HUMBOLDT — A upcoming exhibit at the Humboldt and District Gallery will feature portraits of Holocaust and residential school survivors.
They didn’t know we were seeds by Saskatoon artist Carol Wylie, opens Tuesday, March 5.
Wylie has been creating art for 30 years, focusing solely on portrait and figuration.
She said inspiration for the portraits started in 2016, when she listened to a Holocaust survivor speak about his experiences in a death camp during the Saskatoon Holocaust Memorial service.
“I was struck anew by the extent of abuse a human being can endure at the hand of another,” she said on her website.
Wylie decided she needed to find a way of honouring the stories and memories of Holocaust survivors and used her artform to begin a series of portraits.
As her project commenced, Wylie made connections between the experiences of Holocaust survivors and Residential School survivors, and included portraits of Indigenous survivors as a personal step towards the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
The project shares the experiences of 18 survivors – nine from the Holocaust and nine from residential schools – through portraiture.
“As numbers of holocaust survivors dwindle, and in anticipation of the same eventual loss of first-hand accounts from residential school survivors, these portraits will remain as echoes of individual strength and courage.”
They didn’t know we were seeds will be on display at the Gallery until April 26.
An opening reception will be held at the Gallery on Saturday, March 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Wylie will speak about her process of creating these portraits. The Humboldt and District Gallery said they invite the public to learn more about these stories of strength and survival. Everyone is invited and refreshments will be provided at this free event.
