Open Space

Currently in residence at Open Space, artist Farheen Haq is developing Ishq-e-Zameen (Divine Love for the Land), a dance and video series that honours native plants of lək̓ʷəŋən lands through movement.

Created in collaboration with choreographer Hridya Bharucha, Farheen is creating a series of movement works set to Sufi inspired Indian and Bollywood music. Each video work is dedicated to a native plant, beginning with the sacred kwetlal (camas).

Residency: April 2026 – March 2027

Photos: Cairo Haq and Amena Sharmin

Staff Spotlight! Introducing our summer Archival Assistant Kym.

Kym Aerts is a student and soon-to-be archivist, currently getting her Masters in Archival Studies at UBC. Born and raised on Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories, she earned her BA at UVic majoring in History, and minoring in Art History. In her archival coursework, Kym is focused on the practicalities and specificities which separate artistic collections from traditional archival theory. When she isn’t working, Kym enjoys visiting cafes, puzzles, watching movies (good and bad) and then talking about them at length.

Happening now! Chris Creighton-Kelly's residency, SORTING: An Archaeology of Performance, is an experimental process that investigates an artists’s legacy, issues in current performance practice, IBPoC concerns in the Eurocentric cultural worldview and the shifting landscape of the Canadian arts system.

Chris will be visible in the Open Space storefront window, sorting various objects, documents and ideas. He will also be audible through his spoken word and other sounds.

Chris invites everyone to drop by anytime between 2 and 5pm Wednesday- Saturday. Or tune into the Youtube livestream from 3-4pm (pacific standard time)

through the link below

https://www.youtube.com/