Third Garden

Marie-Claude Langevin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:04:52 +0000

Artwork identification

Artwork creator(s):

Chen, Millie; Quigley, Warren

Artwork creator(s):

Chen, Millie

Quigley, Warren

Text author(s):

Chen, Millie; Quigley, Warren

Text author(s):

Chen, Millie

Quigley, Warren

Installation year:

2002

Artwork description

Source: Photo provided by Warren Quigley & Millie Chen

Description:

Third Garden is designed as a monument to local memory. This garden refers to the past use of the surrounding grounds as a healing site for psychiatric care, and to current day use as regenerated land, some of which has become a rehabilitated nature reserve. The installation integrates landscape design with sculptural elements to convey playful associations with psychiatric care (i.e. the couch and the serpent) and with the specific history of the site. The text in the pavers is based on oral and recorded histories of the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, rewritten in the tone of intimate journal entries from the point of view of patients, relatives, staff and local residents.

Mention(s) légale(s) des illustrations:

Photo credits:

Text of the artwork:

Chickens. Beautiful meals.

August 25, 1921

You should see our sea of cabbages!

June 30, 1932

Went out with the other patients to cut and rake the grass, pick strawberries form the garden between the Assembly Hall and the Nurses’ Residence. Got a good workout. Came in good and hungry. Tired. West straight to bed after our meal.

October 11, 1958

The gardens have been taken away from us. We can’t work in them anymore. Something about cheap labour.

December 3, 1959

We went to see him today. We sat in the car afterwards. My daughter said, ‘That’s my brother’ and I said, ‘That’s my son.’ It was a very sad time.

September 1, 1979

They’re closing the hospital soon. They loaded us up this morning. We’re being taken to a place we don’t know. Some cried.

There is something revelational about walking daily in a familiar place.

Text theme:

Notes about oral history, meetings with individuals from the community, former patients (and their family members) and former employees of the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital (formerly the scene of the work) as well as community members present. All identities are confidential.

Artwork theme:

Local history, therapy (psychiatric) history and the sense of well-being conveyed by the scenery

History

History:

Assembly Hall, Lakeshore grounds, South Etobicoke (Toronto), since 2002.

Dimensions

Other information

Note(s):

The text simulates quotes. However, it is a fiction narrative, based on or rather inspired by historical documents and oral history of the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital.

The installation of this artwork was part of renovations of historic buildings and landscaping redevelopment in the city of Toronto.

Artist's biography:

Warren Quigley

Author's biography:

Millie Chen

Source:

1. The Assembly Hall Lakeshore Community Cultural Centre Tél : 416-338-7255 assembly@toronto.ca 2. Warren Quigley et Millie Chen 4140 Garrison Rd. Ridgeway, Ontario L0S 1N0 (905) 894-2133 chenoquigley@aol.com 3. Millie Chen milliechen@milliechen.com

Document(s):

Third Garden unveiling evokes history and art cultivation in west end of City

Projects. Third Garden

Présences du littéraire dans l’espace public canadien - Cast iron

Third Garden