SPOTLIGHT is a new collaboration between the Art Rental & Sales Program (AR&S) and the Curatorial Department of the Vancouver Art Gallery. AR&S is a not-for-profit program operated by the Gallery with a mandate of supporting emerging artists based in British Columbia.

In this collaboration, Gallery curators invite an artist represented by AR&S to create a mural on a feature wall in the Gallery Lobby. This special initiative aims to provide new opportunities for emerging artists, as well as to activate the lobby space for thousands of visitors each year.

The project launches with a new work by Vancouver-based visual artist Sandeep Johal, whose colourful geometric forms and intricate black and white line work is aesthetically and conceptually inspired by her South Asian heritage. Johal believes in the power of art to create awareness around issues related to cultural identity, gender equality and human rights. Her art practice is an expression of her social and cultural concerns, with a focus on gender justice. Johal has been represented by Art Rental & Sales since 2018.