Art, Architecture, Design, Fashion, Music and Film converge in new Vancouver Exhibition, Fight for Beauty.

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1 Art, Architecture, Design, Fashion, Music and Film converge in new Vancouver Exhibition, Fight for Beauty. Westbank s Fight for Beauty exhibition is a celebration of art, culture and city-building. (Vancouver, Canada, ) Beginning October 14, 2017, Vancouverites can experience Fight for Beauty: a thoughtfully-curated, ambitious exhibition celebrating art and artistry in all its forms. Inside the exhibition pavilion, located in the plaza outside Fairmont Pacific Rim, guests can experience a range of artistic works intended to inspire a dialogue around creativity and broadly, the creation of beauty. Inside, the custom designed pavilion showcases public art, architecture, fashion, music, film and the written word. Each come together to demonstrate in a profound way that any craft practised well is an art form., The Collective You

2 Westbank has evolved from a real estate development firm into a cultural practice and this exhibition is a way of expressing their evolution and sharing their journey, while describing the enormous effort they continue to pour into an ongoing fight for beauty. The Fight for Beauty exhibition, also served to launch a book of the same name, written by Ian Gillespie, Founder of Westbank, a Vancouverbased development firm and culture company. Newly released, the book, like the exhibition, tells the story of a practice dedicated to creative collaborations, mutual inspiration and to making meaningful contributions to the cities in which they work. At the entrance of the exhibition, the poem, Fight for Beauty, brought to life in neon, lays a thought provoking foundation as visitors begin an audio or self-guided tour. Running through the centre of the pavilion, Omer Arbel s sculptural glass light installation , which has just been expanded the full length of the plaza, creates an illuminated forest within. The installation s trees rise out of a landscape of burnt wood planks, forming an immersive canopy of light that reaches up to six metres in height. This dramatic piece surrounds a signature custom-made piano, The Butterfly Fazioli designed by Bing Thom Architects, the maquette of Rising by Zhang Huan. The lanterns of Martin Boyce hang suspended from above, while architectural models and key milestones in Westbank s body of work including Alberni by Kengo Kuma, Bjarke Ingels Vancouver House, and the Serpentine Pavilion are placed throughout.

3 The exhibition also features vintage couture pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and a rare 1925 cocoon coat by Paul Poiret. Each of these form part of the Westbank Fashion Collection, curated by William Banks-Blaney. Adding to an already extraordinary collection, new works were commissioned for the exhibition including Territory 56 by artist Tristesse Seeliger, a musical composition created by High Plains, an original spoken-word poem and six film shorts, among them, Fight for Beauty by Lukas Dong and Westbank Fashion by Justin Wu. Tours are complimentary and open to the public from October 14 to December 17, Guests can book their tickets online at Fight for Beauty is both an expression and a documentation of Westbank s evolution from a development firm to a culture company. Inside, guests will see and experience a candid perspective of the past, present and future of Westbank, and of the fights that build cities and culture. The exhibition, open seven days a week - Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., showcases approximately 41 pieces that offer key moments of fighting for beauty. One of my hopes with this exhibition is to underscore the vital role that beauty, the stimulating, provoking and life-altering kind, plays in our lives and the importance of recognizing beauty housing it, producing it and keeping an eye open for it, said Ian Gillespie, Founder, Westbank. Westbank goes beyond just creating buildings, we acknowledge the surroundings and the existing community and create a new addition to the space and community that improves and gives back. Ultimately, we

4 aim to create a positive impact on how people live today. It has been a privilege to partner with some of the key collaborators of our time who have allowed us to create and harness unique, impacting and breathtaking beauty meant to be shared with the world. Look for the striking magenta graffiti pavilion and see what it takes to change a city. Guests can choose from a self-guided tour or select to use a 58-minute audio tour. Tickets and time-slots can be reserved free of charge at Visitors to Vancouver can book the Fight for Beauty package at Fairmont Pacific Rim which includes a one-night stay in luxurious accommodation, daily breakfast, welcome amenity, a signed copy of the new 619-page Fight for Beauty book, and preferred VIP entrance to the exhibition. Rates start from $ CDN for a Fairmont Room. About Westbank The core of Westbank s mission is to create a body of work with a high degree of artistry that helps foster more equitable and beautiful cities. Westbank is active across Canada and in the United States, with projects including residential, hotels, retail, office, rental, district energy, affordable housing and public art. Established in 1992, we are one of North America s leading developers, with offices in

5 Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Chengdu, and over 25 billion dollars of projects completed or under development. Westbank is driven by the belief that beauty and culture in all forms and in the broadest definitions, are essential to human existence. In committing our efforts fully towards the fight for beauty and the creation of culture, we have evolved beyond the definition of a traditional real estate development firm, to become a culture company. #fightforbeauty Twitter Facebook Instagram Media contact: Jill Killeen,