Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art

Centre A Presents: A Collective Investigation

Centre A Presents: A Collective Investigation

Saturday, October 29, 2022 

1 – 3 pm PDT 

Register HERE.

Presented as part of Art Book Month with the Vancouver Art Book Fair, A Collective Investigation invites participants to explore the contents of Centre A’s Reading Room, home to a sizeable collection of artist books, exhibit catalogues, and monographs related to Asian and diasporic Asian art. Participants are encouraged to prepare a research or personal question in advance. As they examine the library’s contents, they will be given numbered index markers to place beside a page from a book that offers insight into their question. The books are then lined up in the order of the index markers they contain. As their markers emerge from the pile, each participant will present their findings, taking turns to construct a narrative – similar to a game of exquisite corpse. Conversation may ensue as relevant or recurring themes and patterns surface with each presentation.

This activity allows participants to establish personal connections to the archive while learning about each others’ interests, potentially forming new relationships. Following the workshop, Centre A staff will scan the selected pages to compile into a PDF that serves as a record of the event and a map of the intersections between a specific audience’s attention and the library’s contents. Participants will receive a copy of this PDF as a memento.

Join us!


This event is being held as part of Art Book Month organized by Vancouver Art Book Fair. Art Book Month consists of community organized events supported by VABF and hosted in Vancouver, online and worldwide by artists, curators, collectives and institutions who are actively creating and presenting work in this medium.

Accessibility: The gallery is wheelchair and walker accessible. If you have specific accessibility needs, please contact us at (604) 683-8326 or [email protected].

Centre A is situated on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. We honour, respect, and give thanks to our hosts.