Brandon Sun - ONLINE EDITION
Jean's day goes to arts
Visit ends with stops at RWB, U of W's new Buhler Centre
Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean (left) speaks with costume maker Noelle De Leon in the costume department of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet while visiting the facility Thursday. ( KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)
Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean checks out Pole to mark the centre of the world (at Winnipeg) after unveiling the Jimmie Durham work Thursday. (WAYNE.GLOWACKI@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)
In her last two public appearances in Winnipeg, outgoing Governor General Michaëlle Jean paid the city's arts community the ultimate compliment -- she gave it her undivided attention.
Jean spent two hours Thursday morning at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's spacious Graham Avenue home, chatting with costume designers and ballet shoe fitters and applauding the company's world-class dancers after they performed a short segment from a ballet production they are taking to Israel and Jordan this fall.
In the afternoon, she attended the official opening of the University of Winnipeg's new Buhler Centre -- but sat alone, smiling, as her front-row seatmates rose to cut a large red ribbon. Instead, she opted to unveil a new sculpture at the centre and restricted her remarks to praising one of its primary tenants -- the internationally recognized Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art.
"I strongly believe in the power of art to influence our attitudes, enrich our vision of the world and express the desires and anguishes of our societies," Jean told the crowd at Plug In. "And that's why I have made it such a priority over the past five years as Governor General of Canada."
Apart from brief visits with Premier Greg Selinger and Lt.-Gov. Philip Lee, Jean used her two-day stay in Winnipeg to shine the light on two areas close to her heart -- the brave efforts of Point Douglas activists to rid their community of crime, and the importance of the arts.
At the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Thursday, Jean told the dancers they are "great ambassadors" for Canada. "I believe in cultural diplomacy. And I think that you, the artists, can actually play an important part in bridging us with other countries through your art and with your talent."
At the Buhler Centre opening, she drew chuckles and applause from a room jammed with politicians, academics, business people and numerous artists with this concluding remark: "Winnipeg is so edgy. It's great."
She may have been thinking about the artwork she had just unveiled -- a sculpture made from salvaged materials by American-born artist, poet and activist Jimmie Durham. The piece, made from galvanized steel, stainless steel, brass and a small mirror, is entitled "Pole to mark the centre of the world (at Winnipeg)." It will be a permanent fixture in the Buhler Centre, built on the site of the former United Army Surplus store on Portage Avenue.
John and Bonnie Buhler, who made their fortune building farm tractors, donated $4 million to the new centre, which will also be home to the University of Winnipeg's Faculty of Business and Economics as well as its continuing education division.
"We would never have dreamed that building tractors would allow us to get our name on a university building," said John Buhler, who never attended university. He also hinted that he is contemplating another philanthropic project involving the U of W.
Meanwhile, Lloyd Axworthy, the U of W's president, used the gathering Thursday to make a pitch for yet another new development. With the Winnipeg Art Gallery less than a block to the south of Plug In and the new Buhler Centre, Axworthy suggested closing off a tiny portion of Colony Street between Plug In and the WAG to develop a mall for "open-air galleries and coffee shops."
He smiled at the fact that Mayor Sam Katz, who attended the event, had already left the room to attend the opening of the restored Central Park. But you can bet that Katz will soon get a phone call.
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Posted by:Coach
August 28, 2010 at 7:47 AM
Thank you John for another contribution to the betterment of Winnipeg`s educational and medical facilities but we really don`t want to see your name on the side of ANOTHER building. There are many other wealthy Winnipeg`s who donate money to wonderful causes that don`t feel the same need that you do...
Posted by:AnimalLover
August 27, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Nice stripper pole! Art isnt THAT subjective. Give me a break!