The questions posed to the students included, what did you want the world to know about Canada? It has become evident that while Canada is a place where many thrive, many still live in deplorable conditions, lacking access to basic necessities like water. Now put yourself in the middle of a global pandemic, you are told to wash your hands but you don’t have clean water? 

Water became a topic that the students kept returning to. What is your relationship with water?  Consider all your uses of water in one day? Do we take water for granted? While many of us have access to clean drinking water, directly from a tap in our homes, this is not true for everyone in Canada. Water comes in many forms - ice, snow, sleet, frost. It has the power to nourish and sustain life, but it has the power to transform landscapes and even destroy areas. 

This water-inspired structure (iceberg) we create in front of you is a representation about the creation of our land but also about the strength and resiliency of the students, the people of the land, and building community.  There was a major shift, a RARE occurrence of multiple events happening in the last 4 years that made space for ALL voices to be heard and we were listening.  When these voices are put together, they form a strong solid structure and as you dig between the layers and listen to the people of the land new discoveries emerge.  

The iceberg is our symbol for many things.  It is a part of how this land was created and continues to provide fresh water in Canada.  It is also a metaphor about how we function in theatrical creation.  On the surface is the performance, that is only viewable to the audience, but below the water surface (stage deck) there are many people and hours of labour to create what is only visible on the surface. This is the same for our country - only so much is visible on the surface but look below (deeper) and you will find there is more to be discovered.  We are here to expose what may not be visible - both in the creation process and our country. This exhibit will allow all voices to be heard, invite the audience to engage in the stories and the shape of the iceberg.  The activities in the exhibit continue to expand the students’ community as they emerge into new waters (professional careers).

As visual storytellers we have a role to play in sharing knowledge in a format that speaks louder than words. It is more important now than ever to tell our stories, uncover our history and discover our intersection with the people, the land, and water around us. Use our skills as storytellers to protect our resources.  This is an opportunity for us to support all the people of this country and to provide a voice for those that do not have the words. 

Canada is large in size, occupied by diverse cultures and peoples on ceded and unceded land. This diversity is one of our greatest assets.   From Nunavut to British Columbia, to Newfoundland we vary in so many aspects.  We honour those who came before us and are grateful to the ancestors of this land for giving us a place to create.  Join our community in creating together, discovering together, telling stories together, and building community together.