Richmond BC, Canada #richmondartgallerybc
Drop into the gallery to join in a large-scale drawing project with exhibiting artist Manuel Axel Strain. This will be a community collaborative activity for everyone to explore mark-making, colouring, and drawing on a grand scale.
This event is part of the exhibition Manuel Axel Strain: xʷən̓iwən ce:p kʷθəθ nəw̓eyəł ((((Remember your teachings)))). View the artist’s major multi-media exhibition—including paintings, sculptures, family photographs, video, and installation—that promises to transform the Gallery with a dynamic mix of new and recent artworks rendered in their boldly unique style. Meet the artist and join them in hands-on artmaking for the afternoon at this family-friendly event.
Free drop-in for all ages.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
All materials provided.
This event is part of Richmond Culture Days 2025.
About the Artist:
Manuel Axel Strain is a 2-Spirit artist from the lands and waters of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw and Syilx peoples, based in the sacred region of their q̓ic̓əy̓(Katzie) and qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen) relatives. Strain’s mother is Tracey Strain and father is Eric Strain, Tracey’s parents are Harold Eustache (from Chuchua) and Marie Louis (from nk̓maplqs), Eric’s Parents are Helen Point (from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) and John Strain (from Ireland). Although they attended Emily Carr University of Art + Design they prioritize Indigenous epistemologies through the embodied knowledge of their mother, father, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents and ancestors.
Creating artwork in collaboration with and reference to their relatives, their shared experiences become a source of agency that resonates through their work with performance, land, painting, sculpture, photography, video, sound and installation. Their artworks often envelop subjects in relation with ancestral and community ties, Indigeneity, labour, resource extraction, gender, Indigenous medicine and life forces. Strain often perceives their work to confront and undermine the imposed realities of colonialism. Proposing a new space beyond its oppressive systems of power. They have contributed work to the Vancouver Art Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery, the UBCO FINA gallery, were longlisted for the 2022 Sobey Award and were a recipient of the 2022 Portfolio Prize.
This free public program is made possible from funding by the 2025 City of Richmond Arts & Culture Project Grant.
