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Four new exhibits open at The Reach Gallery Museum

An opening reception at the Abbotsford facility takes place Thursday, July 17
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The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford (32388 Veterans Way) kicks off four arts and heritage exhibitions with a free public opening reception on Thursday, July 17.

The event begins at 7 p.m., with the first peek at the new exhibitions and an opportunity to meet the artists and curators over appetizers and the beat of the Hurricane Drummers – Fraser Valley Korean Youth Drum Team.

The exhibitions include “Takao Tanabe: Chronicles of Form and Place,” organized and circulated by the Burnaby Art Gallery, featuring selections from the artist’s personal collection.

Tanabe, one of Canada’s leading artists and printmakers, started with abstract creations, but today the subjects of his paintings are almost exclusively B.C. landscapes.

Born in Prince Rupert, the son of a commercial fisherman, he was interned with other Japanese-Canadians in the B.C. interior during the Second World War.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a free tour and talk with Tanabe takes place Friday, July 18 at 1 p.m. at The Reach.

Also opening at The Reach is the exhibit “Record, (Re)create: Contemporary Coast Salish Art” from the Salish Weave Collection, organized and circulated by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

It showcases works by 14 artists of Coast Salish ancestry, including Fraser Valley artists Thomas Cannell, Stan Greene and Susan Point.

The pieces showcase a diverse range of traditional and contemporary media.

This exhibit features a tour and talk with artist/curator India Young on Saturday, July 19 at 1 p.m.

Moving closer to home, the Fraser Valley Watercolour Society’s “Celebrating 25 Years: Fun, Friendship and Painting” honours the 25th anniversary of the diverse group of local artists in this society.

Their exhibit features the work of Andrea Chapman, Irene Enns, Gwen Gregorig, Wanda Hawse, Sheila Kirk, Patricia Maertz, Barry Morris, Deb Nolet, Corinne Popienko, Carol Portree, Cheryl Shaw, Shirley Thomas, Laurie Thomasson, David Tickner, Marilyn Vooys and Anne White.

In its heritage gallery, The Reach shows “Boat People” in recognition of the passing of 100 years since passengers of the Komagata Maru were denied entry into Canada.

“Boat People” examines the stories of other Abbotsford immigrants who made their way to Canada via an ocean voyage and includes pieces from The Reach material culture collections: artifacts, photographs and excerpts from oral histories.

All four exhibitions run until Sept. 7. For more information, call 604-864-8087 or visit thereach.ca.