The Practice of Home is an installation centred on the concept of home as a sense of personal territory that one carries with oneself—a collection of memories oneself. It is a large three-dimensional work that merges painting with architecture, mathematics, and light. The design of the frame mimics the spiral shape of a Nautilus shell, a home that one carries with oneself. The interior section references the premise that home is a site of ongoing activity that is always in progress: our homes and lives are stitched and woven together from the raw materials of memory and experience.
This artwork emerged out of my own frequent relocations and an awareness that questions of mobility, belonging, and security have taken on increased urgency in our contemporary world. I wanted to create a space that could hold a concept of home that captures ideas of portability and ongoing activity, rather than a structure that looks like a house.
The Practice of Home was initially designed and installed in 2023 for my MFA thesis exhibition at the University of Ottawa. It was subsequently exhibited at the Ottawa Art Gallery in 2024 as part of the group exhibition Spanning the Divide. The OAG exhibition included a community panel for visitors to add their own contributions related to the concept of home.
Aluminum rounds and tubes, 3D-printed PLA, acrylic and oil on canvas, acrylic on spun polypropylene. Dimensions variable.
Installation view. Ottawa Art Gallery. 2024. Photo credit: Gina Dragone
Installation view. Ottawa Art Gallery. 2024.
Installation view, detail. Ottawa Art Gallery. 2024.
Photo credit: Gina Dragone
Installation view, detail. Ottawa Art Gallery. 2024.
Photo credit: Gina Dragone
Installation view, detail. 2023.
Installation view, detail. 2023.
Installation view, detail. 2023.
Installation view, detail. 2023.
Wood dowels and 3D-printed PLA. 32 x 42 x 16 inches. 2022.
Unprimed canvas and polyester cord. 2023.
Ottawa Art Gallery, 2024.
Ottawa Art Gallery. 2024.