Ken Gerberick Museum

The Kenneth Eugene Gerberick museum

KEN GERBERICK
Dec 27, 1943 – Jan 27, 2021

 

This year we lost one of our most wildly creative and beloved Crawl artists, Ken Gerberick. This eclectic artist, automotive historian and collector will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

Already an artist in childhood, Ken trained at Forest Park College of Art in his hometown of St Louis, Missouri. From being an actual Haight St hippie in San Francisco to brave anti-war hero, he fled his own country and settled on Vancouver Island in 1969. Living in the Comox Valley for 15 years, Ken created art and was highly active in the local art and music scenes.

Ken studied under his mentor Jack Wise at the Victoria School of Art. Over 7 years he built a “forest installation” including a house, several outbuildings and 25+ antique cars and parts reminiscent of the Ozark landscapes he had loved and drawn as a child. Many cars are now covered in rust and moss and returning to Mother Earth.

Moving to Vancouver in 1984, Ken had an amazing studio at on West Hastings, lost due to fire in 2004. Supported, honoured, and celebrated by friends in the art community with a “Kenfest” fundraiser, he started all over again at the age of 60 at Hungry Thumbs Studio on Main, and after renoviction, moved to the Sun Wah BCA in Chinatown, where he continued creating art and collecting throughout his life.

A prolific artist with an extensive and diverse CV, Ken was accomplished in jewelry design, detailed drawing, painting, silverpoint, calligraphy, collage, sculpture, assemblage and installation. Through thoughtful and meaningful juxtaposition, Ken used “found and recycled materials” such as old glass, mirrors, metal, old jewelry, rust, toys, pieces of car emblems, wood, wire, photos, paper, broken taillights, neon, hubcaps, and other car related treasures and antiques. As a committed environmentalist, he believed in recycling and reusing everything possible, often citing that, in his work, “the medium WAS the message”.

Ken was well known for his Art Lamps, “Industrial stained plastic” sculptures, Assemblage Art, and his Chrome & Neon art, from individual works to annual winter window displays at Main Street studio to shipping container art collaborations at the PNE.

Ken was authentic, playful, kind, generous, and helpful. He brought us enduring connectivity with history and joyously “brightened up” our lives forever with a Shining Chrome and Neon Glow!

Make sure to check out his amazing work, archives and collectibles on display at Janis Corrado’s studio in the Sun Wah Building at this year’s Crawl.

 

Filmed by Arwen Hunter, a born and raised East Vancouver filmmaker based in the Paneficio Studios. A large portion of her inspiration comes from our East Vancouver community and the many artists that she is grateful to share space and creative time with.