Surrey Art Gallery is thrilled to announce the Winter Opening of the group exhibition “un/tangling, un/covering, un/doing” on February 9 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. The event will feature a compelling panel discussion with exhibiting artists Rebecca Bair, Wally Dion, and Clare Yow, moderated by associate curator Suvi Bains. The evening will be concluded with a poetry performance by Natasha Kianipour.
Rooted within the narratives of families and communities, the exhibition delves into the intricate politics of hair—exploring its intimate personal aspects and profound social implications. Hair has been a carrier of diverse cultural stories, often communicated through identity and gender. The subjective beauty found in loosely coiled curls or a tight braid is not just in the presentation but also in how hair communicates with the world.
In preparation for the Winter Opening, Bains encourages visitors to approach the artworks with care. She suggests reflecting on and listening to the histories and experiences shared by the artists as they reimagine relationships with hair and redefine beauty standards.
The exhibition unfolds stories woven into the rituals connected to hair, from acts of resistance to sacred reverence. Artists from across Canada, including Bair, Dion, Yow, Kianipour, Audie Murray, Sharon Norwood, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Karin Jones, Baljit Singh, and Kiranjot Kaur, offer reflections on how hair embodies cultural significance. They celebrate and unveil their responses to an individual’s association with hair and its diverse manifestations.
The community partner for this exhibition is the Black Arts Centre, which will feature a reading nook for all ages titled “New Growths.”
In addition to the exhibition, the Winter Opening will celebrate other gallery exhibits. “Josh Hite: A Vista” features a multimedia installation focusing on the fabrication and display of theatrical backdrops, while “Art by Surrey Elementary Students” is a biennial exhibition celebrating the achievements of students and teachers.
Don’t miss the two exciting events connected to “un/tangling, un/covering, un/doing”: the Film Screening with Black Arts Centre on February 21 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm and Conversations and Film Screening: “Roots of Love” on March 2 from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Admission to the Winter Opening is free. For more details, visit Surrey Art Gallery’s official website.
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