“Echoes Calling Back” is a story-driven, inflatable, multicoloured piece that explores concepts of place, geography, memory, and home. Commissioned by the Luminato Festival and curated and produced by MASSIVart, the piece is the brainchild of Jordan Bennett, a multidisciplinary artist based in Newfoundland.
Exploring the ancient relics of North American megafauna and using Bennett’s signature graphic style evocative of porcupine quill work found in Mi’kmaq visual culture, this whimsical antler imagines a playful remnant from a distant past and will remind us that what we now call Toronto was uncolonized and teeming with life stewarded by Indigenous nations of the territory. The artwork invites viewers to contemplate that the urban environment they call home was once a wild and untamed wilderness. With its playful and thought-provoking approach, “Echoes Calling Back” encourages a deeper appreciation for the place, geography, memory, and home.
When asked about the project, Bennett shared his enthusiasm:
“I’m really excited to be a part of this year’s Luminato festival. When I was presented with this year’s themes, in addition to the possibility of working with a new art form like inflatables, I could instantly envision what I would propose to be considered. Having the opportunity to play with scale and colour and sharing my nation’s vibrant visual culture is an honour. I’m truly looking forward to seeing how folks interact, observe and create their own stories and memories around this piece that represents our relationships with our non-human relations.”
After the Luminato Festival, “Echoes Calling Back” will receive a second exhibition at Brookfield Properties’ Bay Adelaide Centre in Arnell Plaza from July to August 2023. The partnership with Brookfield ensures that the piece has a second life after the festival and further expands its audience.
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