On Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 1 PM, artist Faria Firoz and curator Kelley Tialiou engaged in a compelling conversation co-hosted by The Reach Gallery Museum and The School of Creative Arts at UFV. This dialogue was held in conjunction with the presentation of “Biborton: Shift of Being.” Faria Firoz, a Bangladeshi-born, Fraser-Valley based, interdisciplinary artist, discussed the evolution of her practice from figurative painting to her recent exploration of Bengali textile traditions. Kelley Tialiou, a renowned curator and scholar, guided the discussion, delving into themes of culture, pattern-making techniques, and material processes. They examined how traditional Bengali textile patterns and other techniques can be produced in the absence of certain tools and materials. Together, they explored the significance of oral knowledge transfer, the process of relearning crafts, and the intricacies of Moom-Batik, Karchupi, and Nakshi Kantha, and more.

On Thursday, March 21, 2023, Adrienne Fast engaged in a dynamic conversation with artists Karin Bubaš, Natalie Hunter, and Karen Zalamea. This discussion, co-hosted by the University of the Fraser Valley – School of Creative Arts and The Reach Gallery Museum, revolved around the exhibition “Image | Object: New Approaches to Three-Dimensional Photography.” Curated by Adrienne Fast, the exhibition featured works by the three artists that challenge the conventional boundaries of photography by exploring its spatial, experiential, and material potential. The artists discuss their approaches of photography, the role of light and chance, materiality and process. This exhibition was part of the 2023 Capture Photography Festival Selected Exhibition Program.

On March 29th 2022 The UFV School of Creative Arts and The Reach Gallery Museum co-hosted a talk with artists Simranpreet Anand and Conner Singh VanderBeek, and curator Sajdeep Soomal. sheeshe ‘ch thareṛ is a survey of recent works by artist Simranpreet Anand, including collaborative pieces with artist and scholar Conner Singh VanderBeek, which were on view at The Reach Gallery Museum from January 28 – May 7, 2022. VanderBeek and Soomal  discussed the works in the exhibition and Anand’s larger practice, as well as issues around inclusion and representation of South Asian voices in the contemporary art world. Anand’s practice involves playing with materials—particularly textiles, language, performative gestures, and photographs—to open up new trajectories for Sikh and Punjabi diasporic life. The title of the exhibition sheeshe ‘ch thareṛ captures the philosophical fissures emerging from Anand’s ongoing encounter with contemporary matter and material culture. ਸ਼ੀਸ਼ੇ ‘ਚ ਤਰੇੜ ਸਿਮਰਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਆਨੰਦ ਦੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਹੈ, ਓਹਨਾ ਦੇ ਸਾਥੀ ਕਾਨਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਵੈਂਡਰਬੀਕ ਦੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਨਾਲ ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨੀ ਦਾ ਨਾਂ ਇਕ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਵਿਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਗੀਤ ਦਾ ਜ਼ਿਕਰ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ, ਇੱਕ ਬਦਲਦੇ ਕਸ਼ਮਕਸ਼ ਨਜ਼ਰੀਏ ਨੂੰ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਤਰੇੜ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇ ਸ਼ੀਸ਼ੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਈ ਹੈ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਦੀ ਤਬਾਹੀ ਕਾਰਨ, ਬ੍ਰਿਟਿਸ਼ ਬਸਤੀਵਾਦੀ ਕਾਰਨ, ਨਸਲਵਾਦ ਕਾਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲ ਵਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਕਾਰਨ ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਮੁਕਾਬਲਾ ਵੇਖੋ-ਵੱਖ ਸਮਗਰੀਆਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਜਿਵੇਂ ਕਿ ਕਿਰਿਆ, ਕੱਪੜਾ, ਫੋਟੋਆਂ, ਅਤੇ ਵੀਡੀਓ।

On March 15th, 2022 Adrienne Fast, curator of Art and Visual Culture at the Reach Art Gallery, was in conversation with Deb Silver, a Fraser-Valley based photographer, print-maker and sculptor, and Visual Arts instructor at UFV. Using processes tied to changing echo-systems, she creates analogue photographs that celebrate the interdependent relationships between water, earth, root-systems, fungi and lichen, which create healthy complex environments. In this conversation Adrienne and Deb touch on topics such as the relationship between Coast Salish knowledge and scientific reports, the credibility and vulnerability of oral research, rooted people, plant communication, natural dye processes and more. This interview was held in conjunction with Deb Silver’s solo exhibition “Feet Deep In Wet Earth And Watery Pools” at the Reach Art Gallery.

On June 10, 2021, Vancouver-based artist Sarah Khan was in conversation with Adrienne Fast (Reach Art Gallery). Sara’s work captivates through its layered details, negative space, and the juxtaposition of beauty and grotesque elements. In this conversation Sarah and Adrienne talked about medium choices, the fluidity and unpredictability of watercolour, Sarah’s process and interest in story telling, as well as her new works presented at the Reach Art Gallery at the time of the interview. This interview is part of the Artist Talk series co-hosted by the University of the Fraser Valley – School of Creative Arts & The Reach Gallery Museum. Co-host was Aimée Brown, Assistant Professor at UFV’s SoCA.

On Thursday, March 11, 2021 the Reach Gallery Museum’s Curator of Art & Visual Culture Adrienne Fast was in conversation with Stó:lō master carver Rocky LaRock. LaRock’s artistic path and career, his influences and inspiration, and the stories behind some of the remarkable works then on display in his solo exhibition “E’yies’lek Rocky LaRock: The Wild Inside” were being discussed. Elder John Qothyetel Williams started and closed the meeting with a drum ceremony, and UFV’s Tetsuomi Anzai led through the program. credits: EYIES LEK Rocky LaRock, Adrienne Fast, John Qothyetel Williams, Skwah First Nation, The Reach Gallery Museum School of Creative Arts, UFV, Indigenous Affairs, UFV, SoCA Creative + Critical Practice Standing Committee, UFV