EXHIBITIONS
Echoes in Open Color
This body of work explores a quiet balance between control and release through layered gestures, diffused edges, and fluid movement, where intention meets spontaneity. Natural hues are pushed into unfamiliar relationships, interrupted by bursts of color, creating open-ended compositions that invite curiosity rather than conclusion. With shifting densities and organic processes evoking growth and time, the exhibition offers an atmospheric experience centered on freedom in mark-making, color, and interpretation.
(Amelia Douglas Gallery, Fourth Floor North, Douglas College, 700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, May 12–July 6)
Sara Robichaud: Objet D’Art at THIS Gallery
Sara Robichaud: Objet D’Art is a solo exhibition of new paintings at THIS Gallery. The work draws from a personal archive of domestic objects including tools, utensils, furniture, and inherited items, reinterpreting still life through memory and use. Many paintings are created at a 1:1 scale, while shifts in scale introduce metaphorical layers. Robichaud combines stencilling and manipulated paint to create surfaces that move between raw canvas and reflective finishes.
(THIS Gallery, 108 East Broadway (alley entrance), May 29 – June 7)
The Reach Gallery Museum presents Parallax(e): Perspectives on the Canada–U.S. Border / Perspectives sur la frontière Canada–É.-U.
The Reach Gallery Museum presents the blockbuster exhibition Parallax(e): Perspectives on the Canada–U.S. Border / Perspectives sur la frontière Canada–É.-U., on view now through May 30, 2026. The exhibition brings together rare archival materials from the historic Northwest Boundary Survey (1858–62) with new commissions from Indigenous contemporary artists to explore the countless impacts of the 49th parallel on First Nations communities. In conversation with the international boundary at Abbotsford’s southern edge, this exhibition considers the border from more than two sides, recognizing persisting impacts of colonialism and celebrating the many ways Indigenous contemporary artists explore traditional knowledge systems, share histories, and offer empowering visions of the past, present, and future.
(The Reach Gallery Museum, 32388 Veterans Way, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 0B3, now through May 30, 2026)
Blossoming
Blossoming is a solo exhibition by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Jamie Gentry, curated by Aliya Boubard. After 12 years of creating moccasins by commission, this exhibition marks a shift toward work guided by personal inspiration, self-discovery, and joy. The exhibition features handcrafted moccasins adorned with realistic floral beadwork, alongside photographs placing the works within the natural environments that inspired each pair. A workshop with the artist will take place during the exhibition run, with details to be announced.
(Bill Reid Gallery, 639 Hornby St, Feb. 28–May 24)
Karen Zalamea: Every Surface Is a Shrine
The Art Gallery at Evergreen is pleased to present Every Surface Is a Shrine, bringing together a selection of photo-based works by Karen Zalamea that trace the shifting boundaries between material, memory, and place. Rooted in a critical exploration of photography’s expanded possibilities, Zalamea’s practice reimagines the medium not only as an image-making tool but as a methodology of care, labour, and cultural inquiry.
(Evergreen Cultural Centre, Mar. 7–May 24)
The Museum of Anthropology at UBC presents Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision
The Museum of Anthropology at UBC presents the world premiere of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision, on display from March 19, 2026–January 3, 2027. Guest curated by Luis Manuel González, Adjunct Professor in UBC’s Department of Anthropology, this bilingual (English and Spanish) exhibition explores Andean cosmovision—a holistic spiritual framework explaining the universe—through nearly 100 ancient artifacts crafted from ceramic, textile, bone, shell, and wood. The exhibition reflects ancestral understandings of a world where life and death coexist in a continuous cycle, or “Tupananchiskama,” meaning “until life brings us together again.”
(Museum of Anthropology, 6393 NW Marine Drive, Mar. 19—Jan. 3, 2027)
As In a Body.
As In a Body brings together work by Urban Indigenous artists Whess Harman, Kwiigay iiwaans, Sydney Pascal, and Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, exploring community, land, sustenance, and embodied experience through sound, drawing, sculpture, film, and installation. The exhibition reflects on contemporary lived experience through themes of language, grief, cultural knowledge, and collective joy, including works that range from repurposed materials to immersive sound and installation. Opening April 23, 2026, the exhibition runs through May 30, 2026.
(grunt gallery, 116–350 E 2nd Ave., Vancouver, BC, Apr. 23–May. 30)
Museum of Anthropology at UBC presents I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson
The Museum of Anthropology at UBC presents the world premiere of an exhibition featuring 51 “history robes” by Haida artist Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson. The works reinterpret traditional Northwest Coast button blanket forms to document Haida history from an Indigenous perspective, presenting the full series together for the first time and highlighting the evolution of cultural expression through contemporary Indigenous art. (Museum of Anthropology, 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver BC, May 14–Oct. 12, 2026)
Minutiae: 100+ tiny sculptures by 50+ artists!
100+ tiny sculptures from artists such as Jean Paul Langlois, Ben Skinner, Amanda Wood, Meg Shaw, Amelia Butcher, Andrea Hooge, Hiller Goodspeed, Puppyteeth, and more! Just $200 each! The main event takes place Friday, May 15, at 6 pm, when all works will be released simultaneously in the gallery and online. ARRIVE EARLY! Works are available on a first-come basis and will move quickly. Cash-and-carry! Proceeds go to support THIS Gallery's commitment to accessibility, experimentation, and artist-led programming. The exhibition is on view through May 24, 2026 at THIS Gallery.
(THIS Gallery, 108 East Broadway (alley entrance), Vancouver, May 15—24)
Becoming: The Art of Gu Xiong
For over five decades, Gu Xiong (b. 1953) has shaped contemporary art in Canada and China. Centering personal memory and lived experience, his work gives voice to individuals often rendered invisible within transnational cultures and histories. Becoming: The Art of Gu Xiong is a comprehensive celebration of the artist’s practice, bringing together key works from his personal collection alongside loans from public and private collections.
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9, May 28–Feb. 7)
Art Vancouver
Art Vancouver is a vibrant international art fair that brings together contemporary artists, galleries, and collectors from around the world for a dynamic, immersive experience. Held annually, it showcases a diverse range of works, from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media, making it an inspiring destination for both seasoned collectors and curious newcomers. Attendees can discover emerging talent, engage directly with artists, and explore new perspectives in a welcoming, creative atmosphere. Whether you’re looking to start a collection or simply enjoy a day surrounded by innovation and culture, Art Vancouver offers something memorable for everyone.
(Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, May 28—31)
West of Main Art Walk
Explore Vancouver’s vibrant arts community during the West of Main Art Walk, a free, self-guided tour of artists’ studios and exhibition spaces and community hubs. Visitors are invited to step inside working studios, meet local artists, and experience a wide range of creative practices including painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography, and mixed media. The West of Main Art Walk offers a rare opportunity to connect directly with 70+ artists, learn about their process, and discover original artwork.
Location: Various studios across Vancouver’s West Side
(2305 West 7th Ave Vancouver, BC V6K 1Y4, May. 30-31)
XUUYA: Raven Brings the Light 2026
XUUYA: Raven Brings the Light returns for another year, and early bird tickets are now live! A unique fundraising evening of Indigenous art, music, food, and performance in a lively, after-hours celebration in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Find Out More and Get Your Tickets Here: https://xuuya-2026.raiselysite.com/
(Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. 639 Hornby Street, Vancouver BC, Jun. 4)
Intimate Observations: A Retrospective of Jan Smith
This retrospective exhibition celebrates the work of Jan Smith, recipient of the 2022 Hilde Gerson Award, bringing together jewellery, printmaking, drawing, and enamel works spanning her multidisciplinary practice. Smith’s work is shaped by close observation of the natural world and sustained engagement with material process, exploring surface, texture, and transformation. Alongside finished works, visitors are invited to engage with unfinished pieces through touch, offering insight into the tactile relationships at the centre of her practice.
(Craft Council of BC, 1386 Cartwright St., June 4—July 23)
LURE
From subsistence to livelihood, from sport to ritual, fishing links people from coast to coast to coast. This thematic group exhibition includes work by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists across Canada with ties to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and the freshwater bodies that flow between. Together the artists explore the complex social and cultural significance of the ancient yet everyday activity of fishing. Opening Reception: Fishing Kitchen Party! Jun. 11 6-8:30pm.
(Evergreen Arts, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam BC, Jun. 6-Aug. 23)
Cameron Kerr: Collecting the Unconscious
Opening June 19th from 6-8 pm, Griffin Art Projects hosts TRAPP PROJECTS for a unique exhibition curated by Patrik Andersson. The exhibition presents all new and collected works including sculpture, painting and photography and continues on view to Aug. 23, 2026. In his first solo show since 2020, Vancouver based artist Cameron Kerr explores vernacular image systems, memory and canonical forms reminding us that truth is not objective but rather a collection of subjective human constructs.
(Griffin Art Projects, 1174 Welch St, North Vancouver, BC V7P 1B2, Jun. 19-Aug. 23)
WORKSHOPS
Life Drawing Classes - North Van Arts
Practice your drawing skills in a friendly, non-competitive environment. Each session features professional nude models, with a focus on diversity in age, gender, and body shape. This group welcomes both beginner and experienced artists. Cost: $175 (5 weeks). Each 3-hour session includes; Short warm-up poses (1–2 minutes), Longer poses (5–25 minutes), Light background music, This is a facilitated, not instructed class. Skills you’ll develop; Confidence working with a nude model, Gesture and quick-capture drawing, Stamina and form-building, Ability to draw a wide range of body types. Who should attend; Students who can work independently, Artists who enjoy practicing for extended periods, Anyone looking to connect with the local life drawing community
(Maplewood House, 399 Seymour River Pl, North Vancouver BC, Mar. 29-Jun. 7, and Apr. 19-Jun 14)
Light and Shadow w/David Aldrich
The workshop will begin with an introduction into the role of light in creating form, and how we incorporate these actions to perceive the visual world around us. From this new appreciation of light and shadow as the determinant of form, we will create a set of basic geometric shapes. Participants will be asked to complete any unfinished drawings over the intervening week as well as taking a directed series of digital photographs. These finished exercises and the series of photographs will be discussed in detail the following Saturday. From discussions as a group and by learning from each other’s observations, the actions of light in the creation form will be more fully absorbed into your artistic practice, as well as how you see the world around us.
(West Vancouver Seniors Activity Centre, Arts Studio 695 21st St, West Vancouver, BC V7V 4A7, May. 23 and May. 30)
Gel-Plate Printing – Mono Printing Magic!
Gel plate mono-printing is a playful, low-mess method for creating layered prints using acrylics and everyday materials. In this workshop, participants explore GOLDEN OPEN and Fluid Acrylics alongside textures like paper, leaves, and found objects, while learning image transfer techniques. Prints can function as standalone artworks or elements for collage and painting. Instruction covers layering, mark-making, and material care. Participants leave with a collection of prints and their own gel plate.
(Sonya Iwasiuk Art Studio, 208-1000 Parker Street, Vancouver, May. 30)
Natural Dyes from the Land Workshop
Learn how to develop natural dyes with local plants in this interactive session covering traditional textile dyeing practices. Instructed by Musqueam Coast Salish artists Rita Kompst and Zoe Kompst, participants will leave with a skein of yarn and a dye chart with samples. Supplies included. Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) persons are welcome to register for free; call 604-247-8324 to register.
(Richmond Cultural Centre, June 20)
