As its name denotes, the recent Grenfell art exhibit Parallel encouraged viewers to draw connections between distinct geographic and cultural contexts.
By presenting photographic works side by side, Parallel also aimed to highlight both different and shared experiences, neatly fitting the collaborative exhibit format featuring second-year fine arts students from Grenfell Campus and Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.
Mounted by the Grenfell Art Gallery in Corner Brook, the cross-provincial creative exchange was the second iteration of the project; it debuted in April of last year at Struts’ Gallery in Sackville.
“The learning opportunities are exponential when we [collaborate].”
Parallel was also presented as part of the inaugural Atlantic Canada Photo East festival. Marc Losier, an associate professor in Grenfell’s School of Fine Arts, says festival board members Karen Stentaford and Chris Donovan reached out to him in January 2025 with the pitch.
“Photographic arts practices do not benefit from the same industry and infrastructure in Atlantic Canada as they do in other parts of the country,” he said. “This was an incredible opportunity to work together and contribute to building an ecosystem for photo-based arts practices that would be of huge benefit to our students.”
Public engagement, experiential learning
At Grenfell, the project built on existing student-focused initiatives such as the PULP Student Gallery, which emphasizes public exhibition opportunities and experiential learning.
This year, the Grenfell Art Gallery joined as a presenting partner, with director Jane Walker supporting students through mentorship and insight into professional curatorial practice.
A central focus of Parallel is place. Students were tasked with photographing their local environments in Newfoundland and Labrador and in New Brunswick, encouraging them to slow down and look more closely at the spaces they inhabit.
“For students, it’s about fostering opportunities for students to really see and look closely at their environs, the spaces and subjects that are easy to overlook on a daily basis, as we go about our routines,” said Mr. Losier. “A large part of artist practice is about fostering empathy by opening new pathways for audiences to see the world around them.”
The exhibition also underscored the importance of collaboration in contemporary arts education. While collaborative learning has long been central to studio-based programs, Parallel expands that approach across institutions and regions.
“What this experience has shown me is that we do not collaborate enough,” said Mr. Losier. “The learning opportunities are exponential when we do.”
‘It could be art’
Throughout the academic year, students and instructors engaged in a sustained exchange of ideas and materials.
Care packages containing test prints and examples of professional work — prints and publications were gifted to the students — circulated between Grenfell and Mount Allison cohorts, offering a tactile counterbalance to fast-paced digital communication.
“Collaborating with students at Mount Allison expanded my perspective on what art looks like at a university level and made me more confident in my practice,” said Hillary Day, a third-year visual arts student at Grenfell Campus. “It showed me that my own photography could be something more, that it could be art.”
Parallel also prompted new approaches in the classroom. Mr. Losier and Ms. Stentaford were able to connect and bounce ideas off of one another in the teaching process. By working together, instructors were able to refine assignments, share strategies and broaden learning outcomes while maximizing available resources, which are not as easy to come by as in larger centres like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.
“I am forever grateful for this project.”
The project also helped address a sense of isolation often felt in smaller programs. Grenfell’s Visual Arts Program is the only one of its kind in Newfoundland and Labrador, a distinction that comes with both strengths and challenges.
“We are so spread out in Atlantic Canada, but through these types of collaborations we can still build meaningful relationships,” said Ms. Stentaford, who was the recipient of the 2025 Scotiabank Photography Award. “Such partnerships can broaden students’ creative experiences by exposing them to diverse artistic perspectives and new ways of engaging with visual culture and their peers while expanding access to opportunities that may be limited within a single institution or geographic region.”
Atlantic Canadian collaborative culture
Short-run, student-focused exhibitions like Parallel play a vital role in both campus and regional arts contexts, providing students with opportunities to present their work and develop professional skills publicly.
“Not only did this experience give me the opportunity to work with fellow artists at Mount Allison, it gave me the chance to explore the gallery’s install and de-install processes,” said Destiny MacDonald, a fourth-year visual arts student at Grenfell. “I am forever grateful for this project.”
Looking ahead, there is strong interest in expanding the initiative to include additional partners, potentially beyond Canada. However, sustaining such collaborations will depend on available funding.
Despite these challenges, Parallel stands as a testament to what can be achieved through shared vision and co-operation. By connecting students, faculty and institutions across provincial boundaries, the exhibit not only showcases emerging photographic talent, but contributes to a growing culture of collaboration in Atlantic Canada’s arts community.
