Holding, Release
Audio Description

Audio Description by Letizia Binda-Partensky

(Transcription)

Hello and welcome to Holding, Release, an artistic gesture created by Salima Punjani.

You are standing in a rectangular gallery space located on the ground floor of the Georges Vanier Cultural Centre. Painted entirely white, the space features eight windows. The entrance door is set into a wall approximately 20 feet wide, opening into a space that extends 28 feet deep.

Inside the gallery, a cozy gathering space awaits. Part living room, part apothecary, Salima’s installation is intended to allow for trust and sharing in the chaos of everyday life.

A dining table, a carpeted listening area, as well as interactive stations allow for connection and exchange throughout your journey.

Upon entering, you encounter a dining table placed lengthwise. Measuring 9 feet in length, it allows for 6 seated guests. It is made of inlaid oak with a dark walnut finish, consistent with other wooden furniture found in the space.

Behind the dining table, at the far end of the rectangular gallery space, you will find a cozy listening area with a carpet, two poufs, vibrating cushions, and a vibrating loveseat. The colour palette is dominated by tonalities of blue and beige, contrasted by a green velvet loveseat.

Overhead hangs a hive-like structure, suspended like a lampshade. Made of pentagonal facets, it houses a speaker playing a collaborative soundscape developed with interdisciplinary artist Fili Joe Gibbons. You are invited to hug the vibrating cushions and relax on the vibrating loveseat to experience touchable sound.

To partake in Holding, Release, fill an anonymous apothecary bottle using organic materials that represent what you want to let go of. Then, place your bottle in a cabinet and take one left by another visitor in return.

Begin at the Release station found on your left upon entering. On a wooden shelf, you will find 100-millilitre apothecary bottles made of dark blue glass with flat lids. There are close to 100 identical bottles available to fill.

On the wall opposite the windows, arranged on apothecary-style shelves, you will find a selection of herbs, flowers, grasses, and resins held in jars of varying sizes and colours. These include Damascus rose buds, kelp, elderberries, and juniper berries. Take your time to smell, hold, and explore until you find what resonates most with what you want to let go of. Use one of the ceramic holders provided to gather your selection, then transfer it into your bottle.

You will complete your gesture by depositing your bottle inside a cabinet located on the window wall of the gallery. There, you are invited to hold someone else’s bottle in return.

Hold it as you would like to be held. Reflect on what it means to carry something for a stranger, without knowing who they are, simply honouring their humanity.

To conclude, you are invited to reflect on your experience by writing or drawing on a paper label and attaching it to the bottle. You will find paper labels and pens scattered around the room.

If you prefer experiencing this work in the privacy of your own home, you may help yourself to a packet of salts and natural materials. Included is a card with a QR code that guides you to an at-home hand-bath ritual led by the artist. The card was illustrated by Kae Loah, a tattoo artist based in Montreal. It depicts a pair of hands holding lavender, seaweed, elderberry, and rosehips in front of apothecary bottles, echoing the materials found throughout the exhibition.

Thank you for taking part in this gesture. You are welcome to sit and complete it in any area that appeals to you most.

Credits and Acknowledgments:

Kae Loah / Illustration
Daniel Fiset / Curatorial assistance
Fili 周 Gibbons / Sound design and musical collaboration
OBORO / Production assistance
Rafaël Khoury and Georges Naccache / Carpentry
Lee Wilkins / Risography
Van Yanow / Glass Blowing
Natasha “Courage” Bacchus and Talia Wall Di Giuseppe / ASL Video
Hodan Youssouf / LSQ Video
Letizia Binda-Partensky / Audio Description
Santiago Tamayo Soler, Bronson Smillie, Alida Esmail / Accessibility Support
Yen-Chao Lin / Material Support
Kyle Chisholm / Studio Support
Mike Cassidy / Technical Support
Michelle Nguyen and Ellen Orme Adams / Creative Support

Special Thanks to:

Dare-Dare Team
CCGV Team
Radiosnack

Salima would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in this artistic gesture.