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MISSION
STATEMENT
"The purpose of the Society is to promote the
appreciation and understanding of the arts of Asia by bringing quality
programs, exhibitions and publications to interested groups and
individuals in Canada and by exploring links among the cultures of
Asia."
CSAA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2007 - 2008
OFFICERS:
Mr. Jan W. Walls
President
Ms. Clara Penner Immediate
Past President
Mr. Willem Stronck
Vice President and Treasurer
Ms. Andrea Davies
Secretary
DIRECTORS:
Mr. Sam Carter
Dr. Mary Davison
Mrs. Josephine Geary
Mrs. Joan Gish
Mr. Kelly Ip
Mr. Tom Liu
Mr. Andrew Ooi
Ms. Margo Palmer
Mrs. Rosalie Stronck
Mr. Rodney Ward
Mrs. Jane Wong
Executive Director: Maiko Behr
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Society for Asian Arts
Suite 260, 5655 Cambie Street,
Vancouver, BC
V5Z 3A4
Phone/Fax: 604 689 2755
Email: csaa <at> telus.net
Web site: www.canadiansocietyforasianarts.org
The following
is an excerpt from "This Was The Beginning", the introduction to a
Canadian Society for Asian Arts 1978 publication "The First Ten Years"
1968-1978, written by founding member Harold Sault.
"Is there a society of people interested in Asian art in Vancouver?"
Not having an answer to this question posed by my wife Elizabeth in
1968, I put the same question to Anthony Emery, Director of the
Vancouver Art Gallery on 26 January 1968. His reply was brief and to
the point, "I have made extensive inquiries but must tell you that
nobody seems to have heard of any organization of this kind in
Vancouver. Since I would guess there is a need for one, why do you not
organize one yourself? If you should wish to do so, I would be pleased
to give notice to our members of your organizational meeting, which
could be held here in the Gallery."
Further encouragement came from the Oriental Ceramic Society in London
when I wrote asking for guidance. The Secretary, D. D. Gage-Brown,
agreed that an Asian Art Society in Vancouver would be a valuable
addition to the city's cultural life, and gave me much useful advice in
establishing a society based on the experience of the prestigious
Oriental Ceramic Society.
Encouraged, I asked Mr. Emery to set a date for our organizational
meeting at the Gallery - 2 October 1968. The meeting was publicized in
the Gallery's September Bulletin and also in the Vancouver Sun, but I
realized that it would be necessary to make direct contact with
potential members if the meeting was to be a success. I thus
communicated with a friend in the Department of Fine Arts at the
University of British Columbia, Dr. Mary Morehart, who found the idea
worthwhile and promised to pass the word to her students and
colleagues. She also put me in touch with another valuable contact,
Mrs. Mary Morrison, a former museum curator and lecturer on Asian art
in the Extension Department at U.B.C.. Mrs. Morrison, a collector
herself, gave ma a list of her former students to invite to the
organizational meeting and had a group of them to her home in
mid-September to meet me and to discuss the proposed Society.
The collectors were friendly but had reservations about by plans for a
society. However, in view of my expressed determination to proceed,
they kindly agreed to come to the organizational meeting and to work
together to form an Asian Arts Society. A number of these collectors
became charter members. I harbour deep appreciation to Dr. Morehart,
Mrs. Morrison and the collectors, since their support at the very early
stage was essential to the ultimate success of the Society. Dr.
Morehart presented a slide lecture on Chinese painting as our first
event on 21 October 1968, held in the auditorium of International House
at U.B.C., through the kindness of Jack Thomas, Director.
The organizational meeting was attended by some forty persons and,
after a fairly lengthy discussion period, those present voted to
appoint a standing committee to prepare a constitution and by-laws and
enable the Society to be officially registered.
By the time of the first AGM on 3 March 1969, forty-five members had
joined the Society and were designated charter members when they voted
to adopt the constitution and by-laws needed to officially bring into
being "The Vancouver Society for Asian Art".
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