𝘬𝘵̓𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘶ɬ 𝘤̓𝘪𝘬̓ʷ𝘮 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵)

current exhibition
𝘬𝘵̓𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘶ɬ 𝘤̓𝘪𝘬̓ʷ𝘮 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵)
Manuel Axel Strain + Kalli Van Stone

Residency 14 July – 18 July 2025
Exhibition 19 July – 23 August 2025
Wed-Sat, 1-5PM ⋆˚꩜｡ Admission is free

𝘬𝘵̓𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘶ɬ 𝘤̓𝘪𝘬̓ʷ𝘮 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) began a year ago when artists Kalli Van Stone and Manny Axel Strain met at Oxygen Art Centre to develop a new body of work using a laser, a mirror, a speaker, and a microphone. Along with song and drum work, the laser is arranged to interpret the rhythmic vibrations of traditional Syilx song into imagery resembling pictographs and abstract forms, which have influenced both individual and collaborative artworks included in this exhibition.

The artists returned to the centre to continue this initial collaboration, resulting in an exhibition that translates these visual forms into an installation that explores spatial, temporal, familial, and embodied connections. All works on view in 𝘬𝘵̓𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘶ɬ 𝘤̓𝘪𝘬̓ʷ𝘮 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) were created during their residency period, spanning over five days. The exhibition features paintings by both artists unified by fields of colour that shift between the micro — from chemical elements to each sand grain — and the macro — from geospatial mapping of pit house sites to aerial views of the Columbia River. Dried camas bulbs hold these fields of thought and experience together, in light.

Visit Oxygen Art Centre at #3-320 Vernon Street (alleyway access) in Nelson, BC, Wednesdays to Saturdays from 1:00pm to 5:00pm now until August 23, 2025. Admission to the gallery is free or by donation. Learn more about the artists and the exhibition here.

Special thanks to Marcus Dénommé (Gallery Preparator), Mackenzie Hope and the team at Hall Printing (Nelson + Trail, B.C.). 

This project is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, and the RDCK ReDi program.

image: documentation of 𝘬𝘵̓𝘬𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘶ɬ 𝘤̓𝘪𝘬̓ʷ𝘮 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) by Kenton Doupe, Oxygen Art Centre, July 2025