Ottawa Art Gallery Exhibition

An oil painting depicting a a figure lying peacefully on their back in a sparse landscape, surrounded by small patches of grass and plants.

Closing Reception | December 11, 2024 | 6 PM - 8 PM

Storytelling invites us to sit with and within another’s experiences. Island of Listeners presents stories crafted through the collaboration of palliative care patients, care partners, and healthcare providers at Bruyère who shared their time and words with storyteller Kim Kilpatrick, shaping 21 stories through interchange, connection, and care.  

The film presents some of these stories recited by Kim Kilpatrick with oil painting animation by visual artist Rachel Gray. The stills of the film provide a moment of pause and connection, letting us linger in the power of the stories. The artists’ work emphasizes the dynamic relationships and identities of listeners and tellers while foregrounding voices and experiences that are often pushed to the periphery. There is immensity, discomfort, beauty, and fragility in these stories – they are deeply human. 

This exhibition would not have been possible without the people who generously shared their time, energy, thoughts, and experiences. Heartfelt thanks go to all of the participants, care partners, and staff on the palliative care unit at Bruyère. 

This exhibition is presented by the Ottawa Art Gallery in partnership with Radical Connections and the Isenberg Lab at Bruyère Research Institute, with generous support from the Bruyère Academic Medical Association and the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Curator: Haley Menard
Translation and editing: Véronique Couillard, Marie-Camille Lalande
Installation : Dan Austin, Rob Keefe