Queen's Leonardo drawings get Olympic show

An exhibit of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from the collection of Queen Elizabeth is coming to Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Games.

The exhibit is one of a series of visual arts events announced Thursday by the Vancouver Art Gallery for the period during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, when the city will play host to the world.

Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man, to openFeb. 6, 2010,will present anatomical drawings by the great Renaissance master.

The works on loan from the Royal Collection owned by the Queen includes the 18 sheets of drawings in the Manuscript A series, which the artist created as a record of his campaign of human dissection during the winter of 1510-1511.

The 18 sheets include 240 individual drawings and extensive notes on the human body that Leonardo kept in his unique mirror-image script.

That exhibit will open alongside Visceral Bodies, which features contemporary art based on the human form.

TheVancouver Art Galleryhas also created an exhibit to highlight homegrown artists, including Emily Carr, Stan Douglas, Rodney Graham, Liz Magor and Bill Reid.

Visions of British Columbia: A Landscape Manual, to open Jan. 23, is a survey of landscapes, cityscapes and portraits by B.C. artists.

Contemporary artists such as Jeff Wall and Jin-me Yoon are to be shown alongside Group of Seven artist Fred Varley and First Nations sculptor Charles Edenshaw.

Other exhibits scheduled for the Olympic period:

• Michael Lin: A Modest Veil: opening Jan. 15, 2010. Taipei artist Michael Lin will hand-paint a mural on the northern faade of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
• CUE: Artists' Videos: opening Jan. 23, 2010.A continuous program of video and film by local, national and international artists will be shown on an outdoor LED screen on the Robson Street side of the gallery.

A program of theatre, music, film, visual arts and dance is taking shape in B.C. alongside the Games.