About the Event

Splash, presented by Nicola Wealth, is Arts Umbrella’s annual art auction with proceeds benefiting young people across Metro Vancouver in the visual and performing arts.

Together with Co-Chairs Christie Garofalo and Bruce Munro Wright, O.B.C., we are thrilled to be hosting Splash on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

Follow @au_splash on Instagram for the latest updates.

For sponsorship or general inquiries, please contact Jill Bryan at specialevents@artsumbrella.com or call 604.416.3327


Committee Members

Co-Chairs: Christie Garofalo and Bruce Munro Wright, O.B.C.

Vancouver Committee: Heather Altas, Jan Ballard, Brenda Bradshaw, Cailin Broere, Meagan Conn, Kimberly Cudney, Rachel Davies, Celia Dawson, Daniel Frankel, Mark Goodman, Brittany Grant, Harriet Guadagnuolo, Mike Howcroft, Mary Levitan, Brigitte Matheusik, Monique Mehl, Coleen Nemtin, Brent O’Connor, Chris Poseley, Natasha Ross, Ruthie Shugarman, Beverley Steinhoff, Tassan Sung, Trudy Van Dop, Timothy A. Young

Calgary Committee: Cassandra Cross, Marion Dixon, Chethan Lakshman, Michael Simmonds

Toronto Committee: Mary Jo Looby, Shonda Pierce, Danielle Skipp, Steven Wilson


Limited Edition Douglas Coupland Print

Renowned visual artist and author Douglas Coupland has generously created a new, limited edition print, Space Face (Ruth), 2022, in an edition of 40 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Splash. The subject of the portrait, Ruth, is a dance student at Arts Umbrella. The funds raised from this generous gift will significantly increase our capacity to serve children and youth through arts education.

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About the piece, from Douglas Coupland:

The image I’ve created here for Splash stems from a body of work I began around 2014 which sought to determine the parameters of how much of a face could be left visible before that face became no longer recognizable by AI recognition systems. Looking back at many of those pieces, I’m amazed by how much I underestimated the speed and power of facial recognition’s approach. These days a good system can pretty much identify you by a square inch of cheekbone or by chin/earlobe/hairline proportions. I’d like to thank Ruth for ‘posing’ for this portrait as it were, and I’m curious if, in one hundred years the world can determine her identity through, say just a few pixels of this image. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Coupland, Douglas-limited edition print

Space Face (Ruth), 2022
Inkjet Print
29 × 24 in, framed | Edition of 40
Generously donated by the Artist
Courtesy of Daniel Faria Gallery, Toronto
Price: $4,300 (includes a $500 tax receiptable donation, plus applicable taxes)