From VAG to Fan Expo: A Day of Art and Pop Culture in Vancouver for IDEA Students
This past February, while their classmates travelled to San Francisco, visiting top creative agencies and iconic museums, a group of third-year IDEA School of Design students embarked on a curated journey through Vancouver’s vibrant creative landscape. Some of the students started their day with a hands-on pottery workshop led by instructor Sepideh Torabi, which we featured in a separate story. For the afternoon and evening, the focus shifted to a journey from the contemplative halls of the Vancouver Art Gallery to the electric energy of Fan Expo Vancouver.
Afternoon: Provocation and Perspective at the Vancouver Art Gallery
Led by IDEA School of Design instructor, lab supervisor and blog coordinator James Neufeld, the students explored exhibitions that challenged their perceptions of art and design across the gallery’s grand halls:
Multiple Realities: Experimental Art in the Eastern Bloc, 1960s–1980s: A standout exhibition using vintage slide projectors and sensory audio-visual experiences to offer a fascinating glimpse into the creative resistance that emerged during that era.
The “Blue Room”: An immersive, monochromatic environment where blue fabric sheets draped from the ceiling created a surreal, dreamlike quality, transforming the space into a tranquil, otherworldly retreat.
A Floor of Mirrors: Reflected students’ movements in endless, kaleidoscopic patterns, blurring the line between viewer and art.
The gallery experience invited students to consider the ways art interacts with space, history, and audience, sparking curiosity and conversation.
Evening: Community and Cosplay at Fan Expo Vancouver
The day culminated at Fan Expo Vancouver, where students immersed themselves in the vibrant world of pop culture. The expo floor was a kaleidoscope of colour and energy, cosplayers in elaborate costumes, bustling vendor booths, and the excited chatter of fans filling the air. Students explored everything from comic books and collectibles to custom toy lightsabers made in BC.
A highlight of the evening was running into Vancouver-based comic artist, cartoonist, and illustrator Arsheya Seraji (IDEA Grad 2024), who was confidently selling his comic book merch. I introduced Arsheya to the first- and third-year students, sparking a lively conversation about his creative journey and the lessons he’s learned since graduating. For me, it was a perfect, real-world moment to facilitate—the third-year students could see a recent graduate already carving out his creative career, while the first-years glimpsed where their journey could lead. Together, the encounter showcased the vibrant, supportive network that connects IDEA students across all years and stages of their creative paths.
Arsheya shared a candid piece of advice from the trenches: “I regret not hand-coding my portfolio website in 4th year—my annual Squarespace renewal is due!”
The creative spirit was further embodied by now second-year student Cadence, whose stunning full cosplay made them a star on the expo floor, drawing crowds and photographers and showcasing the performative side of design.
More Than a Field Trip: A Glimpse of the Creative Path
From the reflective halls of the gallery to the energetic expo floor, this day demonstrated the diverse ecosystems a designer can inhabit. It connected avant-garde ideas with vibrant pop culture, proving that inspiration—and a future in creativity—can be found anywhere, especially right here in Vancouver.
