In a Defining Moment for the Gallery, this Donation Creates One of the Largest Museum Collections of Stephen Shore’s Uncommon Places Worldwide
The Vancouver Art Gallery is pleased to announce the completion of a major gift from the Chan Family of more than 800 photographs by ground-
“We are profoundly grateful to the Chan Family for their extraordinary generosity and their commitment to making Stephen Shore’s Uncommon Places accessible to all. Few bodies of work have so decisively changed the course of photography,” says E
The Chan Family has consistently championed Vancouver’s cultural sector—including a significant donation to the Gallery’s new building project. As longstanding supporters of the Gallery, this gift of art reflects the Chan Family’s dedication to connecting audiences with significant works of art, both now and into the future.
“Stephen Shore’s Uncommon Places is clearly a defining work in the history of photography, but on a more personal level, it’s art that’s a joy to engage with. Our family has had the true privilege of living with these very special works at home, and at the office, for many years, and it’s only affirmed our belief that these important photographs should be accessible to the public, so that visitors can discover the magic Shore reveals within the everyday. Through this major gift to the Vancouver Art Gallery, we hope to ensure that Shore’s vision and legacy can be studied, exhibited and enjoyed for generations to come. We are incredibly proud to continue our family’s support of the community, arts and culture in Canada, through this heartfelt gift,” says Christian Chan, speaking on behalf of his family
Shore’s Uncommon Places is widely regarded as a landmark in the history of contemporary photography. Taken over the course of multiple road trips through North America between 1973 and 1981, Shore captured ordinary scenes and objects of daily life with meticulous detail, remarkable clarity and vivid colour. Originally published as a book in 1982, Uncommon Places played a pivotal role in establishing the importance of colour photography as a fine art form and defined a new photographic style rooted in the vernacular of everyday landscapes of North America.
In March, the Gallery will present Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places, an exhibition of more
“I am excited for audiences to experience this influential body of work in Canada,” says Siobhan McCracken Nixon, Audain Associate Curator of BC Art. “Seen together, the photographs illuminate the evolution of Shore’s approach, from his formal precision to his sustained engagement with the everyday landscape. For the first time, the exhibition foregrounds his photographs made in Canada, offering a fresh perspective on the series and a rare
Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places is organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery and curated by Siobhan McCracken Nixon, Audain Associate Curator of BC Art. The exhibition will be on view from March 27 to July 19, 2026. An exclusive Members Morning will take place on Friday, March 27 at 9 AM.
Entry to all exhibitions is included with general admission. Visitors under 18, caregivers and Indigenous Peoples receive free admission year-round. For $5 a month or $58 annually, a Gallery Access Pass provides unlimited entry to every exhibition. Those who choose to become Gallery Members join a community that champions creativity and supports the Gallery as a gathering place for art, artists and the public—while enjoying unlimited admission, guest passes and exclusive perks throughout the year. For more information, please visit: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/
Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places is part of the 2026 Capture Photography Festival Feature Exhibition Program. On Wednesday, April 1 at 7 PM, the Gallery will host a conversation with Stephen Shore in dialogue with Kristen Gaylord, Herzfeld Curator of Photography and Media Arts at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Shore will join the conversation online, and Gaylord will attend in person. This event is part of the 2026 Capture Photography Festival Speaker Series. For more information or to join the conversation online, please visit: www.vanartgallery.bc.
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ABOUT STEPHEN SHORE
Born in 1947 in New York, Stephen Shore’s career began early. He reportedly began developing and printing photographs at age six when his uncle gave him a Kodak photo processing kit, and the Museum of Modern Art purchased three of his photographs when he was only 14. Shore was 17 when he left high school, turning his focus to photographing the art and social scene at Andy Warhol’s Factory in New York from 1965 to 1967. At age 23, Shore became only the second living photographer, after Alfred Stieglitz, to have a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Stephen Shore’s pioneering work has been widely published and exhibited for the past 55 years. His work has been exhibited in dedicated
More than 40 books have been published of Stephen Shore’s photographs including Uncommon Places: The Complete Works; American Surfaces; Stephen Shore: Survey and most recently, Topographies: Aerial Surveys of the American Landscape. The Museum of Modern Art published Stephen Shore in conjunction with their retrospective of his photographic career. Stephen also wrote The Nature of Photographs, published by Phaidon Press, which addresses how a photograph functions visually, and Modern Instances: The Craft of Photography, published by MACK—an impressionistic scrapbook tracing the rich and surprising touchstones behind more than 50 years of groundbreaking work. His work is represented by 303 Gallery, New York; and Sprüth Magers, London, Berlin and Los Angeles. Since 1982 he has been the director of the Photography Program at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, where he is the Susan Weber Professor in the Arts.
ABOUT THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY
Founded in 1931 on the ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, the Vancouver Art Gallery is recognized as one of North America’s most innovative visual arts institutions. The Gallery’s celebrated exhibitions, extensive public programs and emphasis on advancing scholarship all focus on historical and contemporary art from British Columbia and around the world. Special attention is given to the accomplishments of Indigenous artists, as well as to those of the Asia Pacific region—through the Centre for Global Asias (formerly the Institute of Asian Art) founded in 2014. The Gallery’s exhibitions also explore the impact of images in the larger sphere of visual culture, design and architecture.
The Gallery’s new Art of Wellbeing lab furthers its commitment to community by promoting the role of art in fostering health and wellbeing. Developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals, researchers and Indigenous Elders, the lab creates opportunities for individuals to engage with art in ways that support mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
Committed to inclusivity and accessibility, the Gallery welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to share perspectives, build community and shape our collective future through art.
The Vancouver Art Gallery is a charitable not-for-profit organization supported by its members, individual donors, corporate funders, foundations, the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia through the B.C. Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Feature image: Stephen Shore, Victoria Avenue and Alberta Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, August 17, 1974, 1974 (printed 2013–14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family, VAG 2023.11.157