From 1890 to 1979, the Humber College Lakeshore Campus was a psychiatric hospital. The Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital Cemetery is two kilometres north of the campus, where 1,511 patients are buried in mostly unmarked graves. Humber College students and members from the Among Friends Community Mental Health program created a commemorative artwork based on the history of the site and the patients. Community groups and individuals are invited to gather and remember patients’ names through talks and community art projects that engage with people’s lived experiences of the mental health-care system.
A screening of the short film 1511, created in collaboration as part of this community engaged project, will be followed by a discussion. A newly commissioned sculpture by Rocky Dobey will also be unveiled in memory of the former patients.
Coffee, cookies, and refreshments will be served.
Co-presented in partnership with Humber College, Humber Galleries, and Among Friends Community Mental Health Organization.
The Toronto Biennial of Art Co-Relations Program is made possible with the generous support of the TD Bank Group through its corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment.
Image credit: Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital Project, Part 1, 2019. Photo: Roxanne Fernandes.
Humber College, Lakeshore Campus
G Building, 17 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive
Toronto ON
M8V 4B6
October 3
Bio
Art in Access – Cole Swanson (born in Calgary, AB, Canada; lives in Toronto, ON, Canada) and Anne Zbitnew (born in Dartmouth, NS, Canada; lives in Toronto, ON, Canada) have co-developed and led a number of community-based art collaborations at Humber College, Toronto and within their extended communities. Art in Access brings communities together to make art and respond to questions of access in art education. The second-iteration at Humber College works to build an accessible arts program that is rooted in community-building.