Light, Line and Life | Held in Empathy, We Bloom

Exhibition space at the Centre Street LRT platform

A delicate watercolor painting of autumn foliage. The composition features overlapping branches with leaves in shades of green, yellow, red and purple. The background is softly blurred, suggesting depth and sunlight filtering through a forest.

Artwork by Ensieh Farrokhi

A highly detailed coloured pencil drawing of vibrant red-orange flowers with soft, layered petals. The flowers stand out against a smooth, multicoloured background with tones of blue, green and pink. Signed "Ensi 2017" in the corner.

Artwork by Ensieh Farrokhi

A watercolour landscape painting of a wide-open field with rocky terrain and sparse greenery. A few tall, bare tree branches rise on the left, while clusters of green trees appear in the distance under a vast sky filled with soft purple and blue clouds. Signed in the corner with "Ensieh 2013."

Artwork by Ensieh Farrokhi

A hyperrealistic drawing of a forest pathway lined with tall birch trees, where the left side of the image is richly coloured in greens and yellows to depict sunlight through the leaves, while the right side transitions into black and white, creating a striking contrast between colour and monochrome.

Artwork by Ensieh Farrokhi

A circular painting on a wood slice featuring two women surrounded by vibrant pink flowers, butterflies, and birds. The women have calm expressions, eyes closed and are nestled closely together.

Artwork by Bukhtawar Malik

A surreal portrait of a woman with long brown hair resting her head and hand on a wooden chest. Dark branches emerge from her fingers and wrap around her head, blending into the background.

Artwork by Bukhtawar Malik

A digital illustration in warm red and orange tones shows two people sleeping on each other’s shoulders inside a train. One has curly hair in two buns, the other has short hair. They are wrapped in blankets with suitcases beside them, one tagged "YYC" and the other "MIA."

Artwork by Bukhtawar Malik

An illustration of two arms, reaching toward and holding a bouquet of purple and white flowers. The arms and flowers are entwined, with leaves and stems extending outward. The background is textured beige with a red and gold border.

Artwork by Bukhtawar Malik

A delicate watercolor painting of autumn foliage. The composition features overlapping branches with leaves in shades of green, yellow, red and purple. The background is softly blurred, suggesting depth and sunlight filtering through a forest.
A highly detailed coloured pencil drawing of vibrant red-orange flowers with soft, layered petals. The flowers stand out against a smooth, multicoloured background with tones of blue, green and pink. Signed "Ensi 2017" in the corner.
A watercolour landscape painting of a wide-open field with rocky terrain and sparse greenery. A few tall, bare tree branches rise on the left, while clusters of green trees appear in the distance under a vast sky filled with soft purple and blue clouds. Signed in the corner with "Ensieh 2013."
A hyperrealistic drawing of a forest pathway lined with tall birch trees, where the left side of the image is richly coloured in greens and yellows to depict sunlight through the leaves, while the right side transitions into black and white, creating a striking contrast between colour and monochrome.
A circular painting on a wood slice featuring two women surrounded by vibrant pink flowers, butterflies, and birds. The women have calm expressions, eyes closed and are nestled closely together.
A surreal portrait of a woman with long brown hair resting her head and hand on a wooden chest. Dark branches emerge from her fingers and wrap around her head, blending into the background.
A digital illustration in warm red and orange tones shows two people sleeping on each other’s shoulders inside a train. One has curly hair in two buns, the other has short hair. They are wrapped in blankets with suitcases beside them, one tagged "YYC" and the other "MIA."
An illustration of two arms, reaching toward and holding a bouquet of purple and white flowers. The arms and flowers are entwined, with leaves and stems extending outward. The background is textured beige with a red and gold border.
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Title:

Light, Line and Life | Held in Empathy, We Bloom

Program:

Open Spaces: Windows to a View

Timeline:

June to August 2025

Location:

Centre Street LRT Platform (125 7 Ave. SE)

Artist(s):

Ensieh Farrokhi | Bukhtawar Malik

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. 

June to August 2025 Exhibitions

East Window Space

Light, Line and Life

Artist: Ensieh Farrokhi

My name is Ensieh Farrokhi. I am a visual artist working primarily in coloured pencil, watercolour, oil, and pastel. My artistic practice is rooted in realism and hyperrealism, with a particular focus on the natural world. Through detailed and delicate renderings, I aim to capture the quiet beauty and complexity found in nature. 

While much of my work centres on landscapes and organic forms, I occasionally explore portraiture, seeking to reflect the depth and subtlety of human expression. Regardless of the subject, my goal is to evoke a sense of stillness, presence and appreciation for the often-overlooked details of the world around us. 

Artworks presented behind a window on the Centre Street LRT platform and vinyl over the top of the glass on the left hand side. The artworks are by artist Ensieh Farrokhi.

Ensieh Farrokhi is a visual artist whose work explores realism and hyperrealism through coloured pencil, watercolour, oil and pastel. Deeply inspired by nature, she creates detailed, original artworks that reflect the beauty and complexity of the natural world. Ensieh began painting at the age of six, and over the years, nature has remained her greatest teacher and source of inspiration. 

Her creative process often begins behind the camera — photographing landscapes and scenes that speak to her —before translating them into intricate paintings. By working exclusively from her photography, she ensures that every piece is deeply personal and rooted in authentic experience. 

Ensieh has lived in South Korea, Germany and Austria, and has travelled extensively throughout Europe. These experiences, especially her time surrounded by the rich natural landscapes of Europe, have deeply influenced her artistic vision. Now based in Canada, she continues to evolve as an artist, drawing inspiration from the country’s wild and diverse natural environments. 

 

West Window Space

Held in Empathy, We Bloom

Artist: Bukhtawar Malik 

I create visual work that explores themes of memory, connection, emotion and nature. My practice is grounded in storytelling. I’m drawn to the rhythm of patterns, the intimacy of warm vibrant colours and organic forms. I often use symbols and elements from nature as metaphors for personal and shared experiences. Influenced by Art Nouveau, I explore softness and intricacy in my work. I believe in creating art that feels personal but never closed off. I want it to resonate, reflect and reach the viewer.

Artworks presented behind a window on the Centre Street LRT platform and vinyl over the top of the glass. The artworks are by artist Bukhtawar Malik .

Bukhtawar Malik is an award-winning visual artist based in Mohkinsstsis/Calgary. She holds a BFA in Illustration and Interactive Media from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, with minors in Colour Studies and Art History. Working across murals, painting, digital art and printmaking, her style is influenced by Art Nouveau, blending intricate patterns, warm colours and organic forms. Her work explores emotion, memory, nature and human connection through storytelling and symbolism. She currently works with the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI), supporting immigrant and newcomer artists.

 

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.

For information on the history of Open Spaces, visit the The City of Calgary webpage.

More Information

Our Commitment to Equity

Our commitment to Indigenous reconciliation, racial equity, disability justice, and gender and sexual diversity.

We acknowledge that the land we gather on, Mohkinsstsis, is the ancestral territory of the Siksikaitsitapi — the Blackfoot people — comprising the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani Nations, as well as Treaty 7 signatories, the Tsuut’ina Nation and the Îyârhe Nakoda Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney First Nations. Today this land is home to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Districts 5 and 6 as well as many First Nations and Inuit from across Turtle Island.

We acknowledge that there has been art, music, dance, storytelling and ceremony on this land since time immemorial and it is in the spirit of this land and its people that we do our work.

Please see our full Commitment to Equity, including the sections on our aspirations, accountability, current initiatives and EDIA history.