Vancouver's Spectacular Signage and the Birth of Gianthropology

Join Vancouver Heritage Foundation and The Giant Hand and The Birth of Gianthropology artist Henri Robideau for a crash-course on the city’s larger-than-life signage. We will discuss Henri’s large-scale photo-based artwork for The WALL public art installation and discover how Vancouver became the birthplace of Gianthropology.

While Vancouver’s Neon period from 1925 to 1960 is perhaps the city’s most heralded example of its transition from gloomy, rain-soaked sawmill town to vibrant metropolis, the blackouts of World War II led to a new category of no-neon outdoor advertising known as “Spectaculars”. The hand of enormous proportions that stood atop McGavin’s bakery from 1949 through 1973 inspired Henri’s life-long photographic study of humanity’s attraction to bigness, a new science he called Gianthropology. In this engaging hour-long event, Henri will discuss the basic Gianthropological research structure and define the difference between merely big and giant, as well as share stories from his Gianthropologic ‘digs’ that led to the creation of his 1980 exhibition, Giant Things.

Details of how to join this event will be provided to registered participants. If you have not received the connection email two days before the event, please let us know at mail@vancouverheritagefoundation.org.

This event is part of the 2021 Capture Photography Festival Events Program.

Please note that event cancellations require 4 weeks notice as most event and course expenses are incurred in the weeks immediately prior.