Rachel Kalpana JAMES Bright Oriental Star

Dialogue between contemporary and historical art offers fresh perspectives on the past, and in this exhibition, South-Asian Canadian artist Rachel Kalpana James creates an immersive installation that illuminates a pivotal moment of East-West interaction in the early 20th century. Her work centers on Rabindranath Tagore’s 1929 visit to Canada. A renowned Indian poet and philosopher, Tagore’s ideas on spirituality and nature resonated deeply with audiences worldwide. While the impact of his visit on Canadian artists, particularly members of the Group of Seven such as Lawren S. Harris and Frederick Varley, has been largely overlooked, James’ installation offers a space to reconsider this overlooked influence.

Through a dynamic interplay of media, James pairs stylized footage of foliage with text from Tagore’s poetry and newspaper clippings documenting his Canadian visit. The pulsating words on screen, evocative of a heartbeat or a newsreel, create a sense of urgency and immediacy. Distorted images of iconic Canadian landscapes—reminiscent of Group of Seven works—subtly challenge the established artistic narrative. Projected onto a chalked background, the installation navigates the space between documentary and imagination, blurring the boundaries between history and fiction. By inviting viewers to question how history is shaped and perceived, James’ work encourages a critical re-examination of the complex relationship between colonial and national narratives in Canadian art.