Meera Sethi, Outerwhere, installation view at Cambridge Art Galleries, Queen’s Square, 2023. Photo by Toni Hafkenscheid.

Meera Sethi: A Brief History of Wear

Curated by Anik Glaude
September 21, 2024 to January 5, 2025
Opening Reception: September 22, 2024 | 2 to 4pm

Meera Sethi is a contemporary visual artist whose interdisciplinary practice encompasses painting, drawing, fibre art, illustration, and performance. Her work is deeply rooted in intuitive, social, and research-based approaches, with a particular focus on South Asia and its diasporas. Sethi explores themes of the subjugated body and the history of cloth, delving into how textiles are produced, worn, and discarded. Her art examines clothing as a form of self-expression and resistance and investigates the diverse ways textiles shape and are shaped by various geographies.

This exhibition presents a comprehensive survey of Sethi’s work from the past decade, showcasing the diverse series she has developed. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of her practice and uncover the thematic threads that have emerged throughout her career.

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William Berczy, Archduchess Maria-Theresa, Queen of Saxony (detail), c. 1780, oil on canvas, 72 cm x 57.5 cm. Collection of the Varley Art Gallery of Markham. Purchased by the Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham, 2009.

Tracing Patterns

Curated by Anik Glaude
September 21, 2024 to January 5, 2025
Opening Reception: September 22, 2024 | 2 to 4pm

Curated as a companion to Meera Sethi: A Brief History of Wear, Tracing Patterns delves into the depiction of textiles in works from the gallery’s permanent collection. This exhibition features a diverse array of portraits—ranging from formally posed depictions to quick, sketched observations—highlighting fabrics such as lace, brocade, tweed, silk, cotton, and denim. Some works, like William Berczy’s detailed portrait of Archduchess Maria-Theresa, vividly capture the textures and intricacies of the fabrics depicted. In contrast, others, such as F. H. Varley’s pencil sketches of street scenes, offer more abstract representations, hinting at garments with minimal detail of texture or colour.

To engage visitors, the exhibition features interactive displays where visitors can touch and feel fabric swatches corresponding to those represented in the works on view, enhancing your understanding of the pieces beyond mere visual observation.

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Associated Programs

Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception
Sunday, September 22 | 2 to 4pm
Free | Registration not required

Join us for an afternoon filled with music, food, an artist’s talk by exhibiting artist Meera Sethi, a drag performance by artist LaWhore Vagistan, and a hands-on sewing workshop perfect for all ages. While admission is free, visitors are encouraged to support Markham’s Textile Recycling Program by bringing clothing donations to the recycling bin in the gallery courtyard.

Wash ’n Care: Community workshop with artist Meera Sethi
Saturday, October 5 | 2 to 4pm
Free | Ages 16+ | Registration required

Explore exhibiting artist Meera Sethi’s research-based project Unskilled, which examines the life cycle of clothing and challenges the fast fashion industry by promoting slow garment care. The workshop includes a hands-on demo of Wash ’n Care labels designed by Sethi, offering insights into garment care, environmental responsibility, workers’ rights, and emotional connections to clothing. Attendees will receive a Wash ’n Care label and instructional card. Please bring a piece of clothing or fabric for discussion.

Chai and Write: What we carry with us with Sheniz Janmohamed
Saturday, October 20 | 2 to 4pm
Free | Registration required

Join local arts educator and poet Sheniz Janmohamed for a writing and creation workshop inspired by the Varley’s current exhibitions. Participants will tour the gallery, take a gentle nature walk to observe the changing seasons and reflect inwardly, and respond to creative prompts through writing and sketching. Chai will be served.

Function of Fabric: Sewing Reusable Pads
Saturday, November 30 | 2 to 4pm
Free | Ages 18+ | Registration opens in October

The workshop begins with a guided tour of the current exhibitions, exploring the history and uses of fabrics for inspiration. Participants will then sew a reusable menstrual pad from scratch. In partnership with Markham Public Library, this workshop supports Help A Girl Out, a local nonprofit organization addressing period poverty.

Lunch and Learn with artist Roda Medhat
Wednesday, December 11 | 12:30 to 1:30pm
Free | Online | Zoom link provided upon registration

In this artist talk, Kurdish-Canadian artist Roda Medhat explores how scale, light, and cultural identity shape his work. He will discuss using large-scale installations and light-based art to provoke conversations on cultural preservation and identity. Through projects like neon rugs and inflatables with Kurdish rug patterns, Roda brings attention to overlooked aspects of cultural heritage in public spaces.

About the Varley Art Gallery of Markham

The Varley Art Gallery of Markham is a vital cultural hub for artists and diverse communities. A municipal gallery, we create critical conversations about Canadian art and society. We inspire local and national audiences to engage with art through outstanding exhibitions and rich public and educational programs relevant to the communities we serve. We support artists from York region and seek to broaden access to the arts for diverse artists and cultural groups. We also share and celebrate the life and work of F. H. Varley, a founding member of the Group of Seven.

The Varley Art Gallery is situated on the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe. We are committed to reconciliation, partnership and enhanced understanding.

Varley Art Gallery of Markham
216 Main Street Unionville
Markham, ON, L3R 2H1
varley@markham.ca
905.477.7000 ext. 3261

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Public Hours
Tuesday to Friday | 12pm to 4pm
Saturday and Sunday | 10am to 5pm
Monday | Closed

Admission:
Free

Accessibility:
Our venue is accessible, with automatic door openers to enter the building and exhibition spaces. One accessible washroom is available.

For more information, please contact:
Jessica Li, Communications
jessicali@markham.ca