Preview: The Gallery Guide | June–August 2010

www.museumofvancouver.ca
Fox, Fluevog & Friends: The story behind the shoes
MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER, VANCOUVER BC – May 14-Sep 26, 2010 John Fluevog and Peter Fox
are well-known and well-loved names in the fashion industry. The first to import Dr. Martens
shoes into North America, Fox and Fluevog formed a partnership in 1970 to design and sell stylish
shoes. Fox, Fluevog & Friends surveys the designers’ formative years in Gastown in the 1970s
to John Fluevog’s independent work today. Approximately 150 pairs of shoes dating from 1968 to
2000 are featured along with photographs, catalogues,
newspaper articles, sketches and client comments.
Fluevog’s avant-garde designs, many using orthopaedic
air-filled soles and styled with swirly, colourful patterns,
have included platform shoes, Angel boots, ultra-pointytoed
Euro styles and handmade wooden clogs (the latter
was the handiwork of their collaborator Ken Rice).
Inspired by Art Deco and often with messages engraved in
the soles – such as “Resists alkali, water, acid, fatigue and
Satan” – the unique styles coupled with Fluevog’s skill at
branding have earned him a cult-like following. Fluevog
today has stores in Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New
York and wholesales shoes to 60 resellers in the U.S. and
Canada.
In the early 1980s, Fox went on to set up four successful
shops in New York, where he specialized in silk-andsatin
Louis-heeled shoes. His exquisite illustrations and
advertisements feature gorgeous Renaissance-like designs
that made these shoes among the most coveted in New
York. Mia Johnson
Peter Fox, Stained Glass Effect Platform Boots
(c. 1973), [Museum of Vancouver, Vancouver BC
May 14-Sep 26]
Nanaimo Art Gallery
Campus Gallery: 900 Fifth St
2nd location: Downtown Gallery,
150 Commercial St
✆250-740-6350 250-754-1750
www.nanaimoartgallery.com
CAMPUS: mon-fri 10am-5pm sat 12-
4pm, DOWNTOWN: tues-sat 10am-
5pm. Thru Jul 17 d. bradley muir,
“Dream Home”; Jul 23-Aug 21, Federation
of Canadian Artists, “Summer
Showcase”; Margaret Haydon,
“Sturgeon Exhibition”, works from
from the Sturgeon Art Collection of
Gordon Edmondson; DOWNTOWN
Thru Jun 19, Gregory Ball, “Transfigurations”;
Jun 21-Aug 31 Carmen
Mongeau, Rob Elphinstone, Bev
Koski, Nana Cook, Perrin Sparks,
Rohainna Laing and others, art
rental and sales showcase; Chris
Woods, George Littlechild, Samantha
Dickie, E.J. Hughes and others;
“Permanent Collection New Works
Exhibition”.
NANOOSE BAY
Lyndia Terre Gallery
1811 Northwest Bay Rd,
Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island
✆250-468-9010
www.lyndiaterre.com
open by appt. Jun 20-Jul 11 Abstracted,
curated show of original work; Jul
18-Aug 8 Markings, honouring drawing;
Aug 15-Sep 6 Cameron Wrigley,
“Wild West Express”, photographs;
Aug 15 Celebration, a portion of the
proceeds goes to the rebuilding of the
Nanaimo train station.
NELSON
Grid Art Gallery
351B Baker St (Alley entrance)
✆250-352-1792
www.gridgallerybc.ca
tues-sat 9:30am 5:30pm or by appt.
Jun-Aug Jenny Baillie, Jorden Bent,
Merv Brandel, Shayne Brandel,
Meghan Hildebrand, Christian Nicolay
and Tanya Slingsby, grand opening
of gallery Jun 18, group show
with gallery artists.
Oxygen Art Centre
3-320 Vernon St, (Alley entrance)
✆250-352-6322
www.oxygenartcentre.org
wed-sat 1-5pm. Thru Jun 26 Arin Fay
“Between the Lines”.
Touchstones Nelson:
Museum of Art and History
502 Vernon St ✆250-352-9813
www.touchstonesnelson.ca
tues wed fri sat 10am-5pm sun 12-
4pm, thurs 10am-5pm, 5-8pm by
donation. Thru Jun 13 Ian Johnston,
“Refuse Culture: Archaeology of Consumption”,
multiple installations and
installations of multiples, to consider
the remnants and debris of human
34 PREVIEW ■ JUNE/JULY/AUGUST 2010