December 7 – 11, 2023
Lobby Gallery
Included with admission. Free for Gardiner Friends.

Community Arts Space 2023

We’re commemorating the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with an exhibition that features the work of participants from Radius Child and Youth Services and celebrates their journey of healing and empowerment. Through a series of art therapy workshops, participants channeled their experiences into ceramics, sharing stories of resilience and hope. Radius Child and Youth Services is a specialized community-based organization that provides clinical assessment and counselling services to children, youth, and families affected by interpersonal abuse.

Over a 10-week group journey, youth between the ages of 12 – 19 took inspiration from a metaphor shared by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh: No Mud, No Lotus. Like clay, the participants have been shaped and moulded by life’s encounters, including the painful and traumatic ones that come from experiences of sexual abuse. These young artists came together, created a safe space, and honoured the practice of connection. Just as clay becomes something entirely new through the creative process, the sculptures in the exhibition tell stories of reclaiming power and reshaping lives after experiencing trauma. The lotus, blooming from the muddy waters, represents the emergence of something from adversity—a symbol of hope and transformation.