Rick ThomasAugust 25, 2009 19:11 EST

Message to Stan Douglas, re. article July/August 2009 issue, art piece Abbot & Cordova, 7 August 1971.
Fantastic piece; I worked in the display and advertising of Woodwards in the 1960 after attending the Vancouver School of Art. Your event brings back memories of that old neighborhood. To let you know: there were riots up the street at the federal post office during the bad times of the depression. Nothing changes. The neighborhood is always in flux.

Take5October 15, 2010 11:02 EST

While I find this image to be very well composed, and the process in which it was created quite fantastic, I found the content of the image to be very defeatist and an ever lurking reminder how the residents of the DTES are oppressed on a daily basis.

These fragile communities of addicts, homeless people, sex-trade workers, mentally ill, and any other way marginalized people of society do not need, nor wish to be reminded of police violence on such a large scale in the heart of the community.

Sure Douglas was trying to be subversive, but what effect does that play on those who have suffered at the hands of the police? I found this piece to be socially irresponsible as I find it insensitive to those victims by constantly reminding them about violence they have suffered. Would Douglas be so brazen to compose an image of people being assaulted in Tienanmen Square and put it on display in Tinseltown? I think we all know the answer to this..

I also found it regrettable when I heard the budget/commi$$ion for this photo-shoot was between $1 million and $1.5 million. While I am completely supportive of arts & culture in the DTES, this sum of money is superfluous to pay to ONE artist when there is so much poverty, so much homelessness, and so much suffering because people can not afford to live.

I hope Mr. Douglas contemplates the impact of his work in the community next time he is commissioned to do a public art project. I also hope he considers using a more exciting framework than what he called 'subversive' while composing his next work.

I get more subversive with a can of spray-paint

Sincerely,
Take5,
DTES graffiti artist & resident of 20 years.