Arts and Culture

This vending machine is filled with inedible treasures

Machine offers artists unique showcase to exhibit small works

Vending machines, the world over, peddle an array of products, be it soda, snacks, pizza, and even coffee.

But the contents of one machine soon to call the Kelowna Art Gallery (KAG) home are far from edible, as acknowledged by the whimsical ‘please do not eat the art’ sticker on the side.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see people come across it and then realize it is not a normal vending machine and that there are little treasures in here for them,” Melany Nugent-Noble told Kelowna10.

She is the assistant director of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA). The organization launched the ArtMart in 2018. Put simply, it’s a vending machine that dispenses work by local artists.

The machine acts as a vehicle to inspire and provide artists a unique opportunity to showcase to an entirely different audience. It also helps visitors learn more about who is creating art in their own backyard and take home a small, unique piece of their work.

Though not an original idea, it is uncommon, so much so it garnered a small blurb in the Times. The industry periodical, Vending Times, that is.

The call is currently out for the fifth rendition of the ArtMart. Interested artists can find more information online. The submission deadline is Dec. 17.

All submissions will be juried, and the 10 or so selected artists will receive an honorarium for production, and commission on sales of their work. Interested artists are encouraged to explore a series with at least 20 items.

Currently, the machine is filled with an array of art from a prior run. It includes everything from t-shirts and felt sculptures, to tote bags, stickers, and pins, as well as cassette tapes and augmented reality art cards.

“We are hoping there are lots of interesting submissions … and we are looking forward to what type of unique and creative work people have out there they would like to have included,” Nugent-Noble added. “It is a lot of fun, and it is definitely one of the highlights of our programming.”

KAG marketing and events coordinator Joshua Desnoyers is eager to have the machine venture across the street, as it will add another layer to the gallery’s exhibitions.

“We will have a tremendous presentation of visual art [and] introduce artists that may not have been in the space before,” he said. “Hopefully the visitor really enjoys the experience of browsing through, and the anticipation once they have selected something, seeing what iteration theirs is that pops down.”

For him, it offers creatives a place to dream big about creating something small.

The vending machine will move from the Rotary Centre for the Arts to the KAG on Jan. 15. It will remain there until April 15. Items are available for between $5 and $50.

The project is funded by the Central Okanagan Foundation.

Published 2021-11-22 by Tyler Marr

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