The three projects, In Defiance (Delaronde), In the Shadow of our own Dust (Salez), and Touching Earth Bodies (Delaronde and Salez), explore the power of self-representation, rejuvenation, and healing through ceremony and connections to the land. The central focus of the exhibition and the referent for the overall title addresses interrelationships between the human body and the land, while considering the history and ongoing practices of deforestation across Vancouver Island’s rainforest and the resulting environmental and social impact. These works additionally confront issues around representations of women’s bodies and sexuality in art and popular culture within the current social and political climate. In dialogue, the three bodies of work establish the depth within Delaronde and Salez’s collaborative work and provide an opportunity to learn more about the breadth of the individual practices of each artist.
