Love is...going to take a long time for the Vaf (From Gazette)

Love is...going to take a long time for the Vaf

10:27am Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

I have argued for many years that a real problem with Firstsite and with the future Visual Arts Facility is the content, not the cover.

For years when it was in the Minories, far more people went to the cafe than to the exhibitions.

Do we see the prospect of change in the new building?

No. A great number of the exhibits were viewed by the majority of people as not to their taste.

A clear perception emerged it was elitist and aimed at a very narrow view of art.

More importantly, we who fund the project have no say whatsoever in the artistic direction of the Vaf.

It is, in fact, controlled by a self-appointed oligarchy.

It seems to have no mechanism to respond to what people actually want and has the appearance of indulging the whims of its controlling clique.

I want to make it clear, I am not criticising anybody else’s taste in art. Some people I know thought the exhibitions in the Minories were great.

I certainly am not suggesting there is not a place for all sorts of art. I do, however, think the people of Colchester should have a much greater say in what they want, rather than being given what someone else thinks is good for them.

Some of the Vaf management need to come out of their own personal artistic comfort zones and join the rest of us. Have a bit of fun even.

We recently invited them to take part in Colchester’s carnival, but received no reply.

With more exhibitions which genuinely reflect what local people want, the whole enterprise would stand a much better chance of being loved.

I very much want to see the Vaf succeed. After all, it has cost us enough.

Don Quinn
King Stephen Road
Colchester