Two Rimouski-based artists – the photographer Joan Sullivan and the musician James Darling – are looking for readers in both French and English to come to Cacouna on Friday 22nd August to participate in a public reading of 100 messages of hope (“messages d’espoir”). These messages have been penned by visitors to the “Si j’étais un arbre” art exhibit in Cacouna’s Saint-Georges Church. Visitors hang their hand-written messages onto the branches of a wishing tree located inside the church.
If you would like to be part of this collective action and read on the day, please be at the Church at 6pm on Friday 22nd August. If the weather permits, the readings will take place on the Church steps.
If you haven’t yet added your message of hope to this wishing tree, you have until the end of August to do so.
The artists created “Si j’étais un arbre” (“If I were a tree”) following Canada’s historic forest fires in 2023. Fifteen silk trees three-metres long are hung from the ceiling to create an imaginary forest “on fire”. Visitors are invited to wander through this forest to touch the silk trees in order to imagine what a tree might feel when the flames arrive.
Given the increased frequency of forest fires across Canada, the artists hope to create a sense of solidarity and hope for the future by showcasing the collective voices in French and English that visitors have hung on the wishing tree. Come add your voice to this collective effort!
FREE
This event is sponsored by Heritage Lower Saint Lawrence and the Municipality of Cacouna, funded by Canada Heritage through the Trellis Micro-Grants
