Keynote Speaker Presentations
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Zvonar’s collage works are composed of source materials drawn from art history, contemporary advertising and popular culture. They question existing social and cultural systems through the use of humour and irony. Her work often speaks to the ethos and aspirations of those on the periphery of mainstream society, drawing inspiration from counterculture movements that challenge the status quo.
Sandeep Johal is a Canadian visual artist whose practice engages drawing, collage, textiles, and large-scale murals. Through her Indo-folk feminine aesthetic, she confronts themes of bleakness, despair and ugliness with their dissonant opposites: brightness, hope and beauty. Johal’s work typically centers around the stories of women and while she highlights female suffering in its many forms, these are ultimately stories of resistance and resilience.
Brandon is a multi-talented contemporary mixed media artist who specializes in painting, drawing, graphic design, architectural design concepts, and public art installations. His work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, USA, and across Canada.
Conference Panels and Talks
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Walking Tours
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Home to a collection of over 18 murals and numerous public art pieces, Downtown Vancouver plays a key role in the transforming and reimagining of the public spaces in the city. Connect with Vancouver Downtown’s past, present and future with this tour by Curated Tastes. The Vancouver Downtown Mural Tour highlights iconic murals and sculptures from the core of Vancouver Downtown to Canada Place.
Mt Pleasant is one of Vancouver’s oldest and most eclectic neighbourhoods. It is also home to the largest concentration of street art and murals in the city, much of which has been produced through the Vancouver Mural Festival since 2016. In this 2 hour walk, we will be exploring many themes that relate to the social history and contemporary processes of the city through the stunning artwork in the area. Topics include decolonizing the city through arts and culture, the complex relationship between art and processes of revitalization and gentrification, challenges facing Vancouver’s artistic community due to high rents and redevelopment, the importance of visual representation for Vancouver’s many under-represented cultural communities, and the ongoing ecological crisis. And of course, admiring the incredible array of artists and styles (including figurative, abstract, graffitti, textual and more) on offer.
