Join us on an artist-led tour and talk with Joshua Vettivelu as they discuss their exhibition prayers for a word (or a lack that builds the world) on Saturday, March 5, 2022. This final installment of Public Space, curated by Matthew Kyba, features hundreds of castings of the artist's grandmother's hands, created using beeswax infused with 'Ceylon' cinnamon.  

Vettivelu’s research investigates how the language we use to understand ourselves is informed by the material conditions that surround us. Prayers for a word (a lack that builds the world) connects the material history of the spice trade with the psychic impact of European missionary work to explore how frameworks of redemption and salvation have been used to ensure enthusiastic labour and unfettered access to resources.

The installation is intentionally housed in the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington (VAC), recalling its role as a decommissioned barley mill. The building was constructed in 1905 for the processing of grits and barley, later revitalized into a hub of cultural production by the Town of Newcastle in 1976. Prayers for a word (a lack that builds the world) is the last iteration of the VAC’s collaboration-based exhibition Public Space. In collaboration with Nicolas Fleming and Andreas Buchwaldt, Vettivelu reconfigures the VAC’s architecture into a factory that continually produces and destroys something that is simultaneously material and immaterial, public yet deeply private.

Please note that Joshua Vettivelu will also be leading an artist talk from 12:00 - 2:00 pm for visitors registered to arrive by shuttle bus (registration required). The gallery will be closed to other guests during this time. If you require transportation from Toronto, we encourage you to register for the free shuttle bus to attend the first artist talk of the day. More information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2p964chw