By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor
Massy Arts Society Gallery
Where: 23 E Pender St, Vancouver
Hours: Saturday–Sunday, 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Located in Chinatown, Massy Arts Society is a “community hub dedicated to supporting the practices of Indigenous and over-excluded artists.” They currently have their Cedar Sage and Sweetgrass Indigenous Art Show display in their front window. The exhibit features striking portraits, paintings, and carvings from 13 artists from the BC-based artist collective. In addition, enter the gallery for free (masks mandatory) to see “Chinatown Looks,” a disposable camera photography exhibit in which Chinese seniors and youth take part in documenting their experiences of Chinatown. Organized by the Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice, an organization supporting youth and low-income immigrant seniors, the photography will make you want to explore Chinatown’s historic sites and shops with a new appreciation. Both exhibitions are on until March 16.
Audain Gallery
Where: 149 W Hastings St, Vancouver
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts downtown campus currently has an art installation titled “Please Meet the Geese Who Have Lived Here Forever.” The elaborate sculptures and set consists of objects found in thrift stores, alleyways, and backyards. Based on the artist’s recent film of the same name, which is about “a family of wild geese who seek refuge along the foreshore of Burrard Inlet (səl̓ilw̓ət).” Meant to emphasize the consequences of the climate crisis, the installation is described as having an “intentional awkwardness,” which symbolizes the artist’s “irreverence toward conventional ‘high art’ value systems and her repudiation of settler culture’s rapacious overconsumption.” Just a couple blocks from Harbour Centre, this is an inspiring after-class activity. This exhibit is free and open until March 13.
The Chinatown Storytelling Centre
Where: 168 E Pender St, Vancouver
When: Friday–Monday, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Learn about Chinese Canadian history and Chinese Canadian contributions in Vancouver at this new permanent exhibit. With an emphasis on sharing stories through “storytelling, unique artifacts, recordings, and photos,” this is the perfect way to discover Chinatown through a new lens. They also have a theatre in the exhibit where they screen “archival films, in-house productions, and short films by community partners.” After your visit, I recommend stopping by scenic Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Classical Garden, which is just a few minutes walking distance. Tickets range from $10–$12.50 and can be purchased on their website.
