Credit: Sandeep Johal, It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. Photo by Daniel N.
Sandeep Johal: It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see
This vinyl mural on the Surrey Arts Centre classroom windows invites play, joy, and wonder.
Date & time
Address
Tickets & pricing
Free
Inspired by South Asian textiles, Johal brings black and white line work juxtaposing colourful shapes and patterns to evoke feelings of joy, wonder, strength, courage, and play.
Like the title (a quote from philosopher Henry David Thoreau), Johal encourages visitors to slow down and observe what they see around them. Visual narratives in Indian folk art often tell stories and lessons through the eyes of an animal. How are the animals interacting with each other or with the viewer? What details and patterns did the artist include? There is no single interpretation. The artwork invites imaginations to run wild and for visitors to think without boundaries, create without judgement, and play without rules.
This artwork can be seen on the outside of the lower windows of the Gallery classrooms.
About the Artist
Sandeep Johal is a Vancouver-based visual artist whose colorful forms and intricate black and white line work are aesthetically and conceptually inspired by her South Asian heritage. Johal believes in the power of art to create awareness around issues related to cultural identity, gender equality, and human rights. Her art practice is an expression of her social and cultural concerns, particularly gender justice.
Curator: Suvi Bains
Origin of Exhibition: Surrey Art Gallery