Towering new exhibit
Madison Reeve
A striking new art installation is now open to the public at the Kelowna Art Gallery.
HANDMADE, a towering structure built from reclaimed materials by Québec City-based Argentine artist José Luis Torres, officially opened to the public Thursday.
Set in the Gallery’s courtyard, HANDMADE transforms everyday items—such as doors, windows, and wooden pallets—into a whimsical, maze-like structure raised on stilts.
“We have wanted to work with him for a long time because he creates large-scale, site-specific projects across the entire country where people can interact with the work that he is creating here,” said Christine May, Kelowna Art Gallery curator.
José Luis Torres is an Argentine artist who has been based in Québec City since 2003.
His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including at Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Museum London, and the UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art.
“He is really reflecting on the immigrant experience and the idea of construction, in that his life is under construction and always evolving, and that’s really the sense that he hopes people will take away from this project,” May added.
HANDMADE will be open for the public to view until May 2026.
