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.

In 2020, artist Robert Dmytruk embarked on a transformative journey into three-dimensional painting, experimenting with vibrant mediums on diverse surfaces. The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped his career, leading to a creative exchange with composer Murray J Reid, particularly influenced by Reid's composition '1987.' In 2022, inspired by Murray's symphonic work 'Ukraine' and deeply moved by the ongoing war, Dmytruk transitioned to charcoal on paper to convey his emotional response effectively. These contrasting exhibitions, collectively titled "Enigma," explore the themes of an outward 'self' and an 'inner subconsciousness,' reflecting Robert's artistic evolution and the complexities of the human experience.

Shizuye Violet Takashima, born in 1928 in Vancouver, faced early health challenges but persevered. At thirteen, she was interned with her family during World War II, spending three years at the Orchard Internment Camp in New Denver, BC. After the war, she relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, where she worked as a domestic servant and pursued her art studies. With her passion for art, she became a prominent Nisei painter in Canada, known for her skillful and sensitive figurative paintings.

William Richard Reid, born in 1930, has dedicated himself to producing thousands of works of art throughout his 93 years. Despite not following the traditional path of an exhibiting artist, his commitment to creating speaks volumes about his passion for his craft. Richard's art became intertwined with his caregiving responsibilities after his wife's passing and the onset of the global pandemic. In this challenging period, his paintings and writings served as a means of documenting and exploring grief and memory. Through his art, Richard offers a glimpse into his inner world and exemplifies the healing power of artistic expression. His artistic legacy showcases the enduring impact of art for self-expression, introspection, and personal understanding.

Noll Derriksan's artistic journey began in the 1960s, making him one of the first contemporary syilx artists in the Okanagan. He drew inspiration from syilx culture, childhood teachings, and native species, creating a unique visual language that continues to influence contemporary syilx artists today.

The annual exhibition of artwork by visual arts students from Princess Margaret, Penticton Secondary, and Summerland Secondary showcases the importance of arts education in our schools. It encompasses a diverse range of student work such as painting, drawing, photography, film, digital media, and sculpture. Each piece of art reflects the students' distinct perspectives and voices, emphasizing the power of art as a medium of communication and self-expression.

Collecting and living with art not only provides children with a creative outlet for self-expression, but it also fosters a range of developmental benefits. From cognitive development to emotional intelligence and cultural awareness, art can help children grow into well-rounded individuals who appreciate beauty, creativity, and diversity. That's why we're dedicated to supporting and encouraging artistic exploration in our youth by inspiring them to build a collection that reflects their unique personalities and passions. A collection is something that can be cherished for a lifetime and serves as a meaningful and unique reminder of our life’s journey.

This exhibition showcases Stephanie's deep connection to nature and her desire to capture its emotions through vibrant and whimsical paintings. Her artwork reflects the harmony between the natural world and ourselves, inviting viewers to explore the profound beauty that surrounds us. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in Stephanie Perry's extraordinary vision of nature's wonders. This exhibition in conjunction with the Meadowlark Nature Festival.

Clayton Gauthier is a multimedia artist and storyteller from Prince George, British Columbia. He works with youth to share art and culture, and has completed murals and carvings for his community. His book, The Bear's Medicine, was chosen for the First Nation Communities READ program. The book, written in English and translated into Dakelh, is about a mother bear and her cubs and their lives on the land. Gauthier hopes to teach gratitude and inspire others to trust their instincts.

Levi Bent is a multidisciplinary artist from the Okanogan Valley who grew up on an Indian reservation in Washington state. He started creating art at a young age and his style is characterized by humor and caricature. Despite growing up in a small town on the reservation and struggling with addiction, Bent found resilience and reinvented himself through learning his language and culture, as well as through his art and skateboarding.

“No one decides to become homeless and addicted. These people are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and our children. This is a mental health issue, not a criminal one, and has nothing to do with morality. I just watched a documentary on the drug crisis. Twice as many people have died of drug overdoses during the Covid pandemic, then all the people who have died from Covid. This gave me a sense of the scale of the drug crisis we are facing all over the world. I felt compelled to paint not just my story, but that of all the other’s struggling with the never ending cycle of addiction.”

“Just like the branches of the trees, routes of the rivers, and the paths the wind creates on the sand, curved spines are beautiful. They each have a story to tell.“

- Saghi Ehteshamzadeh holds a Bachelor of Cinema Studies from the Art University of Tehran and is currently enrolled in the Arts and Entertainment Management Program at Capilano University in North Vancouver.

In talking about the intent behind the exhibition Laurie writes, “Figurative art can be a form of claiming your space, whatever your space may be. Creating a presence - or even an absence of presence. The viewer is forced to acknowledge the presence of the figure, the person. Historically, artists like Alexandre Cabanel like to paint aesthetically pleasing things, and that is extended to the figures— hence, the “the male gaze”. Think of the many historical paintings in which the youthful woman is the focal subject, often for the rich, male patron of the artist. Contemporary figurative art has broken away from the powerful, the rich, the white man, or the beautiful, flawless maiden as a subject, but incorporating the contemporary world we live in, full of diversity. Black, Indigenous, Asian, queer, body positive and/or disabled figures are spotlighted.”