October 15 – December 11, 2026
SUM gallery is proud to present A View From Above, a solo retrospective exhibition celebrating the life and work of Preston Buffalo, curated by Jordan King. Preston Buffalo was a Two-Spirit Cree artist who lived and worked in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, excelling in a variety of arts practices, including photography, printwork, sculpture, digital art, and augmented reality. A View From Above is the first retrospective of the artist since his sudden passing in 2024, running from October 15 to December 11, 2026 at SUM gallery, with an opening reception on Thursday October 15 2026, 6 – 9pm, and an intimate in-person discussion with curator Jordan King on Saturday October 17, 2026 at 2pm.
Based in Vancouver for many years on Coast Salish Territories, Buffalo began his explorations in art through drag, self portraiture and performance in the queer night club scene where he met his best friend and oft collaborator of 25 years, Jordan King; an interdisciplinary artist working in performance, photography and writing, now based in Toronto. In A View From Above, King honours her dear late friend by way of a thoughtful curation of his works over the years and through a sharing of memories in the exhibition companion catalogue, Complex Curiosities.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Preston Buffalo was a Two-Spirited Cree artist originally from Treaty 6 Territory, who resided in the unceded Coast Salish Territories of British Columbia until his untimely passing in 2024. His interdisciplinary practice involved the exploration of personal Indigenous iconography and symbolism, utilising photography, alternative photo processes, and digital illustration. Motivated by the challenges faced by Indigenous communities, Preston’s work touched upon themes such as mental health, cultural and linguistic loss due to displacement, the impact of the residential school system, and the process of assimilation. His critically lauded 2024 SUM gallery exhibition, Go Home Yuppie Scum, explored these themes via his interest in stereoscopic art, including 3D anaglyph art, repurposed View Masters, and augmented reality. This final exhibition before his death encouraged new perspectives on Indigenous art, emphasising its significance in contemporary society and its contribution to an ongoing dialogue.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Jordan King is a Canadian multi-disciplinary artist, performer, curator and writer, her practice rooted in archival research and intergenerational connectivity. She completed a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Curatorial Practice at OCAD University in Toronto, Canada in 2024. https://jordankingarchive.com/
