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Gallery show explores South Asian feminine roles
A group of high school students and arts organisers from the Lower Mainland has curated an exhibit on the evolving identity of South Asian women in Canada.
The Princess Myth is currently on display at the Surrey Arts Centre, (13750 88 Ave). It runs from May 4 to August 12.
For the South Asian community in British Columbia, the process of adopting to a new Canadian environment continues to be an ongoing process of negotiation. This trajectory over the past two decades has included positive elements such as the embrace and nurturing of a local Canadian bhangra and Indo-pop culture to the underside of this story-arc with its stubborn refutation of gender equality that still haunts a community now reaching four generations removed from the Indian cultural ethos.
The Princess Myth features 50 colour and black and white studio photos, 10 digital artworks and paintings and a selection of poetry and essays.
All either feature or are written by South Asian girls aged 14 to 19 from Surrey, who were asked to express who they are and what their aspirations are, including whether their values differ from their non-South Asian peers.
Shauntal Padda, a Grade 11 student at Sullivan Heights Secondary, was one of the lead organisers for the show.
“They (artworks) show different aspects of the girls and our perspectives,” said Padda speaking to The Surrey Leader. “We thought this would be a nice way to show the diversity of the South Asian girls connecting through their culture, but also being born and raised, pretty much, here.”
The Princess Myth exhibition is produced by the Arts Council of Surrey and involves students from the School District No. 36 (Surrey), Emily Carr University and the University of British Columbia. The major sponsors are School District No. 36 (Surrey): Business Development & Corporate Services, Province of BC and Telus Community Fund.
The Princess Myth exhibition coordinators are Sullivan Heights Secondary teachers Marc Pelech (Visual Arts) and Mandeep Nijjar (Literary Arts). The Steering committee members are Carol Girardi, President – Arts Council of Surrey, Karen Sidhu, Executive Director – Surrey Crime Prevention, Harpreet Gill – teacher, Enver Creek, Kamal Dhillon, Author – Black & Blue Sari, Suneet Maan – Miss Teen Canada 2010, and UBC student, and Kathy Brar, parent representative.
For more information contact on this show contact Marc Pelech ([email protected]) or Mandeep Nijjer ([email protected]).
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