The 6 Foot Project – Conversations with the Land
An Environmental Art Project for All Islanders

Dear Fellow Manitoulin Islanders,

Debajehmujig is excited to be able to invite you to participate in The 6 Foot Project, a project that is meant to daylight, celebrate and bring together the many diverse relationships that Islanders have with the land that we share. If you are a farmer, fisher, painter, writer, teacher, mechanic; if you’re in Wiky, Gore Bay, Sheshegwaning, all the way to Meldrum Bay, in town or in the bush; if you’re 83, 42 or 7; if you’re a man, woman, or child who loves this land, Manitoulin Island, please share this love. Take part in The 6 Foot Project!

Instructions for Participation

1Choose a 6’x 6’ piece of land that you have regular access to, permission to be on, and a personal connection to.
2Register yourself and your location with project co-coordinator Elisha Sidlar (she doesn’t bite). Elisha can be reached by phone at 859-1121 or at the6footproject@hotmail.com This is important as all participants will be shown in a community exhibition and festival taking place November 5, 6, 7 of this year.
3Make art on your piece of land and document it. You could … create a sculpture and document it, record the audio of that place (which is documenting it), take pictures of that place (also documenting), write letters to that space (the letters would act as documentation), sit there every day and write a story (documentation), paint a particular flower’s life cycle (painting is documenting), erect some sort of shelter, be it tipi, mud house or sugar shack and live there – but just make sure that you document it with, perhaps a video camera or something.
4Did I mention that you need to document it? Documentation may take the form, but is not limited to, photos, video recording, audio recording, drawings, writings, songs and any other way you can think of. The actual pieces will take place on your plot of land, but we need the documentation to be able to come together and share our experiences come festival time. Don’t feel limited if you don’t have some state of the art camera equipment – be creative.
5All documentation must be submitted to Elisha Sidlar by October 22, 2010. Contact her directly for more information. All of this work will then be assembled in a community exhibition – sa-weet! We are so jazzed by the thought of bringing together all the different ways Islanders relate and connect to this land. Artistically, historically, agriculturally, traditionally, reflectively, respectfully: this is an opportunity for us to come together and honour our relationships to the land and to each other – past, present, and future.
6Come to the Exhibition/Festival November 5, 6, 7 2010 to be held at the Debajehmujig Creation Centre. Workshops! Music! Food! And the chance to see everybody and their pieces! More details to come.

Please feel free to contact Elisha at 705-859-1171 or the6footproject@hotmail.com with any questions that may arise. One last gentle note; please show your love for the land by always treating her with respect. Have fun!

This project has been made possible by the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council