An upcoming art show in Port Moody will feature works by Polish artists celebrating their culture, heritage and their links to Canada.
Hosted by the Polonez Tri-City Polish Association, the second annual Polish Canadian Art Fusion Exhibition is at the Inlet Theatre Galleria from March 24 until April 2.
Organizer Honorata Kostka hopes the event will help to show the art of B.C. artists with Polish backgrounds that have been influenced by their heritage.
"This is a good way to cultivate our culture because it shows the fusion between the Polish and Canadian culture and the beauty of Canada," Kostka said. "The exhibition is to show the other side of the culture that's more traditional."
There will be 20 different artists showcasing their paintings, along with one group of three artists who collaborate on their artwork. The exhibit will feature nearly 100 paintings in total.
Basia Wabik, an artist trained at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, will be showing two of her paintings; much of her work is inspired by the Second World War.
"Lately what I've been doing is merging old World War 2 photography into an almost surrealist type of realm," Wabik said.
The inaugural exhibition was planned to celebrate the Polonez Association's 25th anniversary, Kostka said, while also giving artists a chance to sell their paintings. The event's success prompted organizers to bring the show back to the Galleria.
"Being that Port Moody is the City of the Arts it's very appropriate that they have brought the arts to us," said Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Linda Reimer. "[It's] a multicultural city, it brings understanding and tolerance for each other."
The grand opening is on March 29, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and will include violin music by Bohdan Siedlecki and a light lunch. Visit www.poloneztri-city.org for more information.
