Photo: Kelowna Art Gallery

One of the images of the aftermath of the McDougall Creek wildfire by Andreas Rutkauskas that will be part of the new Kelowna Art Gallery exhibition Significant Forms.

The aftermath of last summer’s McDougall Creek wildfire features prominently in a new exhibition opening this weekend at the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Seven contemporary Canadian artists come together for Significant Forms, which opens Saturday, March 2, 2024. It features installations by Samuel Roy-Bois, Wally Dion, Amanda McCavour, Wanda Lock, Sami Tsang, Zachari Logan and Kelowna-based artist Andreas Rutkauskas.

His Silent Witnesses focuses on the aftermath of the wildfire that destroyed over 200 homes and burned through a large area of forested land in on the Westside. Rutkauskas uses photographs to document the ecological effects of forest fires.

Exhibition curator Christine May chose the seven artists to create a presentation that challenges the prescribed norms and conventions of a traditional exhibition. Through painting, drawing, embroidery, installation and sculpture, the artists have re-imagined how audiences interact with their art.

“Significant Forms highlights the transformative spaces that artists create,” says May. “These selected works portray both real and imagined sites and explore how a specific time and place can indelibly mark our lives.”

Many of the artists will be in attendance at a free opening reception Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kelowna Art Gallery, located at 1315 Water Street.

Significant Forms runs from March 2 to June 9, 2024.