Artist Statement:

This tile plays on the theme of archaeology and preservation, using worn and discarded bricks from Toronto’s past architecture.  The intention is to preserve the present condition of these bricks within a clear medium while retelling stories of Toronto’s past.  Images on the bricks are in various stages of emersion, a visual metaphor similar to the layers buried / exposed in archaeological digs.

All images used are from the Archives of Ontario’s collection.  These images were selected to convey a sense of loss through destructive events like the big fire of 1904 that destroyed blocks of Toronto’s downtown.