R E Q U I E M OF W A T E R
July 2015 - In 2013, Meaghan Ogilvie was selected as an artist and commissioned by the Toronto 2015 Arts and Culture Festival of the Panam/Parapan Am Games to create a large-scale exhibition as an attraction for the festival. Working with the festival’s theme of “aqua culture”, Meaghan spent two years researching, collaborating, photographing and producing this exhibition.
Requiem of Water was created as a tribute to water and reveals the simple and profound truth that “Water is Life”. The goal of the exhibition was to heighten public awareness, encourage and inspire responsibility of our precious water sources. The exhibition consisted of thirteen-foot prints and a video display with messages from Anishinaabe elders. The exhibition was at Brookfield Place in the Allen Lambert Galleria from July 13 to August 14, 2015. Images below include the exhibition and opening night reception.
Collaborating and relationship building with Indigenous artists, leaders and communities was essential for the project as we continue to work together to better understand and honour our relationship to water.
Created in collaboration and with the help of athletes, dancers, Indigenous artists and leaders including Amy Desjarlais, Waabaakaakakzhe zhaashkeezhgokwe (White Raven Woman with Turquoise Eyes) Ojibway/Potowotomi from Wasauksing First Nation, Santee Smith Kahnyen’kehàka (Mohawk) Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, Semiah Smith, Falcon Migwans, Alma Jean Migwans, Sylvia Plain from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Emily Law, Leslie Parker, Max Bouchard, Jen Cooper, Paul Baines of The Great Lakes Commons, Joanne McCue among many others,
Photos by: Natalie Dormady, Melanie Galbrand-Chen, Alen Palander
The design and fabrication of the exhibition took months to create. The metal stands for the prints were custom made by a local Toronto company Punchclock Metalworks. Rocky, in the pictures below constructed five curved stands out of aluminum and steel. The large-scale canvas prints were printed at Elevator Digital in Toronto.
Seamless Costumes had the difficult task of sewing together black-out fabric and the prints to fit on the curved frames. It was a challenging process of trial and error to align each piece, but came together really well in the end.
Photos by Natalie Dormady
The most significant and rewarding part of the project was collaborating with Indigenous women and communities. Meaghan attended different events surrounding the protection of water. These events included water walks on Manitoulin Island and the Mother Earth Water Walk led by Grandmother Josephine Mandamin around Lake Ontario. A large part of time was spent on Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world, in M’Chigeeng First Nation. There, elder Alma Jean Migwans and Falcon Migwans graciously shared teachings and knowledge about the significance of water to the people on the island.
Meaghan had the opportunity to speak with Indigenous women like Sylvia Plain - the founder of the Great Lakes Canoe Journey, Multidisciplinary artist Amy Desjarlais and Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, the founder of the Mother Earth Water Walk in collaboration with Paul Baines from The Great Lakes Commons. This video, “Sacred Water Walks” is part of the Art Gallery of Ontario permanent collection in the Jennings Young Gallery in the new McLean Centre for Indigenous + Canadian Art. Amy Desjarlais became an incredible inspiration and friend throughout creation of the exhibition. It was an honour and privilege to have made these deep connections.
The images for the exhibition were shot in Tobermory Ontario, Tulum Mexico, Palau and Toronto Ontario. Shot in open water, pools, cenotes and the studio. A special thanks to Kelly McAdams and Michael Marcotte of Divers Den for sponsoring the diving shoot in Tobermory. Thank you also to Stuart Seldon & Kelly Rizzo for their generous hospitality and help with location scouting and shoots.
Behind the scenes images by Alyssa Bistonath and Melanie Galbrand-Chen
