Evicted

A simple book with a big message

Evicted, a handmade book, sits on the shelf of the “Heart Break Station,” part of our installation at the Art Gallery of Regina.

For me (Vera) these images are where our collaboration began - a torn out shelterbelt along the highway. Birds flying in and out, circling amongst the heaviness in the air. A solemn moment with my camera. Even then I didn’t fully understand the significance of what I was witnessing.

Through this book, we hope to offer others time to contemplate what all these changes mean. Below, in our wonky little video, we share a reading of the book.

Oh my I do blink ALOT…lol. Perhaps we should have done a TAKE 2. Oh well… Below are a few images of the pages.

Cover and inside cover

And while I noticed the birds that day, we wonder what other creatures lost their homes. With each small, unnoticed remnant of land that is destroyed; with each wetland that is flattened, shelterbelt that is pulled out or ditch that is sprayed, who loses their habitat? Who is evicted?

An intact shelterbelt.

Where will the ruddy ducks swim?

Where will the badger dig?

Where will the burrowing owl nest?

Where will the frogs sing? Where will the frogs sing? Where will the frogs sing?

Off to find a new home.

Thank you to Tania Wolk for her help with this book and also thank you to everyone who came out on such a cold, miserable night last week for the reception at the Art Gallery of Regina and to everyone who has stopped by the gallery to spend time with our meditative space at a quieter time. The show will be up to October 22nd. Don’t forget to leave a comment in the book or here…oh and to look under the plates.

“Where will the frogs sing?”
is the collaboration of two rural settler artists responding to the beauty and destruction 
of remnants of land in Saskatchewan’s aspen parkland. 
Things we wonder about: 
What is our/your relationship to the land? 
What does society value? 
Why do these small remnants of land matter?

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