In the early days of the pandemic, Inter Arts Matrix’s leadership attempted to answer some difficult questions. With mortality and loss exceedingly palpable, how do we continue to create and move forward? How do we respond artistically to this moment in time in a public way and engage a larger community? How does an organization founded on and committed to collaboration among disciplines create an environment in which collaboration can still happen?

Our experimental outdoor residency called "A Hole in the Ground" was initially conceptualized by Isabella Stefanescu and developed in collaboration with Sheila McMath. Conceived in response to Linda Duvall's short-term residency located in an earthen hole on Treaty 6 territory in rural Saskatchewan, as well as to Tony Urquhart's "Thresholds," a series of large paintings created in the 1980s, we dug a six-by-four-foot hole in Sandhills Park and invited ten artists to respond to it.

While the artists were responding to the hole, we invited the writer Emily Urquhart and the artist and filmmaker Ben Gorodetsky to respond to the artists. Ben visited each artist on site during their residencies, documenting their work, as well as their understanding of their work in the context of the larger "A Hole in the Ground" project. On Friday, May 24, we will be screening Ben's documentary for the first time and invite the public to join us.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Film screening to begin at 7:00pm. Talk back with the filmmaker will take place just after screening. Please note that the film screening will take place in the theatre of the Central KPL (85 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 2H1), located on the lower level of the library. This event is free.