“Centre A is pleased to present Maraya, a large scale experimental and multi-layered art project consisting of an exhibition, series of public talk, walking tour and newly commissioned interactive website. Maraya (from the Arabic m’raya for mirror or reflection) examines the surprising reappearance of Vancouver’s most picture-postcard urban development, False Creek in the United Arab Emirates, as the Dubai Marina. These two cities are pioneering sites for a new type of 21 st century urbanism, the hallmark of which is the urban waterfront development with glass and steel condominium towers, expansive seawall walkways and shimmering urban vistas. Maraya’s multi- faceted artwork will act as a mirror for publics in both cities to see themselves and their built environments reflected through the lens of contemporary art. In focusing on this significant case study of the two sites, the project aims to facilitate critical discourse reflecting on the global phenomenon of urban mega-planning, transformations, and its unfolding effects on our histories, economy, cultures, and everyday life.

Three Vancouver-based interdisciplinary artists and educators, Levin, Lowry and Tsang, have spent five years researching the phenomenal movement of architects, urban planners and development between Vancouver and Dubai and have produced a new body of artworks, including photo and video documents, interviews, video installations and a live video portal connection between two cities presented in the exhibition as well as in the new website.

“Maraya,—borrowing the arabic word for mirrorand reflection— asks us all to engage in the remaking ofour seawalls. To explore the thousands ofimages thatchronicle the building ofboth waterfront communities from 2007-2011, building digital paths and connections between publics both here and there. Ouronline platform allows everyviewerand contributor the ability to personalize (remix) each glance, each step, each paver, creating paired images thattogetherdelineate a metaphorical seawall thatspans the globe. Within these usergenerated articulations, images and their parts are repurposed, connections made, commonalities revealed. These are the true moments and spots ofexchange. These spots glowand flicker suggesting the simultaneous coming together ofpeople, places and points ofpublic-ness. Maraya invites multiple publics into the manyvisual and textual discourses thatshapes oursense ofhere in all its uncannysimilarities and its disarminglyblatantdifferences to a there.”–Maraya

For the first time, Centre A, with the support of the Canada Interactive Fund, was able to commission the artists to develop an experimental internet platform. It invites publics to engage with the large scope of Maraya artworks, research documents and discussions for over five years. The website is designed to develop experimental models of interactive and collective art-making with the audience through online participation.

During the exhibition, Centre A organizes a series of public salons to approach the subject from a diverse range of perspectives; the speakers include Christos Dikeakos, one of Canada’s most prominent contemporary artists, urban geographer Eugene McCann and social and cultural activist, Am Johal. A walking tour led by sound artist Jean Routhier will be held prior to the exhibition.” — Centre A