TROPOS 

This poetic installation is part of a larger body of work I developed as a creative approach to public engagement while designing an Internment Memorial in Vancouver with Hapa Collaborative. Building on previous work in my practice, and my research on the Ukrainian-Canadian internment, this process generated the concept and sculptural form for the Nikkei public art memorial.

In this social and experimental work, my approach to community engagement is conceptualized as an artwork. Through the development of a series of simple note cards handed out to the community, this work allowed community members to engage with the creative process and develop a personal connection to the memorial. Each note provided a space for the community to share their personal experiences as part of a collective.

Through asking a series of 6 simple questions about the community's internment experience, memory, and connection to Steveston, the notecards provide an anonymous space for people to remember, record, and share their personal experiences. This information informed my basis for the conceptual and physical design of the memorial. Formally, the engagement process is inspired by the ancient spiritual practice of writing prayer notes on paper and placing these gifts in temples for release.