Revisiting 'Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own'

At the midpoint of its yearlong run, the  Emily Carr: A Room of Her Own exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery continues to captivate patrons and international visitors alike. The exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the intersection between the celebrated Canadian artist Emily Carr and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Through a carefully curated selection of Carr’s paintings, visitors have the opportunity to explore key biographical moments in the artist’s life alongside significant exhibitions, acquisitions, and conservation efforts organized at the Gallery. The exhibition presents an unparalleled collection of Carr’s art drawn from the Gallery’s extensive collection of 252 works, standing as the most important collection of Carr’s art worldwide.

Visitors to the exhibition can expect to view a full spectrum of Carr’s artistic production, including her watercolours, canvases, oil on paper works, charcoal drawings, ceramics, and textiles.

The exhibition is especially rich in works on paper from the 1930s, featuring a rotating selection of approximately 25 charcoal and oil on paper pieces.

A Room of Her Own highlights four key areas of Carr’s life: her education abroad and early beginnings, the Gallery’s first exhibition, significant acquisitions in 1937 and 1938, major conservation efforts led by gallery staff, and the role the Carr collection played in the Gallery’s decision to relocate to its present building.

The exhibition is part of ‘The Build Up’ to the new Vancouver Art Gallery at the Chan Centre for the Visual Arts, which began with a groundbreaking ceremony in March.

After celebrating 90 years of operation, the Gallery is embarking on one of the most significant cultural projects undertaken in Canada to date.

A new, purpose-built home in the heart of downtown Vancouver, one that will serve as a model for what a 21st-century museum can be, anticipates opening to the public in 2028, heralding an exciting future for Canadian art.

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.