GEORGE TOWN, December 12 – The High Commission Canada, in conjunction with the 2022 George Town Literary Festival, the Penang Art District and Gurney Plaza organized a unique literary exhibition titled “Transpacific: An Asian- Canadian Literary Journey”. The exhibition was officially launched by His Excellency Wayne Robson, High Commissioner of Canada in Malaysia. This year marks the 65th Anniversary of Canada-Malaysia bilateral relations and earlier in May, the High Commission commemorated the 20th anniversary of Asian Heritage Month.
A celebration every May in Canada to reflect on and recognize the many contributions made by Canadians of Asian heritage. To commemorate these milestones, the High Commission of Canada in Malaysia, supported the development of a unique literary and artistic collaboration, which was curated by William Tham, JF Garrard and Vincent Ternida, working with the Penang Institute, the Asian Canadian Writers Workshop in Vancouver and Dark Helix Press. The exhibition explores the contributions of Asian Canadians to Canada’s rich literary landscape and addresses a simple yet difficult question.
What is Asian-Canadian Literature? and challenges viewers to reflect upon topics of identity, culture, intersectionality, decolonisation, racism and inclusion. During the launching event, His Excellency Wayne Robson said “While challenges remain, Canada has a positive story to tell about peaceful inclusion, diversity, prosperity, and human rights. As Prime Minister Trudeau said, ‘diversity isn’t a challenge to be overcome or a difficulty to be tolerated.
Rather, it is a tremendous source of strength.’ Canada has become a successful country not in spite of our differences, but because of them,” he added. The exhibition, which was inspired by a 2021 anthology published by Dark Helix Press titled “Belief”, consists of 4 posters and supplementary materials in the form of heritage photographs, magazine covers and photos, and aims to provide an introduction to the Asian Canadian literary scene as well as raise awareness of Canadian writers of Asian heritage in Malaysia.
