È«Ãñ²ÊƱ

Please join us for an Art Forums artist talk with Manuel Axe Strain, Wedneday, Sept 17, 3:30pm PST in Reliance Theatre. All are welcome!

Manuel Axel Strain is a 2-Spirit artist from the lands and waters of the xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÉ™m (Musqueam), Simpcw and Syilx peoples, based in the sacred region of their qÌ“icÌ“É™yÌ“(Katzie) and qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼənÌ“ (Kwantlen) relatives. Strains mother is Tracey Strain and father is Eric Strain, Tracey’s parents are Harold Eustache (from Chuchua) and Marie Louis (from nkÌ“maplqs), Eric’s Parents are Helen Point (from xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m) and John Strain (from Ireland). Although they attended È«Ãñ²ÊƱ they prioritize Indigenous epistemologies through the embodied knowledge of their mother, father, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents and ancestors.

Creating artwork in collaboration with and reference to their relatives, their shared experiences become a source of agency that resonates through their work with performance, land, painting, sculpture, photography, video, sound and installation. Their artworks often envelop subjects in relation with ancestral and community ties, Indigeneity, labour, resource extraction, gender, Indigenous medicine and life forces. Strain often perceives their work to confront and undermine the imposed realities of colonialism. Proposing a new space beyond its oppressive systems of power. They have contributed work to the Vancouver Art Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery, the UBCO Fina gallery, were longlisted for the 2022 Sobey Award and were a recipient of the 2022 Portfolio Prize.

Presented by the Audain Faculty of Art at È«Ãñ²ÊƱ, hosted by FRMS: 300: Art Forums Course. This event is is partnership with the Richmond Art Gallery, and coincides with the exhibition, , open from September 13 – November 9, 2025.