Under Lease: Emily Cowan’s Painterly Exploration of Renters’ Realities Opens at Slice of Life Art Gallery.

The solo exhibition features 14 new works examining the personal and collective experiences of renting one’s home in the city of Vancouver.

Vancouver-based artist Emily Cowan will debut her first solo exhibition, Under Lease, at Slice of Life Gallery from August 14th to August 19th, 2025. The exhibition brings together 14 paintings and mixed-media pieces that delve into the complexities of being a renter in one of the most expensive cities in Canada.

Each piece features a real rental building located within the city of Vancouver, each a symbol of both decay and resilience.  The works are accompanied by the artist’s musings on the housing crisis, systems of power which dictate the housing situations renters must settle for, and the feelings of instability and hopelessness often navigated by those who rent.

“This body of work is a meditation on renting, as someone who will likely rent forever,” says Cowan. “I aim to highlight not only the despair of these experiences, but also the quiet strength of the individuals who turn these rented spaces into homes, and make them beautiful.”

Under Lease is Cowan’s first major solo exhibition. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, August 14th, from 6 to 10 PM, with the artist in attendance.

Exhibition Details:

Under Lease by Emily Cowan
Dates: August 14th – August 19th, 2025
Opening Reception: August 14th, 6–10 PM
Venue: Slice of Life Gallery, 1636 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 2H2
Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM daily
Admission: Free (Donations to the gallery gratefully accepted.)

Photo Credit: “Home Fires Burning” by Emily Cowan. Acrylic gouache on canvas, 2025. Photo courtesy of Julian Bowers.