Raghu Lokanathan’s creative practice is a meditation on materiality, transformation, and impermanence. Over the past 20 years, his artistic journey has taken him from singer-songwriter to playwright, actor, and, most recently, visual artist. Over this time, he has taken on the role of cultural anthropologist, approaching his creative practice as a space for inquiry, layering different disciplines to explore the naturally evolving nature of objects, stories, and identities.

His work increasingly draws its inspiration from the discarded remnants of a society fueled by consumerism, convenience, and disposability. Through these cast-off fragments, he seeks meaning, understanding, and connection, exploring the trace DNA of our collective presence, though language and mark making while creating space for reflection, interpretation and understanding.

At the heart of his practice is an engagement with decomposition, both literal and metaphorical. Blending his interests in literature, mythology, text, and mark-making, he examines what is lost, what lingers, and what transforms over time. Found objects, often discarded, overlooked, or abandoned, become focal points for reflection and experimentation, raising questions about memory, value, and impermanence. Through these materials, he reveals the tension between permanence and decay, tracing how meaning shifts as objects pass through different hands, places, and histories.

By working with discarded materials, Lokanathan challenges assumptions about waste and worth. His process, tracing, sketching, arranging, and performing, is open-ended, reflecting the fluid nature of meaning itself. Through mark-making and text, both real and imagined, he explores how time, touch, history, memory, and interaction shape materials and ideas alike. The result is a body of work that resists finality, embracing the constant state of change inherent in both art and life.

This exhibition presents and frames Lokanathan’s work as an act of slow observation, providing an invitation to pause, recalibrate, and reconsider the everyday while discovering meaning in what is often discarded or overlooked. Through his explorations and meditations on impermanence, decay, memory, and transformation, he challenges our assumptions about waste and worth, inviting us to observe more closely, engage more deeply with the world around us, recognize value in the ephemeral, and embrace the beauty of change.

We find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the cultural fabric that once provided comfort, connection, and stability is unraveling at an alarming pace, leaving more individuals feeling untethered and disconnected. Set against this backdrop, Alexandra Bischoff’s exhibition homesick feels oddly aligned with the current zeitgeist taking on even greater resonance exploring the lasting impacts and legacies resulting from the lasting impacts and legacies of familial instability.

Through a forensic examination of her own family’s history, Bischoff seeks a deeper personal understanding, drawing parallels between her own life and the lingering impact of choices made by those who came before her. But beyond the tangible traces of the past, she also considers the role of the unseen, the lingering ghosts embedded in our familial DNA, which unbeknownst to us, continue to shape our sense of self, belonging, and cultural connection.

Anyone who has been adopted and later meets their biological family for the first time can describe the strange, visceral connection that comes with looking into the eyes of a direct relative. It’s an unspoken recognition, a deep-seated familiarity that exists even before words are exchanged. This deeply felt recognition suggests that identity is not solely shaped by lived experience but is also woven from inherited memory, cultural lineage, and the silent imprints of those who came before us.

Through Bischoff’s exploration of her family’s history, we are invited to consider the weight of history that lingers in our bloodlines, the stories left untold, and the ways in which we navigate belonging in a world where the past is never truly gone but continues to shape our present in ways both seen and unseen. By engaging with these ancestral echoes, Bischoff’s work prompts us to reflect on the complexities of identity, the resilience of familial bonds, and the ongoing dialogue between past and present that informs our collective sense of place.

Ultimately homesick compels us to examine the ways in which these inherited legacies manifest in our lives, influencing our choices, relationships, and sense of home, not just as a physical space, but as an evolving emotional and cultural construct.

At 88 years old, Following the Water marks Koko’s most ambitious undertaking to date. The exhibition features three monumental canvases, each measuring 30 feet long by 5 feet tall, created specifically for this exhibition over the past three months. These massive paintings are complemented by 35 additional pieces, most of which have been painted over the last five years, along with a selection of earlier pieces that provide additional context and continuity. Together, they weave a powerful narrative that explores the profound impact water has to shape and define both the physical environment and the human experience.

The catalyst and inspiration behind this series of works can be found in the numerous field sketches done at the sites of former Japanese internment camps. At each site, Koko documented the landscape with a particular focus on the bodies of water adjacent to each location. During these visits, she created numerous preliminary sketches, which she later developed into a series of paintings in her studio. The culmination of this process is represented by the three large-scale studio works that form the core of the exhibition.

In these paintings, Koko delves into her profound and sometimes complex relationship with water, and its potential to serve as a vessel for carrying and holding memory. Water’s constant movement and cyclical nature, coupled with its deep ties to the past, make it a powerful symbol in her work. Koko seamlessly weaves together history, emotion, and the natural world, capturing the poignant and layered significance of each site she documents. The result is a rich and meaningful narrative in which water serves as both a means of personal reflection and a tool for broader cultural exploration.

The Outma Sqilxʷ Student Art Collection: Sqilxʷɬcawt (Our Ways of Being) is an exhibition which celebrates the creative output and cultural heritage of the Grade 7/8 students at Outma Sqilxʷ Cultural School. Guided by their teachers and local community mentors, students explored a wide range of artistic practices that honour syilx culture and traditions. The exhibition reflects their journey of self-expression, connection to the land, and the collective spirit of learning through storytelling, art, and hands-on activities.

For Carol Munro, art was a language, a way of life, a teacher, an outlet, an enigma and a responsibility. The creative process was both a philosophical exploration and an engine that would guide her throughout her life. Writer, broadcaster, painter, textile designer... Across varied disciplines and media, she translated the world around her into new forms. This exhibition is not only a celebration of her incredible legacy its also an installation documenting the influences and process of a creator as illustrated through the ephemera that inspires, the drive to create and play.

wayʼ x̌ast siɬkʷʕast (hello good day) The En’owkin Centre is pleased to announce our exhibition stim̓ aspuʔus in partnership with the Penticton Art Gallery.  As we continue to support our learners in our third year of hybrid programing online and in person training the NIPAT program is excited to share our interdisciplinary works and creations with all the communities in the syilx homelands.

Each year the Gallery puts a call out to artists of all kinds to submit three artworks, all priced under $500. This exhibition receives interest from artisans, crafters, and visual artists working in all media from across British Columbia.

This exhibition offers a comprehensive exploration of Robert Bateman's artistic journey, providing an opportunity to view iconic pieces from his personal collection while delving into the influences and evolution of his creative practice. Aimed at challenging perceptions of Bateman's work as merely wildlife or illustrative art, the exhibition underscores his engagement with contemporary art movements and his experimental spirit. Tracing his development from early bird studies and carvings influenced by the Group of Seven, through a phase of abstract expressionism, to his eventual return to realism inspired by Andrew Wyeth, the exhibition showcases Bateman's dynamic approach to art. It also highlights his philanthropic efforts and environmental advocacy, illustrating how his detailed depictions of wildlife not only capture beauty but also emphasize the importance of conservation. By presenting a nuanced view of his career, the exhibition invites visitors to reconsider the criteria for artistic merit and appreciate Bateman's significant contributions to both art and environmental awareness.

The Penticton Art Gallery is thrilled to welcome the community back to its largest annual fundraising event, the auction gala, on Saturday, June 22nd, 2024. To build excitement, a curated collection of artworks, unique items, and experiential packages will be exhibited as part of the Auction Preview, available for viewing and bidding from March 17th to June 21st, 2024. For those unable to attend in person, online bidding will be open until 9:00 pm on June 21st. All proceeds support the gallery’s education and outreach programs, ensuring continued affordable and accessible visual arts programming for the community. Join us in supporting this vital event and help the Penticton Art Gallery maintain its role as a leading cultural institution in the Okanagan.

The annual student art exhibition showcases the creativity and talent of visual arts students from Princess Margaret, Penticton Secondary, and Summerland Secondary schools. This beloved event highlights the importance of arts education and features a diverse range of artistic mediums, providing insights into the students' lives and perspectives. Each piece reflects the dedication of both students and teachers, emphasizing the transformative power of the arts in fostering creativity, collaboration, and empathy. The exhibition, titled "Endless Possibilities," celebrates the vibrant cultural contributions of these young artists and invites the community to connect with their stories and experiences.

Discover the essence of spring and community through the annual Meadowlark Festival exhibition, a cherished event that celebrates art, nature, and partnership. Featuring renowned artists like Anne-Marie Harvey alongside a rich history of talent, the festival epitomizes the beauty of British Columbia's landscapes. Learn how artists are selected and explore Anne-Marie's journey from the northern wilderness to the vibrant Okanagan, where she finds inspiration in every brushstroke. Visit annemarieharvey.com for more about the artist and meadowlarkfestival.ca for details on the festival.

We are honoured to work with our Guest Curator Kagan Goh along with a number of incredible community partners including; Gallery Gachet, the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, Connection Salon, Workman Arts, Rendezvous With Madness and Voices With Impact. As a direct result of this collaboration, we are pleased to be able to present the Gifts of Madness exhibition her at the Penticton Art Gallery which we hope will continue on in some form at one of our presenting partners later this year.

In 2022, the Vernon Public Art Gallery joined forces with Calgary-based artist Katie Green and the Turning Points Collaborative Society to develop an ambitious multifaceted public art project. The result was, Behind the Mask, a community driven public art process that uses handmade masks as a way to build community, find healing, and explore self. Katie Green collaborated closely with 10 individuals from the community and together they came together in an intimate three-part workshop series that included round circle sharing, journaling, mask-making, and creative character development.

The Penticton Art Gallery is seeking the public’s input on Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) Program in the form of a handwritten, typewritten letter or email to be displayed in the gallery from March 23 – May 11, 2024, as part of our MAID in Canada exhibition.

The intent of this exhibition is to provide the community with a safe space to reflect, talk and explore the impacts and the implications of Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) Program. If it hasn’t impacted your life already it’s only a matter of time before you or someone you know will be directly impacted by it.

The Penticton Art Gallery's Adopt a Painting Program is a pivotal force in the recent growth of our Permanent Collection. Despite the majority of artworks in our collection being acquired through donations, this initiative has emerged as a dynamic catalyst for securing significant pieces through crowdsourced fundraising efforts. Our selection process undergoes a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that each acquisition not only enhances the depth of our collection but also strategically addresses gaps, thereby enriching the overall significance of our gallery holdings.

Established in 1972, the Penticton Art Gallery's Permanent Collection has expanded and grown over the years through a combination of donations and occasional purchases. Encompassing paintings, sculptures, drawings, printmaking, ceramics, and photography, the collection stands as a powerful testament to the prevailing issues shaping our times.

Collections like that of the Penticton Art Gallery inspire us to recognize art as integral to the human experience, shaping collective memory and influencing public discourse.

The En’owkin Centre is an Indigenous post-secondary arts and cultural centre located on the Penticton Indian Reserve. En'owkin's unique building design reflects a traditional Okanagan winter home also known as a pit house. It is a gathering place where families and community members can replenish themselves spiritually and is also a teaching place where story, co-operation, craft and artistry come together. The En'owkin Centre (hereafter referred to as En'owkin) is a dynamic institution, which puts into practice the principles of self-determination and the validation of cultural aspirations and identity.

Each year the Gallery puts a call out to artists of all kinds to submit three artworks, all priced under $500. This exhibition receives interest from artisans, crafters, and visual artists working in all media from across British Columbia.

Born February 18, 1946, a son, brother, and the third youngest of 9 children born to Guy and Myrtle Constant, a residential school survivor and an Artist, Alvin Elif Constant was a Cree born on the James Smith Cree Nation, where he developed a passion for painting and drawing since he was a child.

The Fibre Art Network (FAN) is a co-operative of self-defined artists based in Western Canada. The co-operative was first conceived in the spring of 1998 by British Columbians Pat Crucil and Gail Hunt and then organized later that year by Gail. Since then, FAN has created 31 exhibitions exhibited at 98 Canadian venues and 9 International venues.