Abbotsford – A vibrant arts event is planned for Friday March 24th, 6:30pm at The Reach Gallery Museum. Open to all, the mid-season reception celebrates the wealth of local creativity on display in the Fraser Valley Biennial, and the Art on Demand 9.2 exhibit which opens that evening. This casual, public event is your chance to get to know some of the most exciting artists currently working in the region, enjoy light refreshments and a cash bar, and connect to the thriving Fraser Valley arts scene.
Admission is pay-what-you-can by donation.
The 2023 Fraser Valley Biennial features over twenty local artists and is guest curated by Candace Couse. Couse—who is a practicing artist and an Assistant Professor in the School of Creative Arts at the University of the Fraser Valley—has set the theme for this year’s Biennial as “the body,” and has encouraged artists to explore this concept as broadly as possible.
Couse elaborates in her curatorial statement: “The works represent the diverse and deeply meaningful ways we think about and through the body, exploring illness, gender, sexuality and disability narratives, the body as an organism, the body’s relationship to technology, the labouring body, the body as a site for pain and pleasure, and more. The exhibition speaks to the power of the body.”
The resulting exhibition includes an incredibly diverse collection of works in a variety of media, with artists approaching the theme from a range of unique perspectives.
Art on Demand is an exhibition series that brings together emerging artists and curators to showcase the talents of young creatives in our region. The exhibitions are often participants’ first opportunity to display their artwork in a professional public gallery. For Art on Demand 9.2, emerging curator Rachel Kehler presents artworks by Krystal Charlston (March 24 – May 6, 2023). Charlston’s current artworks use photographs and found objects to invite viewers to consider the importance of women’s contributions in male-dominated industries and pursuits. The exhibition series is part of the Emerge program at The Reach which supports emerging arts professionals in the Fraser Valley between the ages of 18-35. The program is made possible by financial consideration from RBC Foundation Emerging Artists program which supports the organizations that provide the best opportunity to advance an artist’s career trajectory in genres such as visual arts, music, theatre, dance, literature, and film.
A full schedule of programs, events, and exhibitions is underway at The Reach. There’s something for everyone from classes and workshops to kids camps and family programs. To learn more about what’s in store, visit www.thereach.ca
