Eastern Edge Gallery in Canada has the best giveaway – sand! Dismantling of an art installation left nearly 40 tonnes of sand in an exhibition hall. A resourceful curator came up with the great idea – to offer it to
The sand sculpture, made by artist Joshua Vettivelu, refers to boats with Sri Lankan Tamil refugees discovered adrift and brought to nearby shores in the mid-80s, 33 years ago. About 10 years ago boats with Tamil refugees arrived again, this time the outcome differed. The exhibition asks questions about the difference in public reception and policies of these landings.
The gallery curator, Kailey Bryan, says that the sand grains acts as ”a metaphor of how individuals in a society can get pressured and compressed, and raise questions about how people get collectively defined”.
I might be bias but isn’t sand the perfect element here? Most sand constantly movefromone place to another. It repeatedly breaks up from where it’s settled. Sand relocates get pressured and compressed, to yet be relocated in new shape and form. As do the grains from this art now spreading to fields, gardens and homes!
Kristina Kallur, founder OUAW
