Lara Felsing // Shallow Breaths
Date:
Fri, May 22nd, 2026 to Fri, Jul 10th, 2026Time:
6:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Description:
Opening May 22nd in the Alternator Main Gallery is Shallow Breaths by Lara Felsing!
Shallow Breaths is an exhibition showcasing the work of Cree Métis artist Lara Felsing. The exhibition explores the prevalence of wildfires and wildfire smoke, and their effects on humans, plants, insects, animals, and the land. It looks closely at the air we breathe when wildfires burn both near and far, and is themed in climate change, eco grief, community, reciprocity, and our connection through breath. The exhibition is timely, as Kelowna and the surrounding area are experiencing firsthand the devastation of wildfires, wildfire smoke, and the impacts of climate change.
In 2023, Lara was evacuated twice due to wildfires near her home. The title, Shallow Breaths, comes from public health warnings issued during wildfires. Officials advised against outdoor exercise or deep breathing, since harmful particulates can settle deep in the lungs and cause lasting damage. This information led Lara to track local air quality and investigate the global effects of wildfire smoke. After recording air quality data for three years, she is sharing her findings in a body of work made with plant-dyed up-cycled textiles, secondhand items from her community, wildfire burn site castoffs, and harvested plant medicines.
The work in this exhibition is fragrant and tactile. Lara combines sculptural pieces with not only forest castoffs and secondhand materials, but also photographs taken during the wildfires where she lives. Her work references the windows she looked out of during the 2023 and 2024 wildfires, as Lara documented the shifting sky for signs of safety and danger.
Shallow Breaths presents Lara’s experiences as a traditional plant harvester amid wildfire and smoke. Raised in a close-knit Métis community in Northern Alberta, Lara maintains a deep connection to the land. Her culture is based on reciprocity and kinship, and she views all other forms of life as relations with whom we respectfully coexist.
The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their relationship with the natural world, and offers a space for conversation, sharing, and reflection on where we are, where we’re headed, and how we proceed amid wildfire, smoke, and the climate emergency.
Join us on Friday, May 22nd from 6 - 8pm for an double opening reception, as we celebrate along with Kevin Jesuino’s Tender City: The Silent Slow Dance Project in our Project Gallery.
Venue:
Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art
Address:103-421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna, V1Y 6Z1
Cost:
Please call or visit their website.Ticketing and/or registration:
Click here for full event detailsFor more info:
(250) 868-2298
info@alternatorcentre.com
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