Varley Art Gallery showcases two new nature-themed exhibitions
By David Yin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
The Varley Art Gallery welcomed the fall season with the launch of two new exhibitions, “Kejie Lin: A Garden of My Own” and “Sights of Convergence.” Both exhibits are available for viewing until Jan. 11.
“Kejie Lin: A Garden of My Own” features various floral Chinese ink paintings by Lin, a former landscape architect. Lin immigrated to Canada in her late forties and symbolizes her Chinese and Canadian identities by blending traditional Chinese ink painting techniques with Canadian flowers as subjects, such as irises, roses, and hydrangeas.
“Sights of Convergence” features a diverse collection of artworks by Jess Riva Cooper, Stanzie Tooth, and Gabriela Garcia-Luna. Each piece explores how human societies and natural environments connect. Yuluo Wei and Anik Glaude curated the collection as an extension of Lin’s solo project, which Wei also curated.
“At the Varley Art Gallery, we pride ourselves on presenting exhibitions and programs that bring meaningful conversations about Canadian art and society to the forefront,” gallery director Niamh O’Laoghaire said. “Through thought-provoking experiences, we invite audiences to see the world in new ways.”
The Varley Art Gallery will host multiple free events throughout the remainder of the year, allowing visitors to connect with the featured artists, curators, and artworks.
The gallery will continue its Lunch and Learn series, featuring Tooth on Oct. 8, Cooper on Nov. 12, and Garcia-Luna on Dec. 10. All three meetings will take place online from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Registration is required.
Glaude will host a Curator’s Corner on Oct. 18, starting at 2 p.m., in which she will provide a tour to allow visitors to understand the art curation process. Registration is required.
Lin, Tooth, Cooper, Wei, and Glaude will all return on Nov. 9 to run a panel discussion from 2 to 4 p.m. The speakers will share their insights on how artists form relationships with the natural world.
Lin will return on Dec. 7 to provide a drop-in Mandarin gallery tour from 2 to 4 p.m.
For more information, head to varleyartgallery.ca.
Photo: The Varley Art Gallery will display its two new exhibitions, “Kejie Lin: A Garden of My Own” and “Signs of Convergence,” until Jan. 11. (Varley supplied photo)