Spotlight: Under New Name, Vancouver’s Paul Kyle Gallery Hits Refresh With a Winter Group Show

What You Need to Know: Elan Fine Art has recently announced its rebranding as Paul Kyle Gallery. The Vancouver-based gallery opened in 2005, and founder and director Paul Kyle’s choice to evolve into an eponymous identity is a fitting one, since he has been a fixture in the gallery world for several decades. Still at the same location, the gallery’s first exhibition under the new name is the annually anticipated winter show, which opens this weekend on December 17, 2022, and will run through February 4, 2023. This year’s iteration features new works from a variety of artists, offering visitors a concise yet captivating glimpse into the gallery’s ethos and the opportunity to explore an interesting collection of contemporary art.

Why We Like It: The winter group exhibition is the perfect transition into the new year, presenting a refreshing mix of art dated as recently as the past 12 months to the turn of the 21st century. Collectively, the works present an intriguing glimpse into subtle nuances in the development of contemporary art—and visitors can discover new art and artists or reconnect with past favorites. Apropos for the opening month of the exhibition, Charlotte Wall’s (2022) explores the visual component to tactility by juxtaposing different woven materials. Furthering the theme of tactility, Robert Gray Murray’s (2008) is a painted aluminum relief that serves as a Minimalist interpretation of landscape painting. Also significant to this show is the unveiling of an important work by Vancouver native Jeff Wall, (2011), a larger-than-life portrait study, exemplary of the acclaimed artist’s oeuvre.

According to the Gallery: “The word ‘elan’ has been a constant point of curiosity for many. ‘Elan’ has the uplifting and positive definition of ‘vigorous spirit or enthusiasm.’ Though phonetically soft, it carries with it an imperishable force and spirit. My father, Joseph Kyle, painted a series of works titled ‘Elan’; liking the word, I registered my company under this name, although I never actually intended it to be the name of a gallery.

It was suggested to me by a dear friend and somebody I greatly respect in the art world to change the name of the gallery and to use my name in its place. He suggested this because I have had galleries for close to five decades, people know me and the standard that I try to maintain, thus beginning my contemplation of this monumental shift. Renaming the gallery to include my name presented a moral dilemma, as I have never desired accolades or personal attention, the gallery and my work have always been about the art and artists.” —Paul Kyle

See featured work from the exhibition below.