In a Book
8-22 January 2022
Arc•hive Artist Run Centre, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
In a Book is an exhibition of new sculpture, drawing and written work from Victoria based contemporary artist, Leah McInnis. Created as a means of connecting with her maternal grandmother, this installation is based on the study of her grandmother's favorite genre: the historical romance novel. This exhibition delves into the constructs of personal identity, the right to pleasure and a questioning of cultural and material hierarchies. The psychological space of reading is explored through dismantling and restructuring the architecture of the printed paperback novel.
About the project, the artist says, "My Grandmother is a very serious and sensible woman, perhaps her only odd quality being that she has read historical romance novels as long as I’ve known her. After her husband died, she turned to these books. When the pandemic began, she said, 'Don’t worry about me, I have my books.' I want to understand her better by reading the same novels."
Where does one go when they are lost in a novel? What does it mean to be in a book?
