The Abbotsford community came together for an evening of art when The Reach Gallery Museum had their spring/summer 2019 opening ceremony this past Thursday, May 23. The event began with an introductory statement given by Milt Walker, one of The Reach’s board of directors. Walker explained that the focus of the three new exhibits is questioning the nature of work and examining what that may look like — specifically, work that most people wouldn’t think twice about. He also thanked all the volunteers for their help and support in creating these new exhibitions.
“At each of these new exhibitions, and other events at The Reach, I am constantly reminded of the importance of art and culture; how they bring hope, how they shape us, how they inform us of our future and past and so many other things, and how important this space is and these opportunities are to our community. Events like this bring our community together, facilitate dialogue, and help us understand the world around us,” Councillor Brenda Falk, who spoke on behalf of the mayor, said.
The three main exhibitions are; Little Mexico by Carlos Colin, Something More Than Nothing by Aganetha Dyck, Andrew Norman Wilson, Colleen Heslin, Kelly Mark, Madiha Sikander, and Michael Mandiberg, and Precious by Karin Jones.
“Here at The Reach, over the next three months, we will be considering the nature of work. How it shapes our lives, how it has changed over time, and how various forms of work are valued or, conversely, de-valued in our society.” said Laura Schneider, Executive Director of The Reach.
Carlos Colin, a Vancouver-based artist who was born in Mexico, was at the event to present his work, Little Mexico. Little Mexico contains sculptures, screen-prints, sound/video installations, and photographs. The exhibition provides a look into the labour force in the Fraser Valley, showing how there is a split between worlds: many workers from Mexico work here for many months to support their families back home. One of the walls in this exhibition featured different types of worker hats hanging in a row, demonstrating the different lives and experiences of the workers.
Karin Jones is a Vancouver-based artist whose interdisciplinary practice has a background in metalwork and jewelry making. In the exhibition Precious, she examines the history of agriculture, which is quite relevant to the Abbotsford community. She presents repurposed farm implements which address different notions of agricultural labour.
Something More Than Nothing was the one group exhibition presented at the opening. Two out of the six artists, Colleen Heslin and Madiha Sikander, were there to discuss their pieces in the collaboration. Something More Than Nothing is about the idea of hidden or invisible labour.
“Colleen Heslin is the creator of the stunning large scale abstract paintings. Colleen has created these paintings using very unusual and surprising techniques, techniques that are maybe more associated with hidden labour in the domestic sphere, the work of women in the home,” said Adrienne Fast, Curator of Art & Visual Culture at The Reach.
Madiha Sikander created, with the help of many others, a remarkable cloth curtain that smelled of different spices. The piece is titled Majmua, and was made in Pakistan. Majmua was created to help recall the international spice trade that fueled the global economic development and colonization.
“I was thinking about scent. In that sense, you know that there is one thing that would repulse one person and then be reminiscent of home to another. So, that’s where the idea actually began. I have been thinking of spices and scent for a while and the dominance of the visual in visual arts, and why we ignore touch and scent and all these other senses so much. So I wanted to make a piece that was more than 3D,” said Sikander.
Upon entering The Reach, visitors were overtaken by the smell of Majmua. Sikander was indeed quite successful in creating a piece that ventured beyond 3D capabilities; people were invited to touch and feel the curtain. Throughout the night, she was surrounded by people asking questions about her fascinating piece.
The new exhibitions are bound to create a buzz around the community this spring/summer. Each one will be on display at The Reach until September 19, 2019. Admission to these exhibitions are free to the public, so go check out these amazing artworks!
Image: David Myles/The Cascade
