Abbotsford –Three new exhibitions will open at The Reach on Saturday, July 6, including one that celebrates 10 years of The Reach’s thriving Emerge Program, which supports emerging artists in the Fraser Valley.
The Emerge 10th Anniversary Exhibition showcases recent and new works by over 30 program alumni, along with documentation of more than 45 projects over the previous decade.
“The Emerge program is quite unique,” says Kelley Tialiou, Curator of Art & Visual Culture, “in its dedicated focus on supporting emerging talent in the Fraser Valley. For many of our participants, it is their first experience working with a professional-run public art gallery.” Executive Director Laura Schneider has seen the project evolve since its inception. “It has been a privilege to witness how the program has positively impacted so many artists in our community, and how it has built capacity in the creative ecosystem of our city. There are a lot of incredibly talented artists in our area, and we need to support and celebrate them every chance we get.” In addition to the 10th Anniversary exhibition, Art on Demand 10.3 introduces the two newest Emerge alumni, artist Kaitlyn Roberts and Daylynn Onucki, making her curatorial debut.
Opening alongside the Emerge 10th Anniversary Exhibition is the solo project I am my mother’s daughter by renowned artist Farheen Haq. The exhibition is a survey of multimedia works by Haq from the mid-2000s to the present that incorporates elements of text, performance, photography, video, sculpture, and installation that honor the resilience of her mother and cultural traditions of her ancestral homeland. The exhibition is organized and circulated by the Campbell River Art Gallery and curated by Haema Sivanesan and Jenelle Pasiechnik.
The exhibitions premiere at an afternoon reception at The Reach (32388 Veterans Way) on Saturday, July 6, at 1:00 pm, with a performance of Hamara Badan. Everyone is welcome and guests will enjoy light refreshments. Admission is by donation.
