Kaléidoscope, which runs from May 1st to June 14th, is one of the most prominent events of Festival Accès Asie’s 20th Anniversary Edition. This retrospective exhibition will feature photo and video portraits of 20 artists who have been part of the Festival over the past 20 years.
Kaléidoscope was exclusively created for the Festival’s anniversary
edition by photographer Kiran Ambwani, involved in the Festival since 2008, and filmmaker Florence So, who has been actively collaborating with the Festival for more than 10 years. These two artists brought their creative powers together to develop this very special retrospective.
Kaléidoscope gives the Festival a special opportunity to highlight the efforts of its Board members over the years and to thank them for their ongoing commitment. The Festival is honored to feature original works created by five Board members for this year’s anniversary program.
A Chinese proverb says “One must add life to one’s years and not
years to one’s life.” This philosophy underlies Kaléidoscope and offers a unique perspective from which to view the works of all the artists who have contributed to the Festival since its creation in 1995. Kaléidoscope will feature the artists as they posed for Kiran Ambwani and Florence So in a series of photos and video clips. Like a kaleidoscope, these images will fragment and break away in the imagination, challenging any conventional sense of portrait in shape and in meaning.
Visitors to this exhibition will not only discover the works of renowned artists such as Janet Lumb, Chinese musician and co‐founder of Festival Accès Asie; Hossein Sharang, Iranian poet; Amrita Choudhury, Indian dancer and choreographer; and Kakim Goh, Singaporean painter, but visitors will also discover the artists themselves. To give ongoing life to these incredible images, they are available for viewing on the Festival’s website.
Kiran Ambwani is an Indian photographer living in Montreal who is passionate about people’s lifestyles and the arts. Kiran Ambwani is a graduate from McGill University and Dawson College Institute of Photography. While her creative vision extends to the worlds of publishing and advertising, Kiran Ambwani has exhibited her artistic work across Canada and abroad. Her multi‐faceted portfolio includes portraiture, editorail, lifestyle, travel and documentary photography.
Chinese artist, Florence So is a VJ,
filmmaker and computer engineer working in Montreal. Since 2005, she has created live video mixes for a wide range of popular and alternative events under the name of “VJ Pink Rubber Lady.” She
brings together visual arts and narrative elements to explore human
behavior and psychology. Florence So is involved in diverse and multidisciplinary projects. Her films are widely shown in festivals, on television and online.
Kiran Ambwani ‐ Curator
Florence So aka VJ Pink Rubber Lady ‐ Curator