Who Is Belle Island?, 2023, buckthorn bark, berries, and leaves, botanical dye and ferrous sulfate on reclaimed fabric

On-site atrium commission for the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

Kingston artists, Billie Kearns (aka Billie the Kid) and Jill Glatt collaborate on an exhibition that asks, “what does it mean to be a local artist?” and a vital next question, “how can we honour the land with the stories we tell?” To elaborate on these questions, they showcase Belle Island as a local artist. They propose Belle Island is “a being who holds those who are both from this land and those who have come here from far away and live here now.” The artists adorn Agnes’s Atrium with sound and tapestries coloured with natural dye and embroidered with poetry and quotes from stories of Belle Island contributed by local community members.

Find out more HERE