In the Shadow of the Pavilions was curated by Jordan Strom, Surrey Art Gallery’s curator of collections and exhibitions.“Expo 86, and the period of art production that it existed within, was an incredibly dynamic time of art in the Metro Vancouver region, province of British Columbia, and Canada more broadly,” shared Strom in a release. “Often overlooked in favour of Expo 67, Vancouver’s world’s fair brought together hundreds of artists from across the country and around the world. It also shaped a dynamic response and cultural flourishing from artists and curators around its edges. This exhibition seeks to bring these different currents and voices together.”Through original artworks and archival materials, In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art examines some of the official art from the world’s fair, along with unofficial art and programming that coincided with this transformational event. With over 40 artists included in the exhibition, there will be works of photography, painting, installation art, performance art, and video reflecting on themes of communication, transportation, urban development, Indigenous self-determination, and futurity from the years of 1984 to 1988. The first of its kind, the exhibition will provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the significance of art from Expo 86 and the larger context in which it took place.
