FEB. 20, 2025 (VANCOUVER, CANADA) — Vancouver’s Iranian Visual Arts (VIVA) Alliance is thrilled to announce the launch of a new venue, Medias Res Gallery, with the opening of an inaugural exhibition by Hangama Amiri. Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II, on view from March 27– May 2, 2025, marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in British Columbia. 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.
“The overwhelming response to our initial exhibitions at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in the past two years made it clear: Vancouver needs more accessible art spaces for diverse communities,” says Shadi Shadbahr, founder and chief executive director of VIVA Alliance. “That’s why we’re thrilled to help bridge this gap by launching the brand new Medias Res Gallery. Drawing inspiration from the Latin phrase in medias res, meaning ‘in the middle of things,’ this new space positions itself at the heart of Vancouver’s evolving artistic scene, and reflects our determination to remain dynamic, responsive, and deeply connected to the communities we serve. The new gallery will provide a much-needed platform for visual artists, especially those new to the city, to share their work and connect with the local community.”
Medias Res Gallery spans the entire fourth floor of a newly constructed building in the charming neighbourhood of Railtown. The light-filled space is divided into three areas: a 1,800-square-foot main gallery for primary use, a smaller 165-square foot 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.
Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II by Hangama Amiri 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. “Hangama Amiri’s work is the perfect aesthetic and thematic fit for our inaugural exhibition,” says VIVA Alliance curator Maryam Babaei. “Her wall hangings reflect deeply personal and culturally specific experiences, yet they feel incredibly familiar and universally resonant. The feelings of nostalgia, loss, longing, and hope that these pieces evoke transcend cultural and geographic boundaries. Amiri’s work exemplifies the capacity of art to overcome cultural divides and generate understanding.”
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.
For more information, visit mediasresgallery.com
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.
Medias Res Gallery hours
Tuesday–Friday, 11am–6pm
Saturday, 11am–5pm
Address
401-353 Railway Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1A4
Social media
Facebook: VIVA Alliance
Instagram: @viva.alliance
Instagram: @mediasresgallery
