UBCO Creative Studies Virtual Gallery
Reception on Tuesday, April 9 @2-3pm at the Fina Gallery
Beyond Reality: The Digital Sublime
These works by students of VISA 382: Advanced Practices in Media Arts explore the concept of the sublime examining its history, predicting its future, critiquing its commercialization, and more. Their works are diverse in medium ranging from interactive installations to digital paintings, showcasing varied observations of the sublime.
Open: April 3 – 11
Director Annie Furman
Mentor Denise Kenney
Toolbox Theatre invites you to step into a series of intimate performances about big issues on small stages. This week, we’re taking out our tools to construct stories about our relationship to climate change.
Featuring short plays written by: Nicolas Billon, Annie Furman, Mark Rigney
With performances by: Miriam Cummings, Ronan Fraser, and Amy Wang
And set design by: Annie Furman and Shauna Oddleifson
Performances:
Thursday, March 28, 1:00-3:00 pm
Admin Building foyer, UBC Okanagan
Saturday, March 30, 1:00-3:00 pm
Rotary Centre for the Arts (outside), 421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna
A Climate Change Theatre Action Project
BAI BAI
3D-Animated Video Installation
‘Bai Bai” is an introspective 3D-animated multimedia video exhibition by Bengi Agcal that embodies the complexities of immigration, identity, and the pursuit of creative freedom. At the heart of the exhibition is the narrative of a mystical water tiger, a symbolic representation of Agcal’s own journey, depicted through a series of evocative videos and animations. These works explore the emotional and psychological stages of immigration, drawing upon Agcal’s experiences of moving from Turkey to Hong Kong and finally to Canada. The exhibition unfolds through the migration narrative of a water tiger capturing the shock of displacement, the anger and rejection of facing systemic barriers, and the eventual recovery and nostalgia for a lost home.
Each stage of the narrative is a testament to the emotional stages of immigration, represented through the tiger’s transformative journey from a utopian aquatic realm to the stark reality of a new world. The journey commences in a realm of dreams, where the tiger thrives in amidst endless waters, symbolizing purity, potential, and the comfort of home. Inspired by the traditional Turkish “hamam,” this stage evokes a sense of communal intimacy and cultural richness, reminiscent of Turkey’s thriving days, echoing the warmth and solidarity experienced in neighborhood baths. The tiger’s home is a world where water is not just an element but a way of life, inviting a reflection on the essence of belonging and the shared human experience of finding solace in one’s roots.
As the narrative unfolds, the tiger is abruptly uprooted, finding itself in an alien landscape inspired by Kelowna, which is characterized by industrial coldness and the daunting expanse of parking lots. This stage confronts the harsh realities of migration—bureaucratic hurdles, societal indifference, and the existential struggle of starting anew in a place that deems you an outsider. The stark contrast from the first stage to this phase of rejection and anger poignantly captures the emotional turmoil and resilience required to navigate the complexities of a new beginning.
In the final stage of the Tiger’s odyssey, is the gradual adaptation to its new environment, marked by moments of gratitude, resilience, and occasional nostalgia. As the tiger builds a life of comfort and stability, echoes of longing for the past linger—a testament to the enduring ties to home and the bittersweet nature of transformation. Through introspective reflections and vivid imaginings, the tiger navigates the delicate balance between embracing the present and yearning for the familiar, encapsulating the essence of the migrant experience in the digital age.
Bengi Agcal is a multimedia artist and researcher. She earned her BEng in Computer Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She is currently pursuing her MFA alongside the NSERC CREATE Immersive Technologies program at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests and art practice include speculative fiction, participatory design, 3D rendering, digital sculpting, XR technologies, web computing, immersive technologies, and sustainability.
Before the Stones Were Broken is a series of oil paintings completed by 2nd year painting students at UBC Okanagan under the instruction of Connor Charlesworth.
Participating artists include Connor Charlesworth, Rain Doody, Mackenzie Fleetwood-Anderson, Meg Furlot, Talia Gagnon, Dawn Haywood, Neha Iyer, Sheilina John, Hailey Johnson, Madi May, Emily Mills, Phil Patrick, Sarah Prentice, Maya Taki, Amelia Vegt, Wenjing Wang, Peony Wong, and Bernice Yam.
Before the Stones Were Broken will be on view in the Members’ Gallery of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art from March 15 – April 6 2024.
Michaela Bridgemohan is an interdisciplinary artist of Jamaican and Australian descent. She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of British Columbia—Okanagan and received her BFA in Drawing (with Distinction) from the Alberta University of the Arts in 2017.
Bridgemohan’s exhibition embalmed funks will be on view in the Main Gallery of the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art from March 15 – April 27 2024.
Based on the Hummingbird Spirits printmaking initiative originated by UBC Okanagan Gallery Director and Assistant Professor in Visual Arts Tania Willard, Hummingbird Spirits: Strength and Resilience explores a vast catalog of linocut prints all featuring a hummingbird motif. Each original linocut print was produced during the previous two year annual run of the ongoing Hummingbird Spirits project.
This exhibition is organized by the UBC Okanagan Gallery and is on display in the Galleria at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, Feb. 29 to Apr. 22, 2024.
“Simply an exhibition presenting the work from the Advanced Sculpture class VISA322”
Featured Artists:
Jian Suniga
Fredrik Thacker
Ziv Wei
Ella Cottier
Simone King
CJ Ozee
Ruth Nfutxila
Wenjing Wang
Stephen Ikesaka
Asana Hughes
We warmly extend an invitation for you to join us at “The Journey II”, the upcoming art exhibition held at the FINA Gallery on the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia. This event will display the innovative works of our first-year Master of Fine Arts students.
Exhibition Details:
– Venue: FINA Gallery, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus
– Closing reception: Thursday, 29th February at 2-4 PM
– Exhibition Duration: 23th February to 29th February
About the Exhibition “The Journey II”:
“The Journey II” continues the exploration initiated by “The Journey,” delving into the stories and experiences that shape human existence. Every artwork embodies the unique journey of its creator, weaving together a unified narrative aimed at captivating the audience with individual tales that illuminate the commonalities of the human experience.
Participating Artists:
Negar Baghlani
Robin Hodgson
Roland Samuel
Tara Yadollahi
This three channel exhibition by Erin Scott is being shown at the Alternator Gallery.
Erin Scott is a poet, performer, and UBCO PhD candidate living on the unceded territory of the syil’x/Okanagan Peoples (Kelowna, BC).
9/3 consists of nine videopoems across three projectors. These poems represent an exchange between the artist’s life and art, playing on voyeurism, spectacle, intimacy, and feminism. Through an interactive, old-school overhead projector, the visiting guests are invited to add their own words, drawings, ideas, and languages to the exhibition.
In addition to being a student at UBC Okanagan, Erin also works as Co-Executive Director of Inspired Word Café, a community literary-arts nonprofit organization. Her research and artistic work focus on community art practice, humour, motherhood, and identity.
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