Surrey Art Gallery’s fall exhibits explore memory, identity and South Asian histories

Surrey Art Gallery (SAG) is showing work by several artists in fall exhibitions. The main hall features “In the Folds of Memory,” by Farheen Haq and Russna Kaur. An early-October Woven Tenderly Art Party celebrated the launch of new exhibits, including S F Ho’s “Triple Burner Flower Field” and “Tender Threads,” with sculptures by Sena Cleave and deconstructed textiles by Jonathan Alfaro.

“In the Folds of Memory” brings together paintings, installations, videos and textiles to weave stories of family, identity and cultural memory shaped by South Asian motifs and patterns. Kaur’s expansive, multi-surface paintings trace personal, emotional and intergenerational South Asian histories through colour, texture and form, unfolding as landscapes of recollection, according to SAG associate curator of engagement Jas Lally. Haq’s “Revelation #2” places bricks around a digital video of hands sifting through pieces of clay on the gallery floor.

In an adjacent hall, “Triple Burner Flower Field” is a mixed-media installation with a clay-covered floor, an acupuncture needle, yarrow, mugwort and other medicinal plants. Other exhibits this fall include “Marking the Seasons,” with scenes of Bear Creek Park painted by members of the South Surrey and White Rock Art Society, and “Making Connections,” featuring works selected by gallery docents from the permanent collection.

Haq will take part in a community weaving event on the evening of Oct. 22. Participants are invited to slow down, weave alongside one another and contribute to a growing communal artwork. The free event is part of “In the Folds of Memory.” A family Art Jam on Sunday, Oct. 25, starts at 1:30 p.m. and offers an afternoon of artmaking and interactive gallery experiences. Space is limited; register by calling 604-501-5566 or emailing gallerytours@surrey.ca.

Applications are also open for Surrey Art Gallery’s docent team, whose members lead schoolchildren on tours of the facility at Bear Creek Park. Training begins Jan. 14, 2027. Details are available on the City of Surrey website, or by emailing volunteer programmer Johanna Lasner at artsvolunteer@surrey.ca.