Public Artwork
Close Your Eyes...
Artwork creator(s):
Edelstein, Susan
Text author(s):
Edelstein, Susan
Installation year:
1992
Remarks on location:
Installed in brochure racks on the British Columbia Ferries, at the Vancouver Tourist Information Centre and at various other locations
Description:
Flyers placed in various displays
Text of the artwork:
Close your eyes and count to 100...
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,
nine, ten...
---
Ready or not here I come.
She represented a map of meanings to
both sides of her family.
Always careful to conceal or reveal the
tiny silver pendant when she would visit
them.
Making the wrong move could result in broken codes.
---
Step on a crack and break
your mother’s back.
She had been told both families
were fractured by this union.
Marrying outside of the chosen faith
was forbidden.
It broke their mothers’ hearts.
---
Step on a line and break your
mother’s spine.
She remembered walking a fine line
between their beliefs.
One slip would break the connection.
---
Step on a stone and break your
mother’s bones.
She became an expert on navigating
between the obstacles in her path.
She always remembered to wear a
smile.
---
Cross my head and hope to die.
They never spoke about the presence
of difference.
The weight of the chains
made it difficult to breathe.
Text theme:
Mixed mariage, religion, sense of community, racism
Artwork theme:
Mixed mariage, religion, sense of community, racism
History:
Exhibition Out of Place, organized by the Association for Noncommercial Culture
Event date(s):
1992 Dimensions:
Height:
0.22m
Width:
0.71m
Artist's biography:
Edelstein, Susan Document(s):
Syndicate
