Quick Pick — Deep-Seated Histories at Museum of Vancouver
Galleries West contributor Mark Mushet contributed to exhibition centred around chairs
Mark Mushet, Untitled, (part of a series entitled “Refuge”), four photos, 12" x 12" each (courtesy of the artist)
Vancouver photographer and videographer (and Galleries West contributor) Mark Mushet has several photos on view as part of the group exhibition, Deep-Seated Histories, at the Museum of Vancouver now through January 2026.
Mushet's series of photos, entitled Refuge, feature eight chairs that are used in real life as smoke-break spots behind workplaces throughout Vancouver.
“There are endless discarded chairs cluttering up our streets, part of our disposable society, but these break pits are often unwittingly set up with some care and order,” says Mushet, who adds that all of these images were taken on his iPhone.
“I do look for some compositional elements and subtle palette interaction to make them worthy of bringing into the gallery space, even if there are only different shades of grey in the more bleak examples!”
The multi-part exhibition also features actual chairs that have significance to Vancouverites — a Fritz Hansen chair from the former Woodward's employee dining room, for instance — as well as mid-century modern chairs made by Vancouver designers. There are also the director-style chairs from Vancouver's Theatre Under the Stars, chairs that date back to when Canadian jazz vocalist Pearl Hendrix (aunt to legendary rock musician Jimi Hendrix) appeared in the musical Hit the Deck in 1951. All around, it's an interesting exhibition for many reasons. ■
Deep-Seated Histories is on view now through January 2026 at the Museum of Vancouver.
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