"Presence: the Grandmothers" by Lori Beavis

MCGILL FACULTY OF EDUCATION - On behalf of Lori Beavis, P. Lantz Artist-in-Residence:

Please come to the Art Hive on Wednesday November 23rd to help me activate the space with the project:

Presence: the Grandmothers

I am drawing on the idea of our grandmothers as holders of memories. In Anishinaabe culture the grandmothers are the knowledge holders in terms of language, customs and beliefs.

With this project I am working with the idea of the vestiges or the presence in terms of our heritage and our identity and through this to the way we self-identify. I also want to examine the idea of continuing presence. For this reason I am asking people to share their memories of cooking with their grandmothers – as these memories are usually very tangible and immediate.

I would like people (staff, faculty and students) to come and join me at the Art Hive in the Education Library and share the recipes they have made with their grandmothers. These recipes will be written on the wall.

In time the wall will be covered up but I think this adds another layer to the idea of memories and identities and how they move and change – but the knowledge that your grandmother passed on to you about who you are stays and there is always some hidden presence left.

Installation 10-4 pm and 5-7pm
Wednesday, Nov 23
Art Hive (Education Library)
Faculty of Education
3700 McTavish (use Peel St. entrance)
McGill University