Space Gallery.  I wrote a preview here.

Even though I knew about Coop’s work I was completely astounded by the show.

At age 77 I am an amateur photographer. I never went to school to study the profession which I have practiced successfully in Vancouver since 1976.

I have photographed modern dancers, ballet dancers, strippers since 1980. I have gone to countless dance performances and interviewed dancers. I know nothing of dance. I am not a dance critic.

Since 1989 I have exhibited my photographs in galleries here in Vancouver, in Alberta, Buenos Aires and most recently in Venice. Some may say I am an artist. I would not know.

 I am not an art critic.

Based on my above ignorance while having been exposed to art most of my life I can state with 100% certainty that Elsbeth Coop is one of the most startlingly original artists of our city.

I do not believe that she lives under the shadow of her better known sister Jane Coop, pianist and music professor at UBC. If anything I believe that Jane Coop has been instrumental in bringing Elsbeth Coop’s work to be seen for the first time since the early 2000s.

If there is any logic (intelligence) in the artistic circles of our fair city, Elspeth Coop should not fade away. Her work has to see the light again.

Flor de la Vida - Acrylic on Canvas - 2003

51st Street Stop - Acrylic on canvas

Rat In Someone Else's Maze - Acrylic on canvas

Poupée - Photogravure