By Rosie Shaw
A growing trend in Ottawa has the walls of restaurants, bars and cafés doubling as art galleries to showcase the work of local artists.
Exhibits last for an average of a month or two, which “keeps things interesting,” says Ozlem Balpinar, owner of Oz Kafé on Elgin Street.
It also allows the restaurant decor to satisfy a range of artistic tastes, not just hers, she says.
But most importantly, she says, it encourages young artists.
“There are a lot of great artists out there with no outlet to show their work. I have the chance to provide a venue that allows them to get a public reaction,” she says.
Ottawa Xpress identified this growing movement as 2004’s biggest trend in visual art.
Oz Kafé, which opened in August 2004, has featured the work of Centretown artist Joel Kimmel for almost two months.
The exhibit opened Dec. 5, and was originally intended to run for one month. With the selling success of prints and the enthusiastic public response, the show will stay for a few more weeks.
This is Kimmel’s first solo show. It features seven watercolour paintings with accompanying Haiku poems. Haiku poetry is three lines long, with a set number of syllables in each. Kimmel named his exhibit “5, 7, 5,” to reflect the syllables in each line.
Kimmel also sells art supplies at Wallack’s, where he met Balpinar. They scheduled a meeting to go through Kimmel’s portfolio, and she was hooked.
“I needed artwork for the walls of the restaurant, and I loved his stuff,” says Balpinar. “It’s an interesting mix of illustration and realism.”
Kimmel is a graduate of Sheridan College’s interpretive illustration program. His studio is in his apartment on Metcalfe Street.
Most of his creations are pen and ink and watercolour. The pieces featured at Oz Kafé also have some collage work with Japanese paper.
“All were created especially for this show,” says Kimmel.
His mother suggested years ago that he try to incorporate words into his art, and it became “the formula” for this show.
“Haiku poems are simple, quirky, and they can be really funny,” he says.
This show allows him to see public reaction to his art.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” he says, “I like to find out how people feel about it.”
Right across the street, this hot trend is old news at the Manx Pub. It has exhibited local artists since it opened 12 years ago. The walls show a new artist every month; January’s feature artist was Brad Snow.
Andrew Farrell, manager and art curator at the Manx, believes the new smoking bylaw encouraged this trend to grow.
“Now that the city is completely non-smoking, it’s safer for the art,” he explains.
“The air quality now makes restaurants a more credible space.”
Farrell says there are two reasons owners choose to display local art in their restaurants.
“The assumption is that it creates business. It gets people in, and adds to the atmosphere.”
At the Manx, there is no commission fee for artists. Farrell says this is in exchange for creative control of what goes up on his walls. Usually restaurants and bars (including Oz Kafé) take a commission fee of 15 per cent of any sales, whereas galleries will take anywhere from 50 to 70 per cent.
Farrell, a painter himself, emphasizes the importance of encouraging the arts, especially young artists. He says restaurant owners are perfect for the job.
“Most of us are desperately wanting to support art in our community.”
Balpinar says she is very pleased with how Kimmel’s show has been received. Upcoming exhibits at Oz Kafé will include photographer Jordan Craig and painter Dylan Noble.