Been there twice, haven’t got there yet (the space behind a thin screen, and prying eyes) by Russna Kaur opens September 20, 2025, at the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB). Kaur’s new works vibrate with colour and confidence, rooted in personal history while breaking into new territory. Kaur’s paintings engulf the viewer—they stretch beyond their frames, burst across walls, cut jagged angles through corners, and divide space like hanging sculptures, creating an environment that disrupts, reframes, and reorients how we experience painting. This is the uncontainable vision of Russna Kaur—a painter who refuses to be confined by canvas or category.
Raised in Brampton, based in Vancouver, Kaur returns to Ontario with a body of work that bridges both geographies. Pulling from paintings as far back as 2019 up to her most recent creations at the Annandale Artist Residency in Prince Edward Island, Kaur embraces her signature style yet offers a new dynamism.
Playful interrogation of material is at the heart of Kaur’s work. Wood panels, mesh, canvas, and metal are layered and clamped together. We’re offered a rare glimpse behind the canvas to see the bones of the painting, revealing the investment of time and attention to texture. Like the culinary magic she watched in her grandmother’s and mother’s kitchens while growing up—where simple ingredients were transformed into vibrant, mouth-watering dishes—Kaur’s paintings are alchemical acts. She blends sand, rice flour, dried flower petal paste, sawdust, and soil into her pigments, crafting surfaces that are both raw and rich. Her process is intuitive and rule-breaking, much like the women who cooked by taste and feel, never by recipe.
Kaur’s paintings are saturated with references and memories: the shimmer of silk saris from her mother’s Indian bridal boutique, the patterns of rangolis, and the joy of festivals. But colour, for Kaur, is not just beauty—it’s also a deception. It dazzles, but beneath the surface, it conceals pain, disorientation, and the complexities of cultural negotiation. These are works about celebration and abundance, as much as grief and loss.
The exhibition catalogue includes texts by artist and scholar Ara Osterweil and chef and activist Joshna Maharaj. The exhibition brings local artists Par Nair, Rafia Shafiq, Vick Naresh, and Azadeh Elmizadeh, as well as Farrukh Rafiq, Coordinator of South Asian Community Engagement at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), into dialogue with Kaur, extending the conversation beyond the gallery walls and into the AGB’s studios.
Russna Kaur is a Vancouver-based painter. She holds a BA from University of Waterloo (2013) and MFA from Emily Carr University (2019). Kaur is recipient of the Takao Tanabe Painting Prize and IDEA Art Award (both 2020). She has exhibited at Vancouver Art Gallery, Remai Modern, Kamloops Art Gallery, Audain Art Museum, and internationally in Mumbai and Yogyakarta. Recent residencies include the Wassaic Project (NY) and Annandale Artist Residency (PEI) in 2025. Kaur has completed public commissions for Translink, Frye Art Museum, and Peel Art Gallery. Her work is held in collections including TD Bank, RBC, Vancouver Art Gallery, Audain Art Museum, Surrey Art Gallery, and the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art.
About the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB)
For 50 years, the AGB has been a hub for artistic excellence and community connection in downtown Burlington, presenting thought-provoking exhibitions, hands-on learning opportunities, and public programs that invite visitors to see, think, and create. Home to the largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics in the world, the AGB champions a unique artistic perspective that challenges traditional boundaries and celebrates innovation.
The Art Gallery of Burlington is supported by the City of Burlington, Ontario Arts Council, and Ontario Trillium Foundation. Been there twice, haven’t got there yet (the space behind a thin screen, and prying eyes) has been generously sponsored by the Shehla and Adil Giving for Arts (SAGA) Foundation. The 50th Anniversary Exhibitions have been sponsored by the J.P. Bickell Foundation.