About Searching for... homeland

Searching for... homeland was designed to involve youth in an art process that included the practice of photography and Web design. The programme was inspired and led by two prominent Canadian artists, Jeff Thomas and Sara Angelucci, and assisted by Mona Filip, artist and educator at Oakville Galleries and Web editor/designer Eric Johnson.

This programme is an extension of previous collaborations between Jeff Thomas and Oakville Galleries. Jeff's first collaboration with the Galleries was winter 2004. It simultaneously took the form of an exhibition called Scouting for Indians, circulated by the National Gallery of Canada, and a participation in Site Scope residency programme. For this second project, Jeff examined Oakville and its surroundings from a First Nations perspective. He retraced the presence of First Nations settlements by mapping Oakville and environs, and by photographing traces such as historical plaques, architectural ornaments or place names. Introducing a miniature Indian toy into his pictures, Jeff highlighted these historical artefacts as traces of a colonial mentality otherwise fully dissolved in the surrounding contemporary landscape.

Searching for... homeland invited young participants to explore their own identity and, more specifically, to look at how where they live can influence "who they are." Co-leading the programme with Jeff, Sara Angelucci brought a complementary perspective to the project with her photographic practice that traces the relationships between family, memory and homeland (Italy). Enriched by these two artists' experiences, participants were ready to search for their own sense of homeland.

With this programme, Oakville Galleries aimed to increase youth accessibility and appreciation of the visual and media arts. It also created an awareness about the potential of arts to develop many skills.

In order to offer this programme free of charge, the Galleries extended its collaboration with several partner organizations from the community. These organizations have made a generous donation of facilities and services and we thank them for their respective contributions: the Oakville Youth Centre and the Halton Multicultural Council for their facilities and effort to reach participants; Sheridan College for free access to computer labs; the Oakville Public Library for the access to its resources; and Gallery 44 for free access to equipment and darkroom facilities. Our appreciation and acknowledgment are also owed to the Town of Oakville, McCutcheon's Foto Source and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This project could not have been realized without their contribution.

And now, enjoy the creativity and diversity of these young Oakvillians...

Catherine Sicot
Education Manager

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