Echoes in Open Color

by Xixi Yang

May 12 – July 6, 2026

Opening reception: May 12, 4:30 to 6 pm

Exhibition Statement:

This body of work explores a quiet balance between control and release. Through layered gestures, diffused edges, and fluid movement, each painting evolves as a space where intention meets spontaneity.

Natural hues—blues, greens, earth tones—are pushed into unfamiliar relationships, often interrupted by unexpected bursts of color. These combinations are not meant to resolve, but to remain open, inviting curiosity rather than conclusion. The surfaces shift between density and lightness, suggesting moments that feel both grounded and transient.

Across the works, there is no fixed narrative. Instead, they offer an atmosphere—something closer to a feeling than a statement. Drips, washes, and accumulations echo organic processes: growth, erosion, weather, and time. What emerges is a sense of quiet movement, as if each piece is still unfolding.

At its core, the exhibition is about freedom—freedom in mark-making, in color, and in interpretation. Viewers are invited to move through the work without expectation, to pause, to wander, and to find their own connections within these shifting fields.

Join the Justice Institute of British Columbia for a special author talk with Elder Larry Grant and Scott Steedman, authors of Reconciling: A Lifelong Struggle to Belong. 

The event will feature a fireside chat, audience Q&A, and book signing. Books will be available for purchase. 

Reconciling tells the story of Larry Grant, a Musqueam-Chinese Elder whose life has been shaped by questions of identity, belonging, and reconciliation. Through conversations with writer Scott Steedman, Grant reflects on his experiences growing up between cultures, the impacts of colonial policies, and his lifelong journey toward understanding and belonging. 

Larry Grant is Elder-in-Residence at the Justice Institute of British Columbia and the University of British Columbia’s First Nations House of Learning. Scott Steedman is a publishing professional, educator, and co-author.

Location: Justice Institute of British Columbia Theatre, 715 McBride Boulevard, New Westminster, BC V3L 5T4