Butterfly Dreams Panel Discussion - David Khang, Glenn Alteen, and Larissa Lai

Join us for a panel discussion on Butterfly Dreams at Centre A with David Khang, Glenn Alteen and Larissa Lai.

This conversation brings together artistic, scientific, and political perspectives surrounding the exhibition. The panel discussion will begin with an introduction tracing the exhibition’s chronology, followed by a visual presentation exploring the migration of Monarch butterflies and the complex ecological systems they inhabit. The talk will also touch on the broader geopolitical realities connected to these migration paths, including regional tensions and Indigenous community stewardship.

Glenn Alteen will reflect on the development of the project as a curator, while writer Larissa Lai will share her literary and critical perspective. The event will conclude with an open Q&A.

Panel Discussion: May 9, 2026, 2 PM

Exhibition Duration: April 18 - May 30, 2026

Location: #205-268 Keefer St. (2nd floor of the Sun Wah Centre)

Gallery Hours: Wed–Sat, 12–6 PM

David Khang's practice is informed by his multidisciplinary careers. He is a recipient of the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art (2007), and multiple BC Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts grants. Khang has taught at ECUAD (2005-2015) and Goddard College (2009-2010). In 2021, he completed his JD specializing in Aboriginal & Environmental Law (UBC). Khang currently divides his time between the practices of art, dentistry, and law.

Glenn Alteen is a Vancouver based curator and writer and founding program director of grunt (1984 – 2020). He was cofounder of LIVE Performance Biennial (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005) and the Blue Cabin project (2018 onward). His writing has been published in The Place of Objects (VAG 2025), Other Places - Reflections on Media Art in Canada (MANO 2019), Wordless - The Performance of Rebecca Belmore (grunt 2018). In 2018 Alteen was awarded Governor General’s Award for Outstanding Contribution in Visual and Media Art.

Larissa Lai is the author of nine books including The Lost Century, The Tiger Flu, Iron Goddess of Mercy, and Salt Fish Girl. Recipient of the Duggins, Lambda and Astraea awards, she has also been a finalist for multiple awards, including the Governor General’s Award and the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2026. Her interests include speculative fiction, contemporary poetry and poetics, and the unstable field of Asian Canadian Studies.