Weaving Cultural Identities: Vancouver Biennale

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Weaving Cultural Identities, 2018

As a direct result of conversations arising from the 2018-2020 installation, Paradise Has Many Gates, the Vancouver Biennale presents a special exhibition addressing the topic of belonging and intercultural collaborations exploring diverse global experiences of spirituality. The Weaving Cultural Identities exhibition is a visual manifest of local dialogues surrounding the reconciliation of lost heritage, and the sharing and celebration of cultural knowledge, symbolism and self-identification through textile traditions.

Over several months, multicultural, creative members of the community engaged with both Muslim and First Nations groups through a month-long series of workshops. Drawing inspiration from prayer rugs and other woven and textile traditions, the participants began the creative process of unpacking their own experiences and histories to create a series of woven works and narratives aimed at celebrating the historical and sacred significance of textile arts and Indigenous and migrant experiences. The products of these collaborations, resulted in ten unique images and tapestries including Coast Salish weaving, Eastern-Canada rug hooking, Qalamkar (Iranian printmaking), digitally operated jacquard weaving, and more. These diverse works will be on display along with their original design, as well as a video projection of the artist reflecting on their experiences of the collaborative process and personal connections to textile art.

Featured Textile artists:

Angela George, Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph, Dawn Livera and Adrienne Neufeld, Krista Point, Nadia Sajjad, Ruth Scheuing and Mary Lou Trinkwon, Shamina Senaratne, Michelle Sirois Silver, Debra Sparrow, Robyn Sparrow

Featured Graphic artists:

Doaa Jamal, Damian John, Sholeh Mahlouji, Michelle Nahanee, Kit Walton

Through the looking hole of spiritual textiles and prayer rugs, this also becomes an exploration of the multiple storylines of Vancouver, developed through the telling of diverse multicultural perspectives. This exhibition goes a short way to developing a platform and process for community dialogue through arts-based discussions around uneasy issues of belonging, displacement, diaspora, and honoring land presently shared by several groups.

The exhibition will be on hosted in collaboration with the Museum of Vancouver from September 23-26, 2018, in the Studio Exhibition space (1100 Chestnut Street) from 10 AM to 5 PM daily.

Events and Panels:

1) Exhibition walkthrough and meet the Artists | September 23rd from 3-5 PM, Museum of Vancouver

2) Artist Panel - Weaving Relations: Developing platforms for Reconciliation | September 25th from 6-7 PM, Museum of Vancouver

3) Artist Tour - Discussion of evolving practices in the global textile community | September 26th from 3:30-4:30 PM, Museum of Vancouver