Fine Arts Students Square Off in an “Art Battle” of Epic Proportions

Kwantlen Art Collective event sees artists go head-to-head, canvas to canvas

According to president Keith Harris and vice-president Eric Berg of the Kwantlen Art Collective, the idea of artists dueling each other on opposing canvases came from hearing about similar events occurring on the mean streets of Vancouver.

“Hopefully we don’t get sued,” Harris jokes.

He went on to mention that, when the time came for participants to ready their brushes, a few of the warrior-artists were evidently “nervous at first, but ended up having a blast,” after facing off and seeing each other’s work come to life. In the end, Berg explains that each participant learned that, “it is possible to get artwork done if you just do it,” which is a “good lesson for generally procrastinating art students.”

In facing off, one-versus-one, artist-to-artist, participants were given the chance to be, “creative under pressure and tap into a creative realm of expression,” says Berg. According to the organizers, there were no outright victors in this conflict, in that every participant of the event “won” because they all ultimately achieved the victory of creating good art. But that didn’t stop the Art Collective from at the very least “award[ing] gift cards from DeSerres to the person whose picture received the most votes.”

Organized in 2013, the Kwantlen Art Collective’s main purpose, according to Harris, is to “help students interested in art connect with each other.” The Collective hopes to aid in “creating a community among Kwantlen students that will facilitate a growing art movement within Surrey, as well as supporting student work and art in the city.” It also allows for artists to “get good feedback on [their] work and meet more art students at Kwantlen.”

“Members of our club have received Kwantlen scholarships for their work as well as awards from outside organizations,” says Harris.

“Some members already sell work as well,” adds Berg. “The Collective currently has approximately 40 members, 10 of whom are actively involved in event planning.”

The Kwantlen Art Collective also held an artist talk last week in Surrey’s painting studio, and are hoping there will be another artist talk, a gallery visit, and even another art battle occurring sometime next semester. For general meetings, the club meets “once every two weeks on alternating days to give most people a chance to attend” explains Berg. With regards to what actually goes on during meetings, Berg states that “during meetings [the KAC] discusses and plans possible activities, which always includes an open floor for suggestions from anyone there.”

For any aspiring artists at KPU, Harris recommends that they begin by joining the Art Collective, but also constantly try to “make art, look at art, connect with people who do the same.” He also believes that student artists should “not be afraid to take risks and even fail sometimes.” Berg agrees, claiming that an artist should “never put themselves down and always make goals to constantly expand their art.”

“[Art] makes sense of understanding the human experience in ways that language doesn’t,” says Berg. “[It’s] a distilled form of communication that presents different ideas, feelings and points of view in a direct way.”