Playhouse

×

Expand

Parvin Peivandi, “Utopian Rug,” 2023

ceramic, underglaze, paint, various sizes (courtesy of the Gallery)

Opening Reception: Friday, September 20, 2024  6pm to 8pm

The Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art is thrilled to announce the opening of Playhouse, an engaging new exhibition that brings together works by over 20 Canadian artists. Drawing inspiration from comics, broadly interpreted as characters acting in frames, asserting control over their own narratives, the exhibition sets the stage for considering ways in which the physical, social, cultural, and imagined qualities of a place are intertwined. Through Playhouse, the Gallery welcomes visitors of all ages to experience stories, meet characters, and transform their understanding of how spaces are inhabited.

“Playhouse brings narrative to the forefront, creating space and time to experience each other's stories and to consider the unseen,” describes Allison Kerr, Director the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art and Artists for Kids. “Once more, the Gordon Smith Gallery seeks to foster connection and understanding, inviting our community to share a welcoming space and learn from the stories that each of us hold.”

Playhouse creates dialogue across multiple mediums, including sculptures, animation, paintings, and textiles. Works by contemporary Canadian artists Whess Harman, Hannah Jickling and Reed H. Reed, Guná Jensen, Cindy Mochizuki and Annie Canto are shown alongside selections from the Gallery’s Permanent Collection. Collection artists featured include Karin Bubaš, Gathie Falk, Geoffrey Farmer, Sandeep Johal, Sara Khan, Parvin Peivandi, Jack Shadbolt and Etienne Zack.

As a complement, perspectives of elementary and secondary school students from across the Lower Mainland are showcased through textile artworks and zines, providing an essential connection to the cornerstone program of the Gordon Smith Gallery, Artists for Kids. A decades-long venture, Artists for Kids supports exceptional art education and enrichment opportunities for young artists, including through the Gallery’s Permanent Collection of Canadian art.

Curator’s Tour: Thursday, September 26, 2024,  3:30pm