If you come by the National Arts Centre, you may see a spectacular array of colours and imagery on the Kipnes Lantern.
The NAC recently commissioned the art installation called Colour, Health, Hope from Jacquie Comrie, an acclaimed Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist. Centred on colour, this vibrant, visually powerful installation was created as a tool for wellness and hope during a difficult time.
Colour, Health, Hope features eight unique creations, each of which centres on a particular colour, its associated attributes, and effects on well-being.
“With a surge of COVID-19 cases across the globe, and cities back on lockdown, this holiday season will be an incredibly challenging, isolating time for many of us,” Comrie said.
“We continue to experience loss, grief, isolation, racial injustice and uncertainty of the future, while also finding ourselves at the wake of a new light of consciousness. Colour, Health, Hope speaks of regeneration and the power of resilience through a year of deep challenges. This work will transform the Kipnes Lantern into a space for light, positive energy, hope, mental reset, elevation, and visual therapy for everyone.”
Originally from Panama and now based in Toronto, Jacquie Comrie’s work intersects contemporary art and wellness at a global scale, using colour as a medium of social impact and mental health. Whether as murals on buildings, large scale structures (such as Toronto streetcars) or canvases, her body of work explores colour as the universal language of human emotion. Her art has been commissioned by galleries and organizations nationally and internationally.
“We are honoured to showcase this beautiful artwork by Jacquie Comrie,” said NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon. “Its message of resilience, hope, and the centrality of mental health to our well-being echoes the performing arts’ power to inspire and heal. We hope Jacquie Comrie’s work will bring comfort during this difficult holiday season, as it invites us all to look forward to a brighter, more colourful 2021.”
