The group exhibition Future Memoria left a profound impression on me as a viewer and continues to resonate as a deeply moving and intellectually stimulating art experience. The juxtaposition of utopian aspirations alongside dystopian anxieties accurately reflected current global narratives, rendering the exhibition both timely and timeless. The show invited me to consider not just artistic interpretations of imagined futures but also the real-world forces shaping them. This sense of urgency and reflection set the tone for an exhibition that challenges, provokes, and ultimately lingers in the mind long after viewing.

The exhibition at the Surrey Art Gallery, curated by Rhys Edwards, offered a thought-provoking journey through the diverse landscapes of collective future imaginings. Bringing together selections from the gallery’s permanent collection alongside loaned artworks, Future Memoria vividly explored both utopian and dystopian ideals from the perspectives of Vancouver photoconceptualists and beyond. This interplay of artistic visions challenged viewers to consider not only the possibilities for the future but also the underlying forces shaping these speculative landscapes.

Upon entering the exhibition, visitors were immediately struck by the breadth of media and themes. From photography, installation, and video to drawing and painting, Future Memoria seamlessly integrated past, present, and future visions. The exhibition showcased significant works by a large roster of  36 artists, notably including ]Doug Biden, Vikky Alexander, Laura Lamb, Micah Lexier, Barbara Todd, Jer Thorp, Robert Youds, Heather Kai Smith, Tsēmā Igharas, and the PLOT community garden project, alongside many others.

Central to the exhibition was Jer Thorp’s poignant screenprint, Hope/Crisis (2011). This piece visually represented the frequency of the words “hope” and “crisis” in The New York Times headlines over several decades, transforming raw data into a compelling visual interpretation. It underscored how public sentiment oscillates between utopian aspirations of hope and dystopian fears of crisis, particularly through the lens of media narratives. Given The New York Times’ significant role in shaping public perception—especially in light of its coverage of ongoing geopolitical conflicts such as the war in Gaza—Thorp’s work invited viewers to critically examine the power of language in constructing reality. This tension made Hope/Crisis feel particularly urgent, a reminder of the fluctuating human experience and the endurance of hope amidst adversity. Thorp’s piece bridged the gap between data and emotional experience, illustrating how data visualization can transcend into art that resonates deeply with the human condition. It stood out as a pivotal work in his portfolio and a significant contribution to Future Memoria.

Another standout work was Vikky Alexander’s Interior Pavilion #4 (1989), a complex and layered sculpture composed of wallpaper and stain on mahogany plywood and birch wood. The piece combined the concept of laminate murals popular in suburban shopping malls with the idea of the pavilion itself, an architectural form designed to allow viewers to observe the natural world from within a controlled environment. Here, the two blended in an absurd reversal: instead of looking at nature from the inside out, the viewer looked from the outside in, unable to gain access to the interior space within the wood panels.Interior Pavilion #4 exemplified Alexander’s critical engagement with visual culture and the manipulation of desire, revealing the artificiality behind photographic allure. The piece invited viewers to reflect on the constructed nature of their surroundings and the ways in which environments are designed to shape human experience. Alexander’s work underscored the idea that our perceptions of utopia are often mediated by artificial constructs that promise access to an idealized version of reality, yet ultimately keep us at a distance. This insight resonated deeply with the overarching themes of the exhibition.

Barbara Todd’s Security Blanket: Black Rain (1996), is comprised of a series of dark-hued quilts appliquéd with the shapes of business suits, war planes, bombs, and missiles made from men’s woollen suiting fabric offered a disturbing reflection on the intersection of Cold War politics and postmodern culture that defined much of the 1980s and ‘90s. Todd’s work critiques the conflict between power and human values, presenting a chilling commentary on the contradictory nature of national security. Through her unique perspective as mother, artist, and feminist, Todd challenges the patriarchal systems that justify the existence of weapons in the name of peace, making the Security Blankets a poignant and ironic symbol of safety and destruction interwoven in society. These quilts highlight the tension at the heart of our current political realities, providing an unsettling yet thought-provoking commentary on how technological advancements and power structures continue to shape our world and the lives of those with less.

Beyond the works which addressed the aforementioned themes, a particularly striking example was by PLOT, the community garden project, which emphasized the intersection of public art, sustainability, and collective action. One of the most touching aspects of this work was its ability to transform a seemingly simple act—gardening—into a radical exercise in reclaiming space and fostering community resilience. The work not only provided a living, breathing counterpoint to the dystopian anxieties explored elsewhere in the exhibition but also instilled a sense of hope and joy. By engaging local residents in shared cultivation and food production, PLOT demonstrated how small-scale, collective efforts could resist the overwhelming forces of environmental degradation and social alienation, making utopian ideals tangible in everyday life.

Rhys Edwards’ curatorial vision shone through in the deliberate arrangement of works and the accompanying events that enriched the exploration of these themes. The exhibition did not just present a dichotomy of utopia and dystopia; it blurred these boundaries, showing how the future is constantly negotiated through the choices we make in the present.

In this way, Future Memoria masterfully navigated the diverse possibilities of future imaginings for humanity  on both a local and global scale. It challenged, inspired, and provoked thought, making it an indispensable experience for art enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. As time has passed since viewing the show, its impact has only deepened for me. The urgency of its themes—environmental collapse, the influence of media, and the power structures shaping our reality—feels more critical than ever. In a moment when both hope and crisis feel omnipresent, this exhibition served as a poignant reminder of art’s role in envisioning and critiquing the world yet to unfold.

Future Memoria, curated by Rhys Edwards, ran from June 22 to August 25, 2024 at the Surrey Art Gallery in Surrey, BC.

Feature Image: Installation view of Future Memoria. Photo by NK Photography courtesy of the Surrey Art Gallery.