Eltuek Arts Centre opens Canadian debut of Joan Jonas’ We come from the sea

SYDNEY, N.S. – On Friday, August 8, Eltuek Arts Centre will hold its opening night celebration of We come from the sea by Joan Jonas — one of the most influential American artists of our time.

This landmark evening marks the Canadian debut of a major work by Jonas, whose connection to Unama’ki, Cape Breton spans more than 50 years.

“Joan’s presence is profoundly inspiring – to artists, to audiences, to anyone paying attention. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. It’s a rare and beautiful moment for this place and a true gift,” said Melissa Kearney, Eltuek’s Artistic Director.

We come from the sea is a landmark exhibition spanning all three galleries at Eltuek Arts Centre. At the heart of the exhibition is Moving Off the Land II (2019), a powerful, multi-sensory installation that pays homage to the ocean’s beauty, biodiversity, and deep fragility. Drawing from years of research and filming in Jamaica, Nova Scotia, and aquariums around the world, Joan invites us to experience the ocean as something intimate, alive — and part of who we are.

“Myth plays a part — the myth of the mermaid is ancient and speaks to the fact that we actually do come from the sea,” Joan Jonas reflected on the exhibition.

Presented simultaneously at Eltuek Arts Centre and Inverness County Centre for the Arts and organized by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the National Gallery of Canada, We come from the sea runs August 10 – October 12.

Through layered projections, soundscapes, movement, drawing, and storytelling, We come from the sea is a sensory rich experience that examines the line between art and nature, fact and feeling. Joan’s deep connection to Cape Breton, where she has lived seasonally since 1970, is woven throughout the installation, bringing local landscapes and spirit into a global conversation.

“Joan has been quietly sharing this island with us for decades, a living piece of lore just like the mermaid. To now see her work come to life here at Eltuek feels like something out of a dream,” said Kearney.

Join us on August 8 at 6 pm for the opening celebration of We come from the sea at Eltuek Arts Centre with special performances by celebrated local artists Sarah Prosper and Brenda Stubbert, plus food, drinks, and a chance to gather in honour of a visionary whose work continues to shape contemporary art. Joan Jonas will be in attendance.

Inverness County Centre for the Arts will hold its opening event on August 10 at 3 pm.

EVENT DETAILS:

When: Friday, August 8 at 6:00 PM

Where: Eltuek Arts Centre, 170 George Street, Sydney

Admission: Free and open to the public

For more information, please contact:
Ardelle Reynolds
Manager, Community Engagement, New Dawn
(902)304-0170
areynolds@newdawn.ca

ABOUT ELTUEK ARTS CENTRE

Eltuek (el·du·ehg) is a Mi’kmaw word that means “We are making (it) together.” The (it) refers to whatever it is (we) decide to make – a meal, a conversation, a painting, or a poem. Art, community, social change. We do it together. The name, Eltuek, was shared by the Eltuek Elder Advisors, with the intent that Eltuek Arts Centre is accessible, inclusive, and continuous.

Eltuek Arts Centre is an artist-led creative arts hub in North End Sydney that features private artist studios,
an Open Studio for shared artist workspaces, gallery and exhibition space, Cafe Marie and Meals on Wheels, arts and community organizations, and creative gathering and event spaces for the community.

Eltuek Arts Centre is a non-profit arts organization that is owned and operated by New Dawn Enterprises.
New Dawn is a private, not-for-profit, volunteer-directed social enterprise dedicated to community building. We are the oldest Community Development Corporation in Canada and a founding member of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network. Our Mission, to engage the community to create a culture of self-reliance, is as relevant today as it was when the organization was founded back in 1976.

Eltuek Arts Centre opened in February 2020 in the former Holy Angels Convent, ca. 1885. New Dawn Enterprises purchased it in 2013, and the 130-year-old heritage building is the largest adaptive reuse of built heritage in Unama’ki, Cape Breton Island. The building stands as a symbol of hope and renewal for a
community that has struggled for more than 40 years to reinvent itself after the decline of the coal and steel industries.

-30-