Media Res Gallery – New Space Opening in Railtown
byVancouver’s Iranian Visual Arts (VIVA) Alliance announces the launch of new venue, Media Res Gallery, with the opening of an exhibition by Hangama Amiri.
Media Res Gallery
Media Res Gallery spans the entire fourth floor of a newly constructed building in the Railtown neighbourhood. The light-filled space is divided into three areas: a 1,800-square-foot main gallery for primary use, a smaller hallway gallery reserved for more intimate exhibitions, and a studio space. The studio currently contains VIVA Alliance’s offices and has designated space for collaborating artists and residents. The space is designed to provide artists with individual work areas as well as a hub for meetings, workshops, lectures, and community-focused programming.
The gallery will become the new programming hub for VIVA Alliance, itself a relatively new organization in the city that aims to contribute to the intercultural exchange among diverse groups within the Lower Mainland.
Exhibition from Hangama Amiri
- When: March 27 to May 2, 2025 – open Tuesday to Friday from 11:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday from 11:00am to 5:00pm
- Where: 401-353 Railway Street, Vancouver
Marking Hangama Amiri‘s first solo exhibition in BC and Media Res Gallery‘s venue opening, Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II features selected works from the artist’s ongoing series by the same name: intricately sewn textile wall hangings that depict scenes from a traditional pre-wedding ceremony, in which the bride’s loved ones prepare her for the big day. A new, large-scale piece created specifically for the inaugural exhibition at Medias Res Gallery will add a new dimension to the narrative and complements the other pieces on view.
Amiri is an Afghan-Canadian artist working primarily with textiles to explore themes of home, gender, social norms, and the impact of geopolitical conflict on women’s lives, particularly in Afghanistan and its diaspora. She holds a BFA from NSCAD University and an MFA from Yale University. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Mönchehaus Museum, Goslar, Germany; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT; and the Sharjah Biennial 15, UAE. She was recently featured in the 2024 Toronto Biennial of Art and has an exhibition currently on view at the Esker Foundation in Calgary.
About VIVA Alliance
Vancouver’s Iranian Visual Arts (VIVA) Alliance is a non-profit organization operating from the traditional, ancestral, and the unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxw̱ú7mesh (Squamish), and səlíI lwətaɬ (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations. The organization is comprised of a creative group of art professionals and academics dedicated to increasing opportunity and visibility for Iranian-Canadian artists through curatorial services and support. VIVA is committed to facilitating a meaningful and inclusive intercultural dialogue among artists and diverse communities, especially other BIPOC arts leaders and change makers, collectively contributing to the cultural enrichment of our society.
Visit Media Res Gallery online for more information.
