VIDEO: Kelowna Art Gallery free for Women's Day

| March 8, 2023 in Kelowna

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The work we have seen on display in art galleries has been dominated by a male perspective.

Not right now.

At least not at the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Name a Canadian artist and it doesn't take long to see it.

"The first thing you think of is the group of seven," said Kelowna Art Gallery Curator Christine May.

"Many of them had women in their lives that they were working with or inspired by, but you don't really hear those stories."

But she said it's changing.

"Even here in the Kelowna Art Gallery in a smaller centre, we're really working hard to diversify our public art collection."

When you enter the gallery, for the Women's Day exhibition,  you'll first see work by Reyhan Yasdani and Nasim Pirhadi, both Persian Canadians.

It's called 'We Are Countless'.

"We have some diverse voices here that really that really showcase art from a feminist perspective," said Gallery Curator Christine May, "speaking specifically to issues of women and girls in Iran and the protests that are happening."

The pair are from Vancouver and Kelowna respectively.

In Comox artist, Shannon Bool's exhibition, 'The Shape of Obus', the artist uses her artwork to ask questions about how repressed eroticism influenced the work of a famous architect.

"She's flipping the script on old white male perspectives," May explained. "And representations of the female body in kind of a new and innovative way."

The displays are in place until June.

Visitors will be encouraged to draw upon their own artistic impulses by contributing to a tapestry.

It's inspired by Bool's work with tapestry.

"This is an opportunity to become your own artist," said May, "in what we call our Art Lab."

The gallery is inviting the community to celebrate with them on Women's Day.

Admission is free from 10 am to 5 pm.

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