at the MERCY of

February 10 – 28, 1998
Exhibition, Performance Art

About the Program

at the MERCY of, a performance and installation by the Salish ceramist Laura Wee Lay Laq, is based on the historical forced burning of religious artifacts as a sign of First Nations' conversion to Christianity. The work consists of hand-built, burnished masks representing human and ceremonial faces. These masks were fired in an armature in the shape of a cross that burnt over a 24 hour period. Filmmaker David Rimmer videotaped the firing and the masks and video were exhibited in the gallery. Laura Wee Lay Laq explains: "I decided to look at my ancestors' journey through time and evidence kept pointing me towards these events. I in no way intend my project to be sacrilegious and have placed no political regard toward this initiative and hope others can see beyond that as well. The public burning is intended as a healing ritual."

Artist

Laura Wee Lay Laq

Videographer

David Rimmer

Identifier

1998.0210 ATT

Collection

grunt gallery Programming Archive

Location

grunt gallery (second location)
116-350 E. 2nd Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 4R8
Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations

In copyright. For uses beyond Fair Dealing, research requests, corrections, takedown requests, or other inquiries, please contact grunt gallery: archives@grunt.ca