By Griffy Vigneron (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: June 5, 2013
It’s not often that libraries are gifted collections of paintings by internationally acclaimed artists.
It’s especially uncommon when the collection is valued at roughly $160,000.
“Libraries are typically not good places for great art to be displayed because of the vulnerability of the paintings,” says Irene Geng, the donor relations manager of the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL). “Putting stuff in public places – you just never really know what’s going to happen to it,”
But it was the wish of the late William Allister that his International Collection be displayed for the public, despite the risks.
“It was so much more important for William Allister that the creative expression he enjoyed so much would be shared with people,” Geng explains.
The donated International Collection consists of 19 paintings. Allister’s finely placed brush strokes bring together the complex nature of world culture and spirituality.
He initially approached FVRL about donating the collection over half a decade ago, but fell ill and passed away from cancer in 2008. It wasn’t until years later that the collection was once again brought to the attention of FVRL, this time by Mona Allister – the artist’s wife.
“[Mona] was very, very conscientious about making sure that [FVRL] fulfilled his wishes for his art. That was incredibly important to her,” Geng emphasizes.
Allister’s collection was at least partially inspired by books on world culture that FVRL had specially brought in at his request. He also drew from his experiences as a prisoner of war in Japan during World War II.
While he initially harboured anger towards the Japanese due to his poor treatment in Japan, he decided later in his life to overcome this.
“He actually went back to the place where he had been held as a prisoner of war,” Geng says. “This visit was really a healing time for him, and as he spent some time thereafter he realized that forgiveness was something that he could work his way through. What he decided to do was to paint his way to peace.”
His previous collection East Weds West emphasized the connections between eastern and western culture. In a similar way, Allister seems to have drawn from a multitude of cultures in his International Collection.
The paintings have been specially preserved by the FVRL. The originals have been covered with protective covers, and prints have been made for reference by the prestigious Hemlock Printers. Mona Allister, familiar with her late husband’s standards, made sure the prints are authentic replications; she carefully went over every minute detail of the prints, from shading to colour vibrancy, to ensure accuracy.
FVRL has put all the paintings on exhibition over the summer for visitors to enjoy it in its entirety. However, it’s unlikely the collection will be shown together in the future.
“This exhibition at Ladner-Pioneer library is kind of a bonus and it’s something that I’m not sure will ever happen again. It’s quite an undertaking to pull together an exhibition, and it’s also harder on the paintings to move them around,” Geng explains.
The whole collection will be on display in the Ladner-Pioneer library in Delta until Labour Day. Thereafter, the paintings will be spread out among FVRL’s 25 libraries for the public to enjoy wherever they go.
