Inspired by the rapidly changing landscape of Waterloo Region, The Larger Forgetting brings together work by painter Amanda Rhodenizer and poet Laurie D. Graham.
Made over the course of two years, Rhodenizer’s paintings are based on source material gathered from visits to sites of ongoing development around the outskirts of the region. The loose brushwork and neon under-painting depict empty construction sites and isolated figures in stylish condo units.
Graham’s lines of poetry hint at the sounds and sensations that come along with “breaking ground” for new developments, and what’s left in the quiet moments when the trucks turn off for the day. The brief nature of the lines and their imagery reflect land in states of flux and trauma.
These are the moments of transition that are shaping the land in Waterloo, its history fraught with colonial tension and its future uses still unknown. By drawing attention to these places and moments, can we somehow connect to the fleeting present reality of these sites?
Photos by Brian Limoyo Photography
Blue Vista Hills, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 10 x 12 inches, 2017.
Fallen Tarp, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 9 x 12 inches, 2017.
Pink Unit, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2017.
Beyond the Economical Trail, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2017.
Orange Unit, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2017.
Bridge Street Lot, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2017.
East Forest, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 9 x 12 inches, 2017.
Riverview Estates I, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 9 x 12 inches, 2017.
Riverview Estates II, Oil and acrylic on Yupo paper, mounted on wood panel, 9 x 12 inches, 2017.