Light load: Port Metro Vancouver displays artistic side

VANCOUVER, British Columbia—Port Metro Vancouver is creating art.

Well, mostly it’s playing the role of patron and sponsoring a number of artists who will be plying their craft in the name of the Vancouver port.

For the second year in a row, the port is is the driving force behind an art installation that will be on display at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE).

The installation will be built from shipping containers, which eight artists will then transform into creative masterpieces using everything from traditional paints to multi-media displays. The works will all address the themes of community, economy and environment—the essential concepts behind what the port calls its “three guiding pillars”.

Not content to leave the production of the art entirely to others, the Port has signed its name to a creation of its own. It built its own container display, complete with interactive displays, which will serve as a promotional centre for the port and all its environmental projects and activities.

“It has been tremendous to see this level of engagement from the local arts scene in making Container Art a successful cultural event for people from all over the Lower Mainland. Their interest reinforces the important role Port Metro Vancouver plays in the life of the communities we touch,” said Port Metro Vancouver president and CEO Robin Silvester.