If I Had a Hammer

Abstract

Mixed Media and Print-Installation.

If I Had a Hammer represents Canadian society’s progress in social justice. This public narrative, as depicted in the larger installation, relies on the simple motifs of a wooden file cabinet and the dynamic motion of a horse striving forwards. The work focuses on four pivotal years, which have shaped Canadian society, namely: 1854; 1947; 1960 and 2016. These years with their associated narratives/stories correspond, respectively, with the following: the abolition of the feudal system in Canada; the abolition of the Chinese head tax; the establishment of the Canadian Bill of Rights, and the beginning of the reconciliation process with Canada’s indigenous communities.