Opening of the Spirit of Place: British Columbia
Young Artists Exhibition

Rideau Hall, Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Welcome to Rideau Hall for the opening of this exhibition by very young artists from British Columbia, who have translated into colour and light the spirit of the place they inhabit and that allows them to thrive.

A child’s drawing is an open door to his or her heart.

Today, 15 children are reaching out to us and saying, “Come in, come in, come and see where I live. Come and see how beautiful it is and how wonderful it is to live and grow in this place.”

Through them, through their eyes, we will embark on a journey of discovery through a wonderful place, a region of incredible diversity, a land of breathtaking landscapes, a province that is larger than life: British Columbia.

In the background: the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games—hosted by British Columbia next year—as well as the protection of BC’s environment and the vitality of its cultural diversity.

In the foreground: friendship, perseverance and the pride that comes from succeeding.

A love of nature and the urgent need to protect it against anything that might do it harm.

Culture as a means of celebrating life and expressing one’s identity.

And the importance of belonging to a community.

In the case of Samantha, who is here with us today, it is the belonging to a nation, the Tzeachten First Nation, which has lived on this land since as far back as human memory can recall.

Senior artists from Emily Carr University of Art and Design guided these children in their search to discover the place around them and the place within.

And from that creative encounter between the sensibility of children and the artistic knowledge of their mentors was born this extremely colourful, deeply meaningful exhibition.

I would like to congratulate and offer my profound thanks to the young artists and their mentors—some of whom are here with us this morning—for jumping into this adventure without a net, but with spontaneity and generosity.

When a child’s heart is open in this way, it is a hymn to the beauty of the world and to freedom of expression.

We see that beauty and that freedom here, rendered so artistically. How fortunate for us and for all visitors who will pass through these halls, particularly during the BC Scene festival, and as we celebrate the 2009 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts this evening.

It is up to us to protect that beauty and that freedom from whatever might seek to extinguish them, as we are so clearly reminded by the 16 photographs of children from around the world presented by Save the Children Canada, a partner in this exhibition.

This exhibition, which will also be presented in Vancouver, was made possible with the support of Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Arts Umbrella and, in particular, Mr. Sam Carter and Ms. Sheila Hall.

Thank you very much.

My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I, and the whole Rideau hall team, are very proud to welcome to Rideau Hall this exhibition that captures the spirit of a place like no other, a place where our young artists are already putting down deep roots.