Hate
May 2, 2024, 11:00 am - May 3, 6:00 pm
Dates and times:
Cost: Free
Where: Alternator Gallery, 421 Cawston Ave – Unit 103
For any questions, please contact engagement@bchumanrights.ca
Immersive exhibits envelop the viewer in a sensory space. The viewer is meant to be “overtaken ” by the experience, with the everyday world falling away while the immediate art and sound fill the moment. This format was selected to bring the mural project to life because, as large works of art, murals communicate ideas on a monumental scale. The sheer size of a mural not only creates visual interest but can hold a viewer’s attention, call up memories and feelings and move the viewer towards understanding.
The exhibit blends a soundscape (the voices of community painters, knowledge holders, speakers, evocative music and moving sound) with visuals from the four murals. It shares the engagement, excitement, emotional depth, lived experiences and the transcendent spirit with which British Columbians engaged with the inquiry. Bringing the four large works of art together in conversation with one another reflects the ongoing discussions in communities across the province. Using spatial sound technology and projection, the exhibit creates an interactive space for viewers to experience the murals and the inquiry report. From the voices and brushes of our fellow B.C. residents, we see and hear that there is work to be done and we take inspiration from the many youth and other community members who designed this mural journey from hate to hope.
This exhibit was developed by BCOHRC to share its mural project, raise awareness of the inquiry’s findings and recommendations and to facilitate a deep understanding of how people and communities in British Columbia are thinking about change.
In August 2021, B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, launched an inquiry into the rise of hate in B.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the inquiry, BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (BCOHRC) heard from many British Columbians about their experiences with hate in the province. But we also heard about their hope that, across the province, we can all realize our responsibility to treat each other with respect and dignity and to create a sense of belonging and acceptance. That hope is reflected in the inquiry’s final report, From Hate to Hope, released in March 2023.
Following the release of the report, BCOHRC worked with community partners, artists and youth to bring that message of hope to communities. Four community groups in B.C. designed locally relevant murals that share their hopes for their region. Each mural serves as a reminder of the importance of unity and understanding and the need for communities to come together to stand up against hate. This exhibit celebrates the hope in each of these communities.