Expo 86 Revisited in New Surrey Art Gallery Exhibition
In the 1980s, self-described 'Gianthropologist' Henri Robideau traveled across Canada capturing photographs of oversized landmarks, such as the Big Nickel in Sudbury, Mr. P.G. the Giant Spruce Man in Prince George, and the Giant Ukrainian Easter Egg in Vegreville, Alberta. His acclaimed book, Canada's Gigantic, showcased these images, and he planned to display them at Expo 86. However, the project was canceled when Jim Pattison took over the fair's budget, citing a preference for color photographs over Robideau's black-and-white work.
Despite this setback, Robideau attended Expo 86 and captured iconic images, including the giant hockey stick with the monorail soaring by. This photograph is now featured in In the Shadow of the Pavilions: Expo 86 and Contemporary Art at the Surrey Art Gallery, running from April 18 to June 7, 2026. Curated by Jordan Strom, the exhibition includes over 50 artists working in various mediums, such as photography, painting, drawing, film, installation art, holography, weavings, performance art, sculpture, and video.
Exploring Expo's Legacy
The exhibition examines both official works from Expo pavilions, particularly the Canadian pavilion, and the broader cultural impact on the Lower Mainland, including Surrey and the Fraser Valley. Upon entering the gallery, visitors encounter Christos Dikeakos's panoramic photo of the Expo site before construction, showing a vast, muddy post-industrial landscape. This contrasts sharply with Oraf's photograph of the crowded closing day.
Notable pieces include Bill Reid's 1984 red cedar model of a Haida Bear Canoe and a maquette for the Haida canoe Loo Taas, built for Expo. The Highway 86 sculpture, featuring an undulating ribbon of highway with post-apocalyptic gray vehicles, is represented through concept drawings, photographs, and a German poster depicting a car driving off a broken section of highway over the Georgia Viaduct.
The exhibition highlights the enduring legacy of Expo 86 and its influence on contemporary art in the region.
