The Soil Between Plants

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Cheyenne Rain LeGrande, “Grieving with the Land” (still), 2021

HD video, 13:41 min. (courtesy the artist)

We all have trauma from the inhumane institutions and systems of capitalism, racism and sexism – and this is where many memorable works of art have been born. But where does art and healing begin? How transformative can art be in our healing process? 

the soil between plants, curated by Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet and Sanaa Humayun, with writing curated by Shalaka Jadhav, attempts to answer these questions. This interactive exhibition – on view at Latitude 53 in Edmonton until Jan. 29 – pushes us to tend to ourselves, our ancestors and the earth. The show brings together work from 19 artists involved in Making Space, a BIPOC peer mentorship collective started by Ligtvoet and Humayun in 2020.

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"the soil between plants," 2021

installation view at Latitude 53, Edmonton. Left to right: Madeline M. LeBlanc, “Loraine and Vera,” 2021, wax crayons on sheet; Holly Aubichon, “Nelda, Sandy, Churchy, Missy, Babs, Wege, Me,” 2021, oil on canvas; Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet and Sanaa Humayun, “Secrets are Reparations for Microaggressions,” 2021, quilt; Ashna Jacob, Darrell Spearman, Kiona Ligtvoet, Paxsi, Sanaa Humayun, Shalaka Jadhav and Sunny Chen, “Recipes for Self Care,” 2021, postcards; Joni Cheung, “Soba's Corner,” 2020-ongoing, video on YouTube channel; Kyla Yin James, “Tender,” 2021, digital print; Raneece Buddan, “My Knots,” 2021, oil paint, synthetic hair, fabric, resin and wood, “Pottery Series,” 2021, clay, fabric, paint and resin, and “Thirteen Matches,” 2021, mixed-media painting; Ashna Jacob, “The Wall,” 2016, artist book with silkscreen, digital printing, drafting film and rag paper. On floor plinth: Ilsa Ahmad, “A-212,” 2021, cotton, linen thread and rice paper. Foreground on floor: Michelle Campos Castillo, “Masa,” 2021, wool and monk's cloth. (courtesy Latitude 53)

The most vocal and critical challenges to our systems have come from BIPOC artists. These artists are often relegated to portrayals of racial trauma, which raises questions about the purpose of these works and who they are for. This exhibition instead centres community and pushes us to grieve while mending our identities; it unapologetically wants viewers to focus on the unseen and calming process of connecting with our roots. Visitors can get up close to see, touch and hear each piece. They are encouraged to grieve, heal and maintain their sense of self long after they leave the exhibition. Books, postcards and stones can be taken from certain works as a way of remembering. 

The exhibition space is small and some pieces are more memorable than others. Yet, one great feat of the collection is the merging of past and present through the combination of traditional and modern technologies. In particular, Cheyenne Rain LeGrande, a Nehiyaw Isko artist from Bigstone Cree Nation north of Edmonton, and Nanjing-born Vancouver artist Sunny Chen, a.k.a. Sad China, stand out. 

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Sunny Chen (Sad China), “Here” (still), 2021

HD video, 5:03 min. (courtesy the artist)

Grieving with the Land, a video by LeGrande, evokes a melancholic connection between the body and the loss of a caring relationship with the land. Toying with visual projections and hymns, LeGrande reminds us, in a haunting and calming portrayal, how our bodies carry the harm we do to the land, and the immense grief she and her ancestors feel while the earth is being destroyed. 

Chen’s Here provides futuristic, hypnotic affirmations in a bright video-game format that connects our present selves with our ancestors in order to grow into our future selves. Here asks us to reflect on who we are and where we are. It brings attention to our bodies. In a time when technology drives us away from each other, Chen provokes us to ground ourselves. Placed next to each other, LeGrande and Chen’s works affirm viewers’ place on this earth. 

Visitors can flip through New York-based, Black multidisciplinary artist Darrell Spearman’s writing in Tending as Pink Mountain (and take a copy home as well). He expresses his process of self-abandonment, one that many BIPOC undergo, and the unraveling of coming home to become his truest self. His writing serves as a prologue to his future self and pushes viewers to reflect on their own lives.

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Dana Justine Belcourt, “Doppelgänger,” 2021

crochet (courtesy Latitude 53, Edmonton)

The exhibition showcases multiple experiments with textiles and textures. Métis/Cree artist Dana Justine Belcourt’s Doppelgänger is an uncanny self-portrait made through the process of crocheting. With this medium, Belcourt depicts the uncomfortable and somewhat tedious process of becoming self-aware. 

the soil between plants makes a bold statement: to decolonize is more than acknowledging pain – it’s also about making peace with ourselves. I believe this collection of works has something for everyone, but BIPOC folks should find this space affirming, welcoming and healing. ■  

the soil between plants at Latitude 53 in Edmonton from Dec. 3, 2021, to Jan. 29, 2022. Artists include Ana Ruiz, Ashley Beerdat, Ashna Jacob, Cheyenne Rain LeGrande, Dana Belcourt, Darrell Spearman, Gabriel Esteban Molina, Holly Aubichon, Ilsa Ahmad, Joni Cheung, Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet, Kyla Yin, Madeline LeBlanc, Matias Martinez, Michelle Campos Castillo, Paxsi, Raneece Buddan, Sanaa Humayun and Sunny Chen.

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