JULY 5 - AUGUST 30, 2026
Our signature EXHIBITION of the Summer!
Joan Larson
Artists Statement
This series began with a bittersweet train journey I took with my mother in 2014—ourlast trip together. The experience revived memories of the train rides of my childhood,when I would lie in a small sleeping compartment and watch the world slip by, cocooned in rhythm and wonder. On this final trip, that awe returned, shaped now by the weightof time, grief, and deep gratitude.
Though I am a realist artist, it was the abstract qualities of the window reflections thatcaptivated me most. The Canadian landscape outside merged with the interior of thetrain, creating layered, shifting images that felt like visual double exposures—partobservation, part emotion. These moments revealed the meeting place between theouter world and the inner one, mirroring my own navigation of memory, identity, andthe lasting presence of my mother in my life. Working in a series allows me to explorethis interplay with both structure and creative freedom.
This project now expands beyond painting. In collaboration with actors trained inPlayback Theatre, audience members will be invited to share their own reactions andmemories. These stories will become the source for improvised performances,transforming the work into a collective reflection where landscapes, emotions, andpersonal histories intersect.
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VIVA Canada Exhibition features the work of pastel artist, Joan Larson, who has created a series of artwork depicting her train journey across Canada. These artworks will be imbedded in a life-size VIA train image, which will stretch around the walls of the Concert Gallery. A realistic set featuring a ticket window, historic posters of train travel across the country, luggage racks, and local train memorabilia will invite the summer visitors to 'experience' a journey across Canada in situ. Playback Theatre group will also be presenting a series of innovative and participatory sketches of travellers and their connections, and a fun, interactive scavenger hunt for young visitors will feature geographic and historical learning pods making this exhibition a true community event.