Seven emerging photographic artists from Emily Carr University are featured in an exhibition marking a new partnership between Gallery 881 and ECU.

Showing through May 11, CURRENT: Photography as Pause is the first edition of a showcase for lens-based work by artists in ECU’s Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs.

“This partnership provides our students with a unique opportunity to exhibit their work in an established and recognized off-campus gallery space, placing them directly into dialogue with the wider art community in Vancouver,” says artist and ECU faculty member Birthe Piontek.

Artists Laura Ayres (BFA 2025), Claudia Goulet-Blais (MFA 2025), Julia Kerrigan (BFA 2024), Charlie Mahoney-Volk (BFA 2024), Paniz Mani (BFA 2024), Maria Michopulu (BFA 2024) and Parumveer Walia (BFA 2025) are all participating in the show. Photography as Pause was curated by artist and educator Karen Zalamea and Gallery 881 director John Goldsmith.

“The partnership between ECU and Gallery 881 is an exciting opportunity and pivotal bridge, helping to foster new relationships within the broader arts community,” John says. “It also provides a platform for students to network with curators, professional practitioners and institutions, extending their learning beyond the classroom to enrich their academic journey and nurture their professional growth. As Vancouver’s only lens-based gallery, I am enthusiastic about how this collaboration honours our city’s profound photographic history while continuing to develop new ways of thinking about and practicing lens-based art.”

The show is “an invitation to consider photography as a means of being present,” Birthe writes in an exhibition text. “The artists ask the viewer to pause so we can once more discover photography’s potential to slow down time for us. We are taken out of the stream of endless scrolls and are faced with our assumptions — often created in the complex digitized world where the photographic medium has become our primary communication tool but frequently takes us out of the present moment.”

Photography as Pause is on view at Gallery 881 in Vancouver through May 11.

The show is just the first of a number of activities within the partnership between the gallery and ECU. Visit the gallery’s website and follow them on Instagram to keep up with their programming, and stay tuned for more information on future initiatives in partnership with ECU.

Visit ECU online to learn more about studying Photography at Emily Carr.