Abbi Shi Helps Bring Exhibitions to Life with Richmond Art Gallery Curator Zoë Chan

A recent apprenticeship with Richmond Art Gallery (RAG) curator Zoë Chan saw Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) student Mawenzhu (Abbi) Shi 史马文竹 (MFA 2024) provide curatorial support for several current and upcoming exhibitions and publications.

Zoë involved Abbi in tasks ranging from practical and logistical to creative tasks, offering a full spectrum introduction to working in a public gallery.

“It was exciting to work with Abbi because she brought her background as an artist, which is knowledge I don’t have,” Zoë says. “And she’s also open and very flexible. Abbi has lots of different skills and I feel that I can trust her which is meaningful in a gallery because things are constantly changing and you’re working on many different projects concurrently.”

Zoë and Abbi were linked through the Art Apprenticeship Network (AAN), a program run by the Shumka Centre for Creative Entrepreneurship and funded by the RBC Foundation to support RBC Emerging Artists. The AAN pairs paid student apprentices with established artists, curators and cultural workers each year to work on specific projects.

Among Abbi’s contributions were installation and curatorial support for the RAG’s current show, It begins with knowing and not knowing, including designing the exhibition booklet to showcase the working processes of exhibiting artists. For the upcoming exhibition FOODWAYS, Abbi conducted research to curate a pop-up exhibition featuring archival documents and photographs from the City of Richmond Archives and artifacts from the Richmond Museum's collection. Focusing on the Hong Wo general store – a cornerstone of the Steveston community for over 75 years – the exhibition will be on display at the Richmond archives, located next door to the RAG.

And for a forthcoming publication and show centred around the work of artist Mary Sui Yee Wong, Abbi delved into 30 years of publications to select texts and photos for curatorial consideration.

Abbi says the experience opened new doors in her development as an emerging artist and curator.

“I got a better understanding of all the details related to working in a gallery. It has been an amazing experience for me,” she says, noting Zoë herself was a key part of that growth.

“Zoë is an amazing mentor. She’s open, allows me to do things on my own and gives me lots of constructive advice. I learned a lot from her, and that equips me to be more comfortable and confident in contributing to the local arts community.”

Zoë says that mentorship programs like the AAN can provide much-needed support for under-resourced arts organizations.

“Having somebody who is able to work independently but also collaboratively has been a wonderful balance,” she says. “Having Abbi here also helped push some of these projects forward a bit and add things we might not normally have time for.”

Mentoring Abbi also helped Zoë realize some of her broader goals as an arts professional.

“I’ve been working in the field now for 20 years, and I’m at a point where I’m excited to give back,” she continues. “So, it’s been really nice to see Abbi have interesting experiences where she can grow. And it’s been very valuable for me to connect with an emerging generation of artists and curators.”

Abbi adds she’s looking forward to applying what she’s learned in new contexts.

“Maybe I will curate small shows amongst my peers,” she says. “This will be a valuable experience to carry into the future. And I feel like I have more knowledge for applying for a show myself. If there are future opportunities for this Shumka program, I strongly recommend that ECU students apply.”

It begins with knowing and not knowing runs through Sept. 29, 2024, at the Richmond Art Gallery. FOODWAYS opens Oct. 19, 2024, and Mary Sui Yee Wong 1990s-2000s is currently slated for exhibition in Spring 2025.

Visit the Shumka Centre online to learn more about their extraordinary range of programming.

Visit ECU online to learn more about studying in the Master of Fine Arts program at Emily Carr University.