University of Waterloo Art Gallery

April 16 – May 2, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 16, 5 – 8pm

Sandra Jabbour
Ahsan Hdeyeh 3ana

Ahsan Hdeyeh 3ana explores themes of memory, family dynamics, multilingualism, diaspora, and Jabbour’s relationship to her Syrian and Lebanese cultures. Notably, her paintings are infused with her personal interpretations of imagery drawn from her familial archive of VHS tapes from the late 90s and early 2000s. Despite having grown up in Canada and never visiting her countries of origin, Jabbour is deeply connected to both her cultures. She speaks about her childhood being documented on VHS tapes and sent to family members abroad. This delayed communication method became a way for her family to remain connected despite geographical distance prior to social media, fostering a relationship between her and her brother and their family members abroad that they have yet to meet face-to-face. By transforming imagery from these tapes into paintings, she creates a third space between the past and the present and different geographic locations by resurrecting the family stories and memories contained in this forgotten media.

Sandra Jabbour is a painter from Windsor, Ontario of Syrian and Lebanese descent. She graduated from the University of Windsor’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts program in 2023, where she was awarded the Jill Dyan-Perry Memorial Bursary for outstanding portfolio work, and is currently a Master of Fine Arts candidate at the University of Waterloo. She served as Vice President of Arts Council Windsor-Essex’s Vanguard Collective for one year and was an active member for four years. Artist Website

Maddie Lychek
Could Be a Person or Multiple Hotdogs

Could Be a Person or Multiple Hotdogs subverts dominant narratives surrounding racialization, diaspora, and queerness by a refusal to flatten the artist’s multiple identities (Filipino, Slovak, masculine, lesbian) in ways that align with broader institutional narratives of inclusion. This crude multiple projection installation peels back the layers of identity but does not settle them, instead you witness the entire anxious, calm, shameful, prideful, solitary, collective, familial, and vulgar—whole.

The exhibition culminates with Dyke Clothing Swap a gathering to exchange used clothes and facilitate inter-generational connection during the last day of the exhibition on Saturday, May 2, 3 – 5pm.

Maddie Lychek is a visual artist born and raised in Southern Ontario, currently based on Block 2 of the Haldimand Tract. Her work has been exhibited at venues like InterAccess, Xpace Cultural Centre, Ken Seiling Museum, Union Gallery, and Struts Gallery. She served as Program Director of Ed Video Media Arts Centre on the Board of Directors of Independent Media Arts Alliance. Her research has been supported by the Social Science and Humanity Research Council of Canada. Artist Website

Admit Everyone
University of Waterloo Art Gallery
East Campus Hall, Room 1239
519.888.4567 ext. 33575
Website
Facebook
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Contact
Ivan Jurakic, Director/Curator
ijurakic@uwaterloo.ca

Hours
Wednesday to Saturday 12 – 5pm
Or by appointment

Mobility
Ground floor entry
Automated doors available at west entrance to Fine Arts (ECH)
Wide pathways
Accessible washrooms on ground level

Driving
263 Phillip Street, Waterloo
East Campus Hall (ECH) is located adjacent to Engineering 6 (E6)
Campus map

Parking
Visitor Parking available in B Lot (E6) or Q Lot (EC1)
Pay via AMP mobile app, $7.25 Flat Rate
Search “AMP Park” in app store or scan QR code on parking signs
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Mailing
University of Waterloo Art Gallery
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1

Image Credits and Descriptions:
1) Sandra Jabbour, Dabke (detail), 2026, acrylic on fabric. Image courtesy of the artist. Description: A raw painted image of a member of the artist’s family dancing a traditional dance.
2) Maddie Lychek, Could Be a Person or Multiple Hotdogs (video still), 2026. Image courtesy of the artist. Description: A screenshot with multiple colourful overlaid images of pork bone soup, a digital scale, street poster, and partial to-do list.