Opening Reception: Thursday, January 9, 6–8 p.m.
Meet the Artists: Saturday, January 11, 2–3 p.m.
Farsi Tour: Saturday, January 11, 3–4 p.m.

The Ferry Building Gallery is proud to announce its first exhibition of 2025, Portraits of Now, featuring contemporary portraits by three women artists.

Moojan Azar has conceived a peaceful tribe of celestial humanoids, known as the Hunohoids,  brought to life through digital media and AI. Some Hunohoids are connected to the moon, others to the sun, and all possess extraordinary powers such as plant manipulation, animal bonding, elemental harmony, and telepathy.

Meghan Sharir paints contemporary women in a traditional classical style. Her models are posed in ways to reflect the evolving concept of femininity over time. Many of her portraits are a direct reference to historical painting styles, offering an intentional nod to the past while situating her work in a modern context.

Lan Yao’s psychedelic pencil drawings capture fluidity and transformation with intricate detail. These portraits delve into the multifaceted and mutable identities of her sitters. This new body of work is a departure from Yao’s previous fantastical worlds, yet it retains the same meticulous draftsmanship and layered visual complexity.

Portraits of Now opens on Thursday, January 9, and invites audiences to explore diverse interpretations of contemporary portraiture. 

Artist Bios

Moojan Azar is an artist and event organizer with over 15 years of experience in the art world. She has curated exhibitions, promoted artists, and fostered cultural engagement within art galleries. Beyond her curatorial work, Moojan is the founder of Tehran Memories, an online print-on-demand store specializing in unique designs.

In recent years, Moojan has expanded her artistic practice to include digital media and AI, exploring new mediums and techniques to push creative boundaries. Her work reflects a deep curiosity about the intersection between quantum physics and the workings of the universe.

Through her art, Moojan seeks to unravel the mysteries of existence and examine the human experience, using creativity to better understand the world around us.

Meghan Sharir is a Canadian realist portrait and figurative oil painter based in West Vancouver. A Signature Member (AFCA) of the Federation of Canadian Artists, she exhibits regularly in exhibitions and accepts portrait commissions.
Meghan’s journey into painting began later in life having already completed a degree in International Relations, traveled around the world, and started a family before her first official portrait. Her diverse career has included teaching, secretarial work, and coordinating women’s and environmental initiatives for an international NGO.

Meghan's self-directed artistic training reflects her eclectic life experience, with studies in Fine Arts at the University of British Columbia, classes at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, workshops with local and international artists, and countless hours immersed in art museums worldwide.

Lan Yao was born in Beijing, China, in 1978 and immigrated to Canada in 1988. Her childhood was marked by a regimented schedule of school, music, and art lessons, leaving little room for play or exploration. Longing for freedom, Lan turned to her imagination, creating vivid adventures and fantastical worlds. Drawing became her escape, and alongside her brother, she illustrated epic scenes of aerial battles, robot realms, giants, and fairies—moments that offered respite from the confines of her structured life.

Lan earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design and a degree in 3D Animation and Visual Effects from the Vancouver Film School. She now lives and paints in Squamish, BC, continuing to explore freedom and creativity through her art.