VPL’s literary landmarks expand
July 07th, 2017
Eight more B.C. authors are sited by a program to recognize the city’s vibrant literary and publishing culture.
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Ivan Coyote, David Suzuki, bill bissett, and Madeleine Thien are among authors newly recognized with ‘landmark’ status for their contributions to Vancouver’s literary scene.
Vancouver Public Library continues to expand its literary landmark project – marking spots of literary significance around the city – and has now installed 45 specialty plaques across Vancouver to highlight the lives and works of notable authors.
David Suzuki
Identifying the landmarks are bold, colourful plaques – installed on lamp standards – that reveal the literary experiences and talents that make them worthy of recognition.
A companion interactive online map (vpl.ca/literarylandmark) highlights the landmarks across the city and offers further details on the authors and links to their works in the library’s catalogue.
Among the newest locations:
- On Fourth Avenue between Yew and Vine streets, near the offices of the David Suzuki Foundation, named for the Vancouver scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster who has written or co-written more than 50 books.
- The 3000-block of Victoria Drive, where acclaimed author Ivan Coyote lived in an attic during the rise of an unparalleled literary career. It’s the location of an electrical fire that destroyed Coyote’s computer as described in Loose End, a collection of Coyote’s columns from Xtra West, a queer newspaper in Vancouver.
- Vancouver Art Gallery, which in 1984 featured the solo show fires in th tempul by artist and prominent poet bill bissett, who authored 70 books of poetry.
- East Broadway near Main Street, where award-winning author Madeleine Thien was briefly the editor of Ricepaper magazine, which has showcased Asian Canadian literature, culture and the arts since 1994.
Peter Trower photo by Diane Demille.
VPL’s literary landmark project is a collaboration of the library, B.C. BookWorld and the VPL Foundation, through the support of Dr. Yosef Wosk.
Completing this year’s list of authors newly recognized with a literary landmark are Anosh Irani, Helen Potrebenko, Peter Trower, and Paul Yee.
Learn more and explore the landmarks at vpl.ca/literarylandmark.
Media contact:
Marya Gadison
VPL Marketing + Communications
604.331.3681
marya.gadison@vpl.ca
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