In the hushed, historic halls of Toronto’s Spadina Museum, an 1866 mansion steeped in forgotten tales, interdisciplinary artist Ry Van Der Hout unveils an exhibition that challenges our perception of memory, identity, and the very nature of wholeness. Titled ‘In Broken Light’, this deeply site-specific collection of new works, on display from August 26 to October 18, invites viewers to witness the profound beauty that emerges when fragments are reassembled into a new, luminous narrative.
Shattering Expectations: A New Narrative of Becoming
“At the heart of In Broken Light is the understanding that shattering isn’t the end of a story—it’s the beginning of a new narrative,” explains curator Adrien Sun Hall. This philosophy underpins Van Der Hout’s unique sculptural practice. The artist intentionally breaks glass and mirrors, only to meticulously solder them back together using traditional Tiffany stained-glass techniques. The resulting intricately mended surfaces are more than just art; they are powerful metaphors for queer becoming, personal transformation, and the emergence of overlooked histories. Each fracture becomes an aperture, transforming the sculptures into contemporary reliquaries that honour lives both remembered and forgotten.
Echoes in the Mansion: Sculptural Interventions
Van Der Hout’s exhibition comprises five distinct sculptural interventions, strategically placed across the mansion’s four stories. These works seamlessly blend photography, stained glass, and mirrors, each piece thoughtfully responding to its specific room and drawing inspiration from extensive research. The artist engaged with spiritual leaders, family descendants, historians, guides, and conservators, unearthing stories of the former resident families – tales of forbidden love, fatal illness, and everyday life that prove stranger than fiction.
Beneath the Surface: The Basement’s Luminous Pulse
In the museum’s basement, within a preserved archaeological dig site, a fractured disco ball spins with hypnotic grace. Accompanied by a NASA-produced audio track, it casts a mesmerizing mosaic of light onto the ancient stone walls and infilled windows, creating an ethereal dance between past and present.
Reflecting History: ‘Tiber’ and Serendipity
Ascending to the upper floors, visitors encounter a striking stained-glass sculpture, printed with photographs of Tiber, a historical interpreter at the museum. This piece, too, has been shattered and reassembled, embodying the exhibition’s core theme. Van Der Hout’s discovery of the antique dressing-table mirror holder, salvaged serendipitously from a dumpster, adds another layer to the narrative. “It felt like I got pulled into this story of an object guiding you to tell you that you are in the right place,” Van Der Hout reflects, highlighting the profound connection between artist, object, and site.
‘Open Wing Death’: A Sanctuary Reimagined
The exhibition’s largest and perhaps most poignant work, ‘Open Wing Death’, dominates the unrestored third floor. This magnificent 12-foot-high ovoid geodesic dome occupies a room originally added in 1913 as a sunlit sanctuary for a resident suffering from tuberculosis. Later, it became home to the household’s domestic staff, to whom the sculpture is now dedicated. Before stepping inside, the viewer catches fleeting glimpses of their own reflection in the mirrored facets, appearing momentarily as a stranger, seen through another’s eyes, before recognition settles in – a powerful moment of self-reflection and empathy.
A Journey Through Fractured Beauty
‘In Broken Light’ is more than an art exhibition; it is a profound exploration of how trauma and transformation can lead to new forms of beauty and understanding. Ry Van Der Hout’s masterful use of shattered glass and light invites us to reconsider our own narratives, finding strength and identity in the very places we once perceived as broken.
The exhibition is on view at Spadina Museum in Toronto until October 18. This compelling work by Ry Van Der Hout is a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary art, historical narratives, and the enduring power of human resilience.
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