The Program
Open Spaces: Windows to a View provides exhibition space to local and regional artists while enlivening the Centre Street LRT platform. From 2023 to 2025, the program is partnering with different organizations who work with underserved artists in Calgary. The current partner is the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation.
Update December 12, 2025: The exhibition in the East Window has been extended through March 2026 due to nearby construction that has temporarily blocked the gallery. This exhibition, presented in partnership with the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI), is part of a year-long collaboration that fosters artist development and increases the visibility of newcomer artists in Calgary. Extending the display ensures that participating artists continue to have their work seen and appreciated by the public.
The West Window will feature temporary exhibitions from November 2025 through March 2026 in partnership with The New Gallery.
Extended: September to March 2026 Exhibition
East Window Space
Don’t Worry About My Yansh; I Am from Sokoto
Artist: Samuel Obadero
“Don’t Worry About My Yansh; I Am From Sokoto” is born from a moment nested between deep personal loss and uncharted exploration. In the days after returning my mother’s body to the earth, I travelled alone to Sokoto, a place I had long been curious about, yet knew no one.
I am a multidisciplinary artist whose primary language is photography; visual, visceral and rooted in the sacred space where memory meets culture. From my point of view, I document the rhythms of life; its textures, tenderness, resilience and rebellion. I am deeply drawn to the everyday moments that carry extraordinary meaning: the weathered hands of a market woman, the burnt sienna of a Lagos wall, the glint of defiance in someone’s eye.
Born in Lagos, now based in Calgary, I carry both cities in my work. One raised me, the other redefined me.
My practice is a fusion of migration, memory, grief, joy and community love. I don’t just take photos; I create spaces for people to be seen, deeply and unapologetically. Whether I’m shooting on bustling Lagos streets or in a quiet studio in Alberta, I’m always listening for what’s unspoken.
My work has been featured in exhibitions, community projects and corporate campaigns, but its real heartbeat is in the impact it creates. As the founder of Motif Photography, the first Black-owned professional photography studio in Calgary, I’ve spent over two decades not just documenting lives, but also pouring into others, mentoring young Black creatives, partnering with organizations like Nikon Canada and the YMCA, and speaking on platforms like the Profusion Conference on the intersection of mental health and art.
Being the recipient of the Legacy Award as New Canadian Artist of the Year was a recognition that affirmed what I’ve always believed; that art has the power to heal, to protest, to gather and to elevate.
My latest body of work, including “Textures of Lagos” and “What My Mother Left Me,” is a love letter to where I’m from and who I’ve become. It’s about what survives us. What holds us. And what we choose to remember.
Samuel Obadero is a Nigerian-Canadian artist, photographer and creative director whose work bridges continents and communities. Based in Calgary, he is the founder of Motif Photography — the city’s first Black-owned professional studio — and a passionate storyteller with over two decades of experience. His lens documents the nuance of Black identity, migration, and memory, weaving portraits and textures into visual poetry. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the quiet resilience of Calgary’s Afro-diasporic communities, Samuel’s work invites reflection and reverence. A Legacy Award recipient for New Canadian Artist of the Year and a featured speaker at Nikon Canada’s Profusion Conference, he continues to shape cultural narratives while mentoring the next generation of visual creatives and championing mental health conversations.
September to November 2025 Exhibition
West Window Space
She, in All Her Elements
Artist: Richa Shukla
This collection is a celebration of the feminine spirit in its many forms — tender, powerful, playful and unyielding. Each painting captures a moment where emotion meets nature through water, blossoms, living creatures and untamed landscapes. These works explore love, freedom, resilience and the landscapes of the heart. Together, they form a visual poem to the beauty of a woman fully alive, in harmony with the wild and the world around her.
I am Richa Shukla, a professional artist based in Chestermere, Alberta. I believe each of us carries a creative voice within, waiting for the courage to express it. I love bringing my emotions to life and creating a dream world on canvas. My art is a journey into the unspoken emotions that lie beneath the surface of our daily lives. I strive to capture and convey these raw, unseen feelings while bringing light and truth into a world that desperately needs both. My hope is that each piece touches something profound within the viewer, creating a moment of reflection and connection that transcends the ordinary and draws them toward something greater — a sense of purpose, beauty and truth.
Richa Shukla is an abstract realism artist known for her soul-touching and transformative works that blend reality and imagination. Born and raised in the diamond capital of India, Richa’s passion for art blossomed at a young age. She spent her childhood sketching with her father on sandy beaches, doodling on her denim, and filling the back of her school books with sketches. Her love for art led her to pursue formal studies in commercial arts, culminating in two successful exhibitions in her home country within a year.
In 2006, Richa moved to Canada with her husband, where she devoted herself to raising her children. For nearly 15 years, her artistic aspirations took a back seat as she embraced the role of a mother. However, a fateful encounter with a mentor on social media rekindled her creative spirit. She completed her master program with Milan Art Institute. Over the past four years, Richa has reemerged as a passionate artist, creating compelling artworks and commissions that resonate with collectors around the world.
Her art reflects her personal journey of resilience, balance and rediscovery, capturing the raw energy of life while inviting viewers to reconnect with their instincts, spirituality and the natural world. Through her work, she celebrates the universal connection that binds all living things, inspiring introspection and a deeper sense of purpose.
With each new creation, Richa strives to touch the hearts of her audience, offering a window into profound truths and a higher sense of creativity. Her upcoming releases continue to embody this vision, marking another milestone in her evolving artistic journey.
Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation
Established in January 2019, the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI) is committed to advancing the careers of immigrant and newcomer arts professionals. Functioning as a pivotal resource for networking and opportunities, ICAI facilitates a smooth transition for immigrant and newcomer arts professionals, nurturing their ongoing professional development in Alberta. As a dedicated non-profit organization, ICAI fosters a supportive environment for our community of immigrant and newcomer arts professionals. Through tailored programming, we ensure inclusivity and provide a welcoming platform for diverse artistic expressions.