On through March 27, 2021

Please check back for the gallery re-opening date.

Stride Gallery is pleased to announce our upcoming Main Space exhibition Shroud, Crown, Grey Area, Generations, in partnership with The Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI). This exhibition is part of the Immigrant Arts Festival (IMAF) featuring newcomers and immigrant artists in Calgary. This exhibition Shroud, Crown, Grey Area, Generations presents artists Farzaneh Azizpour, Twinkle Banerjee, Claudia Chagoya, and Sabrina Naz Comănescu. Shroud, Crown, Grey Area, Generations spotlights the coming together of immigrant and newcomer artists, showcasing work in the forms of textiles, photography, video, and painting.

Artist Talks on Zoom (Registration details coming soon)

Farzaneh Azizpour is an artist who specializes in figurative expressive oil painting. Born in Iran, she has a passion and talent in painting. In 2020, she moved to Canada to pursue her artistic activities in an international environment. Although she had a bachelor’s degree in Medical Radiology, she did her postgraduate studies in painting at the Tehran University of Art, instructed by renowned Iranin painters. She has participated in several exhibitions in North America and Europe, also being awarded in the ten bests among competitors in France. Her inspiration stems from people close to her, especially her children; intrigued by their faces, looks, and gestures, she then brings her own perspectives to the canvas. Azizpour believes that art could be a common language among multicultural people to better understand each other regardless of beliefs, religion, gender and differences. Azizpour is creative to all ends; not only a contemporary painter of her own pursuits, but also a painting instructor for children, as well as a fashion designer; Mrs. Layth is her fashion design collection retrieved from Iranian historical monuments.

Twinkle Banerjee is a photographer who works between digital and alternative photographic processes. Originally from India, she migrated to Canada in 2010 and has called it her home ever since. Her practice swings between exploring melancholic aesthetics and modern-day concepts. More recently, Twinkle was featured in the ICP Global Images for Global Crisis exhibition at New York and she is currently working on her project Concrete. Twinkle is passionate about climate change and issues surrounding the global supply chain and is pursuing these issues to bring them to the forefront through her work. In the future, she also hopes to document rural and folk culture in India that is diminishing due to globalization.

Claudia Chagoya is a Mexican interdisciplinary artist born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and based in Calgary, Canada. She holds an MFA degree from the University of Calgary, and a BFA from Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Her artistic practice explores topics related to gender violence and her socio-political background, through the use of materials rooted in Mexican culture tied to various rituals such as: rebozos, salt, copal, sawdust, and other organic materials. Chagoya’s work invites the community to mourn together and enable social engagement through the contemplation of mourning rituals within an artistic practice. She considers grief as a unique but shared experience, especially when feminicide is present worldwide.

Sabrina Naz Comănescu, Direction, Model, Dancer, editor is a dynamic member of the Calgary Dance Community through her work as a performer, choreographer, dance instructor and filmmaker. As a performer, Comănescu has worked with Machel Montano, House of Dangerkat, The Bad Girls Club YYC, ILLFX Entertainment and is currently in her sixth year performing with the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks company in Calgary, Alberta. She is also the current major force behind The Diversity Performing Arts Club of Calgary that “celebrates cultural diversity while promoting inclusion and respect for all youth”. She has also created Casa De Naz (CDN) in 2012, a collective with a mission to “excite and educate art hubs across Canada about the thriving Caribbean community in Calgary and the arts of the Caribbean as a whole”.

The Creative Team for S Curl Sanctuary:

Kim Stanley, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Hair Stylist: Born on the beautiful island St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Stanley has alway loved art. Her mother being a seamstress inspired her to delve more into fashion which led her to hair styling. She loves trying new styles herself and creating new looks on all hair textures. The past ten years have been filled with amazing artistic collaborations that have propelled her as one of the most sought out hair stylists in Calgary, Alberta. With an open mind, She is always willing to learn and grow in this ever evolving art form.

Ayobami Balogun, Nigeria, Photographer: Ayobami is a Nigerian born, Canadian based photographer. He was exposed at an early age to photography through his father, who always had a camera on himself to capture moments during family trips, encouraging Ayobami into an interest in photography. Ayobami immigrated to Canada in 2005 to finish his high school education in Hamilton, Ontario, then went on to obtain his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering at McMaster University. Upon graduation, Ayobami moved to Calgary, Alberta where he is currently based. Moving to Calgary and discovering the beautiful landscapes in and around the city as well connecting with people, encouraged his foray into both landscape and portrait photography. His work has gained him plausible recognition in Calgary. His photos have been featured by organizations such as the City of Calgary and Humans of The North, made to recognize individuals across Canada in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Media outlets such as Narcity and The Daily Hive have also featured his work.

Misha Maseka, Zambia, Cinematographer: Misha Maseka is a writer, director and musician. Born in Eswatini to Zambian parents but growing up in South Africa, Australia and eventually Canada, she has observed many people and their stories, however small and unseen. As a teen, she was heavily involved in theatre, where she discovered her love for revealing and reflecting humanity. However, she went on to study opera at the University of Lethbridge which led her to performing opera in Germany for a season. Realizing her love for storytelling was more expansive, she returned to Alberta to develop her skills as a writer, working on film projects with Media Mountain and writing and performing poetry. In 2019, she became a published editor of the children’s book series “I Am A Warrior” — distributed widely in Southern Africa. In early 2020, she made her docuseries directorial debut for the miniseries ‘Beats and Eats” and became head of the writer’s room for the upcoming television series “The African Family” (2021). Focussing her creative path on film has solidified her love and conviction to continue to tell small and unseen stories of humanity.

Anthony Denaro, co-editor: Anthony Denaro, M.F.A, aka YNOT, explores the design, sustainability, history, and community of Hip Hop. Through a futurist lens, YNOT’s work manifests in dance, typography, music, and architecture.

The Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI) is an arts council based in Calgary, Alberta. The council was founded in January 2019 with the expressed purpose of connecting newcomer and immigrant artists with the existing arts community in Calgary, providing these artists with access to needed resources and helping them turn their passion and creativity into thriving careers or businesses. ICAI actively encourages diversity of expression and culture through the creation of a safe and welcoming community where newcomer and immigrant artists feel confident to showcase their artwork and distinct cultural identities.

Documentation for Shroud, Crown, Grey Area, Generations has graciously been shot by Han Sungpil.

[Show slideshow]

1 2 ... 4 ►