Public site-specific installation
Location: Holiday Inn Lobby, Halifax, NS
Dimensions: 6 ft. (L) x 4 ft. (W) x 4 ft. (H)
Materials: Wood, Styrofoam, bedding, pillows, plaster mould, varnish
Completed: 2009
This work was commissioned by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) for their annual national conference on mental health, held at the Holiday Inn in Halifax, NS. It was exhibited in the hotel’s front lobby. The CMHA approached me with a request to design a piece that would symbolize the struggles associated with mental health issues and their impact on the lives of many conference attendees. Drawing from my own experiences with mental health challenges, particularly depression, I used this personal insight as the foundation for the work.
I constructed a skeletal “bed frame” from wood, which was then varnished for a polished finish. Styrofoam panels were cut to size to create the “box spring” and “mattress.” In my studio, I suspended a model from the ceiling using a bed sheet, allowing me to create a plaster mould around her figure. The silhouette of her repose was then carved into the styrofoam panels, while the light plaster mould was placed inside, cradled by a thin white bed sheet. A second sheet was draped over the top, effectively concealing the evidence of the plaster mould beneath.
When viewers approach the work from the side, the figure-like plaster mould becomes apparent through the interplay of light and shadow cast by the thin white bed sheets. This subtle revelation invites contemplation on the hidden struggles of mental health, encouraging a dialogue about the often-invisible nature of these challenges and the importance of empathy and understanding in addressing them.