Ian Wallace wearing the Order of the Owl medallion in front of Jack Shadbolt’s Birds in the Thicket II-IV. Photo by Khim Mata Hipo
Congratulations to AHVA alumnus Ian Wallace (MA ’68) for receiving the Order of the Owl, recognizing his significant contributions to contemporary art and his transformative impact on the Canadian cultural landscape. The Order of the Owl ceremony took place on November 14, 2024, at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art.
Wallace graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History in 1966 and continued on to receive his Master of Arts in Art History in 1968. With a career spanning over five decades, his multidisciplinary practice bridges painting, photography, and installation. In addition to his contribution to local arts and cultural community, Wallace has been a continuous supporter to our department’s academic programs, including his participation in the Distinguished Visiting Artist Program in 2010 (when he presented the lecture “The Modernity Thesis and the Crisis in Representation”), contribution to the Ian Wallace Award in Art History, and the recent donation of selections from his art history library to our Visual Resources Centre.
