Free Art Exhibition – New Drawings By Harold Coego until February 28

From Outsiders and Others Newsletter

New Drawings by Harold Coego

Outsiders and Others presents New Drawings by Harold Coego, a focused exhibition of recent works on paper.

Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1973, Coego began his professional life working as an archaeology assistant with the Office of the Historian of Havana, contributing to urban excavations of Spanish colonial architecture and archaeological research in caves associated with Cuba’s Indigenous populations. This early engagement with material history and excavation continues to inform his artistic approach.

Coego later became involved with Teatro El Obstáculo, the experimental theatre collective directed by Víctor Varela, where he worked across set design, lighting, acting, and production. Alongside this work, he developed his painting practice and wrote film scripts, several of which he co-directed while serving as a guest writer at the International School of Film and Television in Cuba.

Since relocating to Vancouver, Canada, in 2002, Coego has continued to develop a multidisciplinary practice encompassing painting, drawing, and collage. Harold’s work has been exhibited internationally. 

The works in New Drawings comprise a new series of pencil drawings on paper that has been soaked in olive oil prior to drawing. This process alters the paper’s physical properties, turning it translucent, similar to vellum. Lines blur, graphite smudges, and the surface resists precision, creating a tension as the drawings are done with great precision. 

These drawings touch on the contemporary concerns including technological acceleration, political systems, survival, and the persistence of the human spirit.

Place: Outsiders and Others
Address: #100 – 938 Howe Street, Vancouver Downtown
Date: until February 28, 2026
Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm
Website: Outsiders and Others: New Drawings by Harold Coego