It’s finally upon us!  Giant container ships are approaching the city from distant ports carrying sculptures of great artists from all over the world that will soon adorn the public spaces, parks, beaches and transit vehicles of Vancouver.

It’s an exciting time.

The first two installations will happen on Thursday July 30th and Friday July 31st and I will be there to take pictures and hopefully get an early sampling of public reaction to these works of art.

The San Francisco based Chinese/American artist Michael Zheng will be the first to have his work installed in Vancouver. Zheng creates situations through his playful installation work that challenges established positions, allowing new perspectives to become visible. His work often involves conventional or everyday objects placed in the environment in unexpected ways.

Zheng has exhibited his work internationally, in prestigious institutions such as The Instituteo Valenciano de Arte Moderno, Valencia (2008); Vierwände Kunst (4 Walls Art Festival), Düsseldorf, (2007); GenArt, San Francisco, (2006); Portland Museum of Art Biennial, Portland, Maine (2005); ‘9th Baltic Triennial of International Art‘, London (2005). He makes his Canadian debut with two conceptual based installations titled Stop in the 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale.

On Friday, revered sculptor, photographer and social activist, Vladas Vildžiūnas will have his work, Barbora, installed in the city.  He has created some of the most influential and important monumental works in Lithuania to date.   Titled Honored Artist of Lithuania in 1982, his work has since been exhibited in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London and many major cities around Europe.  The 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale will be his first foray in Canada.

Stay tuned for times and locations in the next few days.