Join us for our monthly Seniors’ Tour! This month, attendees will be exploring our outdoor exhibition, The Reciprocity Garden | ᐋᐧᐦᑰᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ (wâhkôhtowin). Follow Justine Jenkins, local artist and gardener, on the terrace where she will tell you all about the plants, herbs and vegetables, all while sharing her deep horticultural knowledge. During the tour, she will share information on gardening techniques, plant care, seed saving and much more!
Justine Jenkins (she/her) is a graduate from OCAD University in Toronto where she majored in Environmental Design. She is an active participant in several community gardens throughout the city and she generously shared her expertise in the creation of the garden and continues to ensure the maintenance of our wonderful outdoor exhibition.
About the exhibition: The Reciprocity Garden | ᐋᐧᐦᑰᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ (wâhkôhtowin)
In designing this garden there is an intention to open doors to our surrounding community, creating a space to gather and planting seeds to foster conversations about ways to sustain ourselves. We want to cultivate space where different ways of thinking can cross-pollinate, with the goal of understanding ways of being here together.
The idea of “reciprocity” is often considered through the lens of trade, but what if we think about it more broadly? That is, reciprocity as general acts of goodwill with the intention of fostering a stronger community. The garden tries to accomplish this by embodying the Cree idea of wâhkôhtowin, a connection to all that surrounds us. Together we all benefit from taking the time to consider what we sow, be it plants, ideas, dreams, or relationships.
Together in this space, the garden holds us all: the people, the plants, the creatures and the soil. It takes care to be able to thrive, and this tending gives us what we need in return. Through tending this space, we also care for each other.
Organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta. Curated by Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild, TD Curator of Indigenous Creativity, Sara McKarney with the help of Justine Jenkins. Presented by the Poole Centre of Design.
This tour is for self-identified seniors and is free with admission. Capacity for the event is 30 so reserve your tickets early.
Seniors’ Tours are offered monthly and organized by the AGA’s Aging Artfully Advisory Committee.
Accessibility notes: We have a whisper audio guide system with headsets available. These wearable transmitters allow visitors to listen to the tour guide without straining to hear or being distracted by ambient noise in the galleries. If you pause to contemplate an artwork longer, you won’t miss what the tour guide says next.