Quick Fire: 5 Questions with Douglas Coupland
Douglas Coupland talks about why he decided to co-curate this year’s 12 Trees exhibition, the vital role that light plays in his own life, and his fascination with making “stuff.”
The 12 Trees exhibition has a long history at the Gardiner Museum. In recent years, it’s shifted from traditional Christmas trees to contemporary art installations inspired by holiday traditions. What made you want to be involved in shaping this year’s show?
I think the Gardiner is a jewel in Toronto’s crown. The more people that learn about it, the better. This is one way to raise Torontonians’ awareness. The project also just seemed like all fun and no pain. That’s rare.
Rendering of Cyanotype Impressions by Christine Dewancker and Katie Strang, 2017
The theme of both the exhibition and the 12 Trees Gala on November 16 is Let There Be Light. What do you see as the significance of light during the holiday season?
Depression! Starting at the age of 23 I began getting life crippling depressions in the week following Halloween (Daylight Savings week). For a decade it scared the pants off me, and it’s only in recent years that I’ve learned that it’s all about LIGHT, and I have a small lightbox I take with me everywhere starting in mid-October. Most years I can ward it off… but it’s light in all forms that gets me through the holiday season when the potential for depression is at its height.
What role does light play in your own artistic practice?
In my work, light works in relation to colour and maximizing colour values in a work. I’ve not done lighting specifically as art work. However I’m currently doing design work on lighting with a Vancouver firm. I hope to have it all up and running next fall.
Are there any installations in this year’s exhibition that you’re particularly excited to see take shape?
They’re all so different. I can’t choose my favorite child!
Rendering of The Fresh Pines at Clean Lake by David Trautrimas, 2017
You graduated from Emily Carr College of Art and Design with a focus on sculpture, and some of your best known works are major public monuments—what draws you to sculpture in particular?
This is going to sound weird, but “I like stuff.” I like it when a 3D object emerges out of chaos. I like the way my brain feels when engaging with the third dimension. It’s extra interesting when this collides with broader ideas about society. It might simply be biological, but whatever it is, it’s been around my whole life.
Digital Orca, Douglas Coupland, 2009
Douglas Coupland is a celebrated Canadian novelist and visual artist, and the c0-curator of this year’s 12 Trees exhibition.