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2025 Main Gallery Programming

Eastern Edge is over the moon to begin our announcements for our 2025 Programming lineup!!! We have another exciting year of incredible exhibitions and residencies planned, which we are so excited to share with you!

Our Main Gallery programming will welcome some very talented artists to share their thought-provoking work with us. Check them out below, and be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming opening receptions to kick off this spectacular year! We can’t wait to see visitors from near and far drop by the gallery once again.


Rachelle Wunderink, Your Comfort, My Silence

January 31 – March 15, 2025

Society censors, rather than confronts, stories of rape and harassment. Rachelle Wunderink’s work unveils the consequences of sexual assault trauma by engaging viewers with the emotional affect. Incorporating influences from Affect Theory, Relational Aesthetics, and Trauma therapy, Wunderink’s site-specific exhibition for Eastern Edge Artist Run Centre, “Your Comfort, My Silence,” examines the ways that trauma lingers leaving lasting imprints on lives. She does this in three key ways throughout her body of work: ‘Blankouts,’ an immersive wheat-pasted installation, which looks at the covert ways in which society suppresses women’s stories of assault through the use of coded language and censorship. Secondly, ‘Trauma Embodied,’ looks at how the artist self-censors her own stories through a multi-layered editing process of nine different videos. Lastly, the artist activates the gallery space creating various modes of interaction with the work engaging her audience to consider the ways in which the work imprints on their own experiences.

 


Stephane Alexis, Chains & Crowns

March 28 – May 10, 2025

Chains & Crowns explores Afro hairstyles as both cultural heritage and socio-political expression, tracing their origins from Africa and the Caribbean through historical cycles of oppression and celebration. These styles have evolved as symbols of survival, adaptability, and creativity within Black communities, representing a resilient aesthetic deeply rooted in style, communal identity, and the triumphs of self-expression. The exhibit illuminates how Black hair has not only been a personal statement but also a collective narrative, shaping and influencing character in Western culture while carrying a legacy of beauty, resilience, and joy.

This exhibition also addresses the commodification of Black hair, examining the objectification of Black individuals through their hair and the inequities in the beauty industry. Despite Black consumers driving a significant portion of beauty sales, Black-owned brands represent only a fraction of the revenue, highlighting systemic barriers to economic inclusion. These works are a call for reclaiming autonomy and promoting equity, urging a reexamination of how Black hair and its cultural significance are valued and respected in contemporary society.

 


Snack Witch Joni Cheung

May 23 – July 5, 2025

In her exhibition at Eastern Edge, Snack Witch Joni Cheung will be presenting a variety of video and installation works: “Soba’s Corner”, “Bring back as souvenirs”, and “Songs to my Ancestors”. Using multi-media and interactive elements to engage with audiences, Joni’s work investigates how objects act as apparatuses to archive and disseminate Chinese-Canadian stories.

 


Eastern Edge Annual Members’ Exhibition

July 18 – August 30, 2025

EE’s Annual Members’ Exhibition presents an opportunity for Eastern Edge Members to showcase what they have been working on, alongside other members of the community. With an open theme, the exhibition always promises an exciting breadth of styles and mediums. In 2024, we brought back the Members’ Exhibition Silent Auction, and displayed over 60 artworks by our wonderful members! Keep an eye out for the call for artworks this the summer, and look forward to another spread of incredible work!!

 


Spirit Song Festival

November 7 – December 13, 2025

Eastern Edge is proud to partner with First Light to host programming in our Main Gallery, in celebration of Spirit Song Festival!

Spirit Song is a celebration of Indigenous Arts and Culture that has been running annually in St. John’s since 2013. Spirit Song has now grown into a multi-day event which boasts world class performances, traditional and contemporary knowledge sharing events as well as artist in residence series.  The festival is enjoyed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences alike. Spirit Song aims to support and promote Indigenous artists, strengthen our sense of community, as well as provide an opportunity for the greater public to experience the incredible work created by Indigenous artists from across Canada.

From exhibitions highlighting incredible work by Indigenous artists, to panel discussions, artist talks, and workshops, Spirit Song Festival programming is always a sincere pleasure to have in our space. Stay tuned to see what will be in the Main Gallery for Spirit Song 2025!