Programs & Events
Programs & Events
Capture Public Art: Kvet Nguyen
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April 1 – August 31, 2023
Curated by former Executive Director/Curator Henry Heng Lu
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King Edward Station
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Courtesy of the artist:
Kvet Nguyen’s work demonstrates an embodied sense of searching within the self. For her photo series You are allowed to mix apples and pears here, assembles a range of objects – primarily organic – of various sculptural forms and photographs them against backdrops of domestic settings. The objects, many of which are often found in diasporic cooking, are posed with others with apparently different cultural roots; the constructed compositions display dexterity, elegance, and discomfort. These compositions symbolize the act of “blending in” performed by Nguyen’s family following their immigration to Slovakia from Vietnam several decades ago, and simultaneously evoke a sense of uncertainty through the strange-yet-familiar quality of the collages. The subtle approach to familiarity is aided by elegant lighting, surroundings, and colour choices, seemingly creating a metaphor for becoming, unbecoming, and rebecoming.
Ultimately, You are allowed to mix apples and pears here is a family portrait of Nguyen’s parents and herself that speaks to the prolonged process of navigating cultures and settling in.
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Presented in partnership with Capture Photography Festival and the Canada Line Public Art Program – InTransit BC
Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon 2023: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon
Saturday, March 18, 2023
1 – 5 PM PST
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Register HERE.
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The last event of our Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon 2023, is the Wikipedia Edit-a-thon! We are wrapping up the three-part event with a Wikipedia workshop, where we will edit articles for women, 2SLGBTQI+, gender non-binary, people of color, Black and Indigenous artists, curators, and organizations, as well as Feminist and activist art movements.
In solidarity with the women and girls of Iran who continue to courageously protest for their fundamental human rights, Centre A will place an emphasis on creating new pages and updating existing pages on Iranian artists.
In the meantime, feel free to sign-up and join our Wikipedia Dashboard. You’re welcome to get started anytime throughout March to edit and add articles, prior to and after the event.
Refreshment and childcare will be provided (please email [email protected] before March 11, 2023)
Please bring your own electronic device!
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.
Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon 2023: TFW No Institutional Access: Independent Research Workshop
Saturday, March 11, 2023
1 – 2:30 PM PST
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Register HERE.
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In a world of paywalled articles and inaccessible academia, research without institutional means is often difficult and laborious.
In this workshop, Centre A’s Library Assistant Coco Zhou will share tips and tricks for accessing books and journals for independent scholars in the humanities and social sciences. Join us to learn about community archives, shadow libraries, open repositories, and more. Special attention will be given to reading materials related to liberation struggles in Iran and broadly, the MENA region.
Participants will be equipped with a multitude of resources and can expect to leave with a better understanding of how independent research can also be politicized.
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.
Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon 2023: A Collective Investigation
Saturday, March 4, 2023
1 – 3 PM PST
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Register HERE.
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We are starting this year with another Collective Investigation, inviting you to examine the contents of Centre A’s reading room while taking part in a literary game. Participants are encouraged to bring a personal question, or be guided by our list of research questions on Iranian artists. This is a chance to have thoughtful conversations, share with each other our learning and interests, and get familiar with Centre A’s library collection.
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Originally designed by American artist Matthew Bakkom, Collective Investigation is a method for mapping an archive through a relational process. As participants explore Centre A’s library, 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. Discussion may ensue as relevant or recurring themes and patterns surface with each presentation. Prepare to have fun and be surprised!
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IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING THE EVENT:
Due to Sun Wah Centre’s security measures, please locate the security guard posted at the front gate to be let into the building. Otherwise, please call Centre A at (604) 683-8326 during the event hours.
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.
Centre A Announces a Change in Leadership
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The Centre A Board of Directors would like to share the news of the departure of Henry Heng Lu as the Executive Director and Curator of Centre A as of December 31, 2022, as he sets out to pursue personal projects. Henry, who first joined the Centre A team in 2019, has developed and initiated many exciting exhibitions, programs, and institutional collaborations over the years for Centre A; special initiatives include: the Arts Writing Mentorship Program, the Holiday Art Market, the Counter-Anti-Asian-Racism Digital Initiative (CAARDI), and the Centre A Speaker Series. Henry has also steered the organization through the difficult years of the global pandemic, stabilized its financial position, and has developed robust online programming to reach broader audiences. We are thankful for everything that he has done to support Centre A, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
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We are also pleased to announce the promotion of Ellie Chung, our Gallery Manager, to the position of Interim Director. In the coming months, the Centre A Board of Directors and staff will be reviewing the organization’s operational and programming needs to best inform the next phase of staff recruitment.
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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.
Temporary Closure: Boutique is Open
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Note: Reading Room will re-open soon, stay up-to-date on our social media to find out when.
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Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 12 PM – 6 PM
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Happy New Year from the Centre A team!
The gallery will close until further notice.
Don’t miss us too much– our Boutique remains open for all those who wish to pick something art-sy for themselves or for their loved ones.
In the meantime, we are conducting a short survey to better understand our audience– if you frequent our social media pages or are an ardent reader of our newsletter, this is for you! Find the link HERE.
Stay tuned for more info..
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.
Centre A Speaker Series 2022 EXTENDED: Sunil Gupta and Tom Hsu
Thursday, December 1, 2022
11 am – 1 pm PST
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We have extended our Speaker Series 2022 and will wrap up this year with a virtual discussion that examines the intersection between photographic practices and racialized queer identities in the Western context. This talk will be moderated by Tom Hsu and Henry Heng Lu.
Register for the talk HERE.
Find out more about the Centre A Speaker Series 2022 HERE.
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Sunil Gupta is a British/Canadian citizen, (b. New Delhi, 1953) MA (RCA) Ph.D. (Westminster) who lives in London and has been involved with independent photography as a critical practice for many years focusing on race, migration, and queer issues. A retrospective was shown at The Photographers’ Gallery, London (2020/21) and The Image Centre, Toronto. He is a Professorial Fellow at UCA, Farnham. His latest book is “We Were Here: Sexuality, Photography, and Cultural Difference, Selected Writings by Sunil Gupta”, Aperture New York 2022 and his current exhibitions include; “Sunil Gupta: Songs of Deliverance, Part I and Part II” at the Hammersmith Hospital, London. His work is in many private and public collections, including; the Tokyo Museum of Photography, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Royal Ontario Museum, Tate and the Museum of Modern Art. His work is represented by Hales Gallery (New York, London), Materià Gallery (Rome), Stephen Bulger Gallery (Toronto) and Vadehra Art Gallery (New Delhi).
Tom Hsu is an artist currently residing and working in unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories (also known as Vancouver). His practice focuses on the observation of spaces and how bodies exist in them. Using a 35mm camera, Hsu approaches his subjects from odd angles, cropping out the larger scene to focus on specific forms conveying a gentle intimacy. His camera finds everyday, mundane moments and interactions that are often overlooked and gives them a poetic and expressive. His work has been exhibited at numerous galleries, including the Libby Leshgold Gallery, Centre A, Macaulay & Co. Fine Art, Burrard Arts Foundation, YACTAC, UNIT/PITT (Vancouver); and Gallery TPW (Toronto).
Credits: Photo of Sunil Gupta by © Charan Singh; Photo of Tom Hsu by © Alk
Centre A would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council for supporting the Centre A Speaker Series.
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.
