Produced by Karen Miranda Abel with Jessica Marion Barr, Vernal Pool is an immersive, elemental water installation created as a participatory, contemplative inquiry into our transitory interrelationships with water and landscape. From November 2013 to April 2014, 114 individuals across Canada and abroad gathered snow samples as a form of extrinsic artistic practice about place and precipitation. With the arrival of spring, the reservoir of melted snow was convened for four days at Toronto’s historic Gladstone Hotel to create Vernal Pool

Abel, Karen Miranda

Barr, Jessica Marion

English

Scholars Commons

Vernal Pool: A Participatory Art Project About Place + Precipitation

Wilfrid Laurier University

The GooseVolume 13 | No. 2 Article 211-14-2014Vernal Pool: A Participatory Art Project AboutPlace + PrecipitationKaren Miranda AbelJessica Marion BarrQueen's University - Kingston, OntarioPart of the Art Practice Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, EnvironmentalIndicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Fine Arts Commons, Nature and Society RelationsCommons, and the Place and Environment CommonsFollow this and additional works at / Suivez-nous ainsi que d’autres travaux et œuvres:https://scholars.wlu.ca/thegooseThis article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Goose by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Cet article vous est accessible gratuitement et en libre accès grâce à Scholars Commons @ Laurier. Le texte a été approuvé pour faire partie intégrantede la revue The Goose par un rédacteur autorisé de Scholars Commons @ Laurier. Pour de plus amples informations, contactezscholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended Citation / Citation recommandéeAbel, Karen Miranda, and Jessica Marion Barr. "Vernal Pool: A Participatory Art Project About Place + Precipitation." The Goose, vol.13 , no. 2 , article 2, 2014,https://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2.KAREN	  MIRANDA ABEL	  and	  JESSICA	  MARION	  BARR	  Vernal	  Pool:	  A	  Participatory	  Art	  Project	  About	  Place	  +	  Precipitation	  Conceived	  and	  produced	  by	  Karen	  Miranda Abel	  with	  contributions	  by	   Jessica	  Marion	  Barr,	  Vernal	   Pool	   is	   an	   immersive,	   elemental	   water	   installation	   created	   as	   a	   participatory,	  contemplative	  inquiry	  into	  our	  transitory	  interrelationships	  with	  water	  and	  landscape.	  1Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 20152The Goose, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2015], Art. 2http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2 , l. , No.  , . s: /scholars.wlu.ca/theg ose/vol13/i s2/2From	  November	  2013	  to	  April	  2014,	  114	  individuals	  across	  Canada	  and	  abroad	  gathered	  snow	  samples	  as	  a	  form	  of	  extrinsic	  artistic	  practice	  about	  place	  and	  precipitation.	  With	  the	  arrival	  of	  spring,	  the	  reservoir	  of	  melted	  snow	  was	  convened	  for	  four	  days	  at	  Toronto’s	  historic	  Gladstone	  Hotel	  to	  create	  Vernal	  Pool.	  From	  the	  Latin	  word	  vernalis,	  meaning	  “of	  or	  belonging	  to	  spring,”	  a	  vernal	  pool	  is	  an	  impermanent	  freshwater	  wetland	  that	  typically	  forms	  in	  landform	  depressions	  each	  April	  from	  snowmelt	  and	  rainwater,	  providing	  vital	  natal	  habitat	  for	  amphibians	  and	  aquatic	  insects	  in	  Ontario	  and	  across	  North	  America.	  The	  meltwater	  of	  spring	  is	  the	  defining	  event	  for	  these	  evanescent	  breeding	  pools,	  which	  dry	  up	  with	  the	  heat	  of	  summer	  until	  they	  can	  be	  resurrected	  at	  the	  following	  winter’s	  end.	  Vernal	  Pool	  considers	  the	  origins	  of	  Earth’s	  water	  and	  its	  infinite	  migrations	  through	  the	  physical	  processes	  of	  evaporation,	  condensation,	  precipitation,	  infiltration,	  surface	  run-­‐off,	  and	  subsurface	  flow.	  Science	  suggests	  that	  water	  is	  as	  old	  as	  the	  Earth	  itself	  –	  an	  estimated	  4.5	  billion	  years	  –	  as	  virtually	  no	  new	  water	  has	  been	  introduced	  into	  the	  atmosphere	  since	  the	  planet’s	  earliest	  beginnings.	  In	  this	  sense,	  the	  water	  we	  drink	  is	  age-­‐old.	  Continuously	  in	  motion,	  the	  surface	  water	  that	  humans	  and	  all	  other	  freshwater-­‐dependent	  organisms	  consume	  every	  day	  has	  been	  circulated	  from	  the	  land	  to	  the	  sky	  and	  back	  again	  in	  the	  form	  of	  rain	  and	  snow	  since	  the	  beginning	  of	  time.	  In	  observation	  of	  this	  perpetual	  movement	  across	  time	  and	  place,	  and	  our	  intersections	  with	  water	  in	  all	  its	  manifestations,	  a	  winter-­‐long	  snow	  gathering	  practice	  was	  undertaken	  by	  participants	  in	  Canada,	  the	  United	  States,	  Germany,	  Hong	  Kong	  (rainwater),	  Italy,	  and	  Japan.	  3Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 2015	  	  In	  Ontario,	  over	  90	  snow	  sample	  contributions	  were	  received	  from	  individuals	  as	  well	  as	  organizations	  including	  Blink	  Gallery	  Collective,	  Edward	  Burtynsky	  Studio,	  FIELDWORK,	  Ontario	  Science	  Centre,	  Royal	  Ontario	  Museum	  and	  the	  Walpole	  Island	  First	  Nation	  Heritage	  Centre.	  Notable	  individual	  Ontario	  contributors	  included	  Toronto	  Islands	  artist	  Michael	  Davey,	  writer	  Lorraine	  Johnson,	  and	  chef	  Jamie	  Kennedy.	  The	  large	  mason	  jar	  of	  still	  frozen	  snow	  contributed	  by	  the	  studio	  of	  Canadian	  photographer	  Edward	  Burtynsky	  was	  thoughtfully	  stored	  outside	  on	  the	  studio’s	  window	  ledge	  by	  director	  Marcus	  Schubert	  in	  order	  to	  preserve	  its	  frozen	  state.	  	  	  Edward	  Burtynsky’s	  snow	  sample	  (Photo:	  Jessica	  Marion	  Barr)	  4The Goose, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2015], Art. 2http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2 , l. , No.  , . s: /scholars.wlu.ca/theg ose/vol13/i s2/2Among	  the	  overseas	  samples	  received	  was	  an	  oolong	  tea	  bottle	  of	  pristine	  snowmelt	  collected	  by	  Marika	  Viger	  in	  March	  at	  the	  ancient	  Shinto	  shrines	  and	  Buddhist	  temples	  of	  Nikko	  (meaning	  “sunlight”	  or	  “sunshine”),	  a	  UNESCO	  World	  Heritage	  Site	  in	  the	  mountains	  of	  Tochigi	  Prefecture,	  Japan.	  The	  site	  is	  located	  within	  a	  400-­‐year-­‐old	  cedar	  forest	  on	  the	  island	  of	  Honshu.	  Viger	  gathered	  snow	  samples	  from	  all	  over	  the	  site	  and	  specifically	  from	  the	  highest	  point	  at	  the	  Tokugawa	  Mausoleum,	  the	  final	  resting	  place	  of	  shogun	  Tokugawa	  Ieyasu,	  built	  in	  1643.	  The	  sample	  was	  personally	  delivered	  to	  the	  artists	  in	  Toronto	  by	  Viger’s	  sister,	  artist	  and	  project	  participant	  Kristine	  Mifsud.	  Snow	  gathering	  in	  Japan	  (Photo:	  Marika	  Viger)	  Newfoundland	  artist	  Marlene	  Creates	  was	  an	  enthusiastic	  participant,	  given	  her	  career-­‐long	  interest	  in	  place	  and	  her	  more	  recent	  work	  entitled	  A	  Newfoundland	  Treasury	  of	  Terms	  for	  Ice	  and	  Snow	  (2011	  and	  ongoing).	  She	  contributed	  a	  vessel	  of	  snowmelt	  with	  bits	  of	  pine	  tree	  detritus	  from	  her	  boreal	  forest	  property,	  along	  with	  a	  small	  handmade	  booklet	  interpreting	  the	  various	  sites	  at	  which	  she	  collected	  snow.	  For	  example:	  “March	  3,	  2014:	  Snow	  from	  the	  old	  woman	  fluxing	  her	  geese	  yesterday,	  Blast	  Hole	  Pond	  River,	  Portugal	  Cove,	  Newfoundland.	  The	  old	  woman	  is	  fluxing	  her	  geese	  is	  an	  expression	  for	  a	  light	  fall	  of	  snow.”	  5Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 2015Like	  a	  confluence	  of	  spring	  runoff	  meandering	  to	  common	  ground,	  over	  600	  litres	  of	  snowmelt	  samples	  referencing	  geographically	  and	  perceptively	  distinct	  chronicles	  of	  one	  (long)	  winter	  were	  transposed	  with	  the	  warmth	  of	  spring	  to	  condense	  and	  meditatively	  pause	  at	  a	  seasonal	  meeting	  place,	  forming	  a	  temporary	  water	  body	  –	  a	  kind	  of	  anthropological	  precipitation	  garden	  –	  in	  a	  gallery	  space	  at	  the	  Gladstone	  Hotel.	  Consisting	  of	  close	  to	  2,000	  pieces	  of	  salvaged	  glassware	  filled	  with	  snowmelt	  (and	  accompanying	  bits	  of	  organic	  matter),	  the	  installation	  evokes	  the	  translucent	  egg	  masses	  that	  amphibians	  lay	  in	  ephemeral	  wetlands	  each	  spring.	  A	  sound	  installation	  designed	  by	  Barr	  consisting	  of	  layered	  field	  recordings	  of	  rainfall	  and	  the	  spring	  calls	  of	  Ontario	  frog	  species	  (spring	  peepers	  and	  gray	  treefrogs)	  animated	  the	  space,	  drawing	  visitors	  further	  into	  the	  symbolic	  ecosystem	  of	  Vernal	  Pool.1	  1	  Hear	  the	  “Vernal	  Chorus”	  sound	  installation	  at	  http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2/.	  6The Goose, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2015], Art. 2http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2 , l. , No.  , . s: /scholars.wlu.ca/theg ose/vol13/i s2/2Providing	  essential	  breeding	  habitat	  for	  many	  species,	  including	  the	  endangered	  Jefferson	  salamander,	  vernal	  pools	  are	  sensitive	  communities	  that	  can	  easily	  fall	  prey	  to	  the	  alterations	  of	  the	  land	  caused	  by	  agriculture	  and	  development.	  Visitors	  to	  the	  exhibition	  expressed	  interest	  and	  concern	  for	  these	  lesser-­‐known	  phenomena,	  and	  a	  few	  shared	  the	  connections	  they	  made	  between	  the	  manifestation	  of	  the	  water	  they	  were	  seeing	  in	  the	  installation	  and	  other	  forms	  of	  water	  upon	  which	  we	  depend	  in	  various	  seasons	  and	  at	  various	  times	  in	  our	  lives.	  	  In	  this	  vein,	  a	  most	  personal	  connection	  was	  the	  parallel	  between	  the	  conception,	  planning,	  and	  execution	  of	  Vernal	  Pool	  and	  the	  conception,	  gestation,	  birth,	  and	  “fourth	  trimester”	  of	  Barr’s	  son,	  who	  was	  born	  in	  January	  2014,	  shortly	  after	  an	  ice	  storm	  brought	  Toronto	  to	  a	  near-­‐standstill.	  During	  the	  unfolding	  of	  both	  the	  project	  and	  pregnancy,	  the	  artists	  noted	  connections	  to	  water:	  during	  her	  pregnancy,	  Barr	  enjoyed	  swimming	  in	  various	  Ontario	  lakes	  as	  well	  as	  in	  the	  Mediterranean	  Sea;	  a	  good	  portion	  of	  her	  labour	  was	  spent	  in	  warm	  water;	  and	  shortly	  after	  the	  birth	  she	  discovered	  that	  her	  baby	  was	  delighted	  by	  splashing	  and	  floating	  in	  the	  bath.	  Snow	  gathering	  on	  frozen	  Lake	  Simcoe	  outside	  the	  Dawes-­‐Barr	  family	  cottage	  (Photo:	  Jessica	  Marion	  Barr)	  7Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 2015Water	  and	  fertility	  feature	  prominently	  in	  the	  final	  chapter	  of	  Naomi	  Klein’s	  new	  book	  This	  Changes	  Everything:	  Capitalism	  vs.	  The	  Climate,	  in	  which	  she	  writes	  of	  her	  visits	  to	  the	  site	  of	  the	  BP	  oil	  spill:	  Spring	  is	  the	  beginning	  of	  spawning	  season	  on	  the	  Gulf	  Coast	  and	  [Klein’s	  guide	  Jonathan]	  Henderson	  knew	  that	  these	  marshes	  were	  teeming	  with	  nearly	  invisible	  zooplankton	  and	  tiny	  juveniles	  that	  would	  develop	  into	  adult	  shrimp,	  oysters,	  crabs,	  and	  fin	  fish.	  In	  these	  fragile	  weeks	  and	  months,	  the	  marsh	  grass	  acts	  as	  an	  aquatic	  incubator,	  providing	  nutrients	  and	  protection	  from	  predators.	  “Everything	  is	  born	  in	  these	  wetlands,”	  he	  said.	  […]	  As	  our	  boat	  rocked	  in	  that	  terrible	  place	  –	  the	  sky	  buzzing	  with	  Black	  Hawk	  helicopters	  and	  snowy	  white	  egrets	  –	  I	  had	  the	  distinct	  feeling	  that	  we	  were	  suspended	  not	  in	  water	  but	  in	  amniotic	  fluid.	  (425-­‐27)	  While	  vernal	  pools	  are	  distinct	  from	  gulf	  marshlands,	  they	  serve	  a	  similar	  gestational	  purpose,	  and	  are	  similarly	  vulnerable	  to	  the	  ravages	  of	  environmental	  contamination.	  Vernal	  Pool	  called	  attention	  to	  our	  intimate	  (yet	  global),	  multifaceted,	  life-­‐long,	  and	  life-­‐giving	  connections	  with	  water.	  The	  recipient	  of	  the	  2014	  Jury’s	  Choice	  Award	  and	  the	  Ontario	  Association	  of	  Landscape	  Architects/GROUND	  Award,	  Vernal	  Pool	  was	  exhibited	  as	  part	  of	  Gladstone	  Grow	  Op:	  Exploring	  Landscape	  and	  Place	  in	  April	  2014.	  Curated	  by	  landscape	  architect	  Victoria	  Taylor,	  Grow	  Op	  is	  8The Goose, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2015], Art. 2http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2 , l. , No.  , . s: /scholars.wlu.ca/theg ose/vol13/i s2/2the	  Gladstone	  Hotel’s	  annual	  alternative	  landscape	  and	  urban	  design	  event,	  celebrating	  innovative	  ideas	  and	  conceptual	  responses	  to	  sustainable	  placemaking	  across	  a	  broad	  range	  of	  creative	  practices.	  On	  April	  27,	  2014,	  the	  last	  day	  of	  the	  exhibition,	  visitors	  were	  invited	  to	  accept	  jars	  of	  Vernal	  Pool	  snowmelt	  to	  water	  urban	  gardens	  in	  the	  city.	  Approximately	  20	  visitors	  came	  to	  participate	  in	  the	  snowmelt	  dissemination	  process,	  including	  Gladstone	  Hotel	  Developer	  and	  President	  Christina	  Zeidler.	  Project	  participants	  Julia	  Patterson	  (pictured)	  and	  Joanne	  Doucette	  returning	  Vernal	  Pool	  water	  to	  their	  Toronto	  garden	  (Photo:	  Joanne	  Doucette)	  9Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 2015During	  the	  summer	  of	  2014,	  the	  remaining	  melted	  snow	  was	  restored	  to	  the	  earth	  by	  the	  artists	  and	  project	  participants	  through	  a	  collective	  watering	  of	  gardens	  and	  urban	  greenspaces	  in	  the	  Greater	  Toronto	  and	  Hamilton	  Area,	  honouring	  the	  water	  cycle,	  and	  further	  reminding	  us	  of	  the	  interrelationships	  between	  the	  elements	  of	  life	  and	  art	  practice.	  10The Goose, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2015], Art. 2http://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol13/iss2/2 , l. , No.  , . s: /scholars.wlu.ca/theg ose/vol13/i s2/211Abel and Barr: Vernal PoolWork	  Cited	  Klein,	  Naomi.	  This	  Changes	  Everything:	  Capitalism	  vs.	  The	  Climate.	  New	  York:	  Simon	  &	  Schuster,	  2014.	  Print.	  KAREN	  MIRANDA ABEL	  is	  a	  Canadian	  artist	  and	  naturalist	  based	  in	  Toronto.	  She	  creates	  site- sensitive	  installation	  and	  public	  art	  works	  that	  consider,	  engage,	  and	  accommodate	  21st	  century	  urban	  ecology	  and	  biodiversity.	  Concerned	  with	  ephemera	  and	  “slow	  art”	  processes,	  Abel	  is	  interested	  in	  contributing	  to	  a	  culture	  of	  ecology	  through	  research-intensive	  season	   and	   time-based	  practices.	  She	  holds	  an	  interdisciplinary	  Master	  in	  Environmental	  Studies	  from	  York	  University	  in	  environmental	  art	  practice,	  cultural	  production,	  and	  community	  art.	  Abel	  has	  realized	  art	  gardens	  and	  permanent	  ecological	  art	  projects	  supported	  by	  the	  Ontario	  Arts	  Council	  through	  partnerships	  with	  the	  Ontario	  Science	  Centre	  and	  Walpole	  Island	  First	  Nation.	  In	  2013	  and	  2014,	  she	  was	  the	  recipient	  of	  the	  Ontario	  Association	  of	  Landscape	  Architects/GROUND	  Award.	  Visit	  Karen	  Miranda Abel’s	  website	  at	  karenmirandaabel.com.	  JESSICA	  MARION	  BARR	  is	  a	  Toronto	  artist,	  educator,	  and	  Ph.D.	  Candidate	  in	  Cultural	  Studies	  at	  Queen’s	  University.	  Her	  interdisciplinary	  practice	  incorporates	  artmaking,	  research,	  and	  pedagogy,	  focusing	  on	  ecological	  elegies.	  Jessica	  teaches	  courses,	  gives	  talks,	  and	  leads	  workshops	  on	  ecologically-­‐engaged	  art.	  Images	  of	  her	  artwork	  and	  accompanying	  texts	  have	  been	  published	  in	  The	  Brock	  Review	  and	  The	  Goose.	  She	  has	  recently	  exhibited	  work	  at	  the	  Gladstone	  Hotel	  (Toronto);	  World	  of	  Threads	  Festival	  (Oakville);	  Wall	  Space	  Gallery	  (Ottawa);	  FINA	  Gallery,	  University	  of	  British	  Columbia	  (Kelowna,	  BC);	  Hart	  House	  (University	  of	  Toronto);	  and	  Union	  Gallery,	  The	  Artel,	  Modern	  Fuel	  Artist-­‐Run	  Centre,	  and	  the	  Ban	  Righ	  Centre	  (all	  in	  Kingston,	  ON).	  Jessica’s	  2013	  Nuit	  Blanche	  (Toronto)	  project	  Indicator	  was	  included	  in	  NOW	  Magazine’s	  Critics’	  Picks.	  Photographs	  by	  Karen Miranda Abel	  except	  where	  noted.	  Visit	  the	  Vernal	  Pool	  project	  gallery	  for	  more	  images	  and	  information:	  www.vernal-­‐pool.tumblr.com.	  Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015/ Publié par Sch lars Commons @ Laurier, 2015

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Vernal Pool: A Participatory Art Project About Place + Precipitation

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