How Do You See Water as a Living Being?

I initiated the museum’s first artist-generated workshop, advocating for an approach that centered artist voices and created opportunities for local and emerging artists. I identified the Wolastoqew visual artist Emma Hassencahl-Perley, and invited her to develop a proposal focusing on the theme of water to connect to two concurrent exhibitions.

"The project reflects the Wolastoqiyik (people of the beautiful, bountiful river) ethos that views water as central to their identity."

Based on her proposal, I produced the immersive installation How Do You See Water as a Living Being? in collaboration with Hassencahl-Perley. The installation centered on her mural skipeq (on the surface of water), accompanied by a musical track, audio and written guides, and multimodal prompts that invited visitors to engage with the work’s themes. The project reflected a Wolastoqiyik (people of the beautiful, bountiful river) understanding of water as central to identity.

Considering the political, environmental, and personal significance of water across the North Atlantic region, the installation explored water as both an artistic subject and a natural resource. I developed the interpretive strategy for the Workshop, creating an engaging learning environment that encouraged visitors to connect the artist’s perspective with broader questions about water and its contemporary significance.