TORONTO – A Toronto museum exhibition is helping raise awareness about violence against women.
Transformation by Fire is an exhibition at the Gardiner Museum showcasing 30 works by 30 women who have encountered violence.
The museum, along with the Barbra Schlifer Clinic, helped these women overcome their trauma through working with clay and a professional artist and an art therapist,.
“I believe in my heart that the clay has ability to profoundly heal the affects of trauma, where women can literally unearth stories of strength and resilience and literally reclaim their lives,” Suzanne Thomson, an art therapist for 20 years said.
Ana Maria Cruz, an artist who struggled for decades with discrimination, abuse and violence causing memory loss said working with clay has allowed her to remember her trauma.
“I just let myself open up and I shared so many things happened to me and I realized was horrible, was abuse.” said Cruz
In the clay studio at the museum women like Cruz are able to sculpt their traumatic story into clay.
Interim executive director of the Gardiner Museum, Rachel Gotlieb sees parallels between working with clay and overcoming abuse.
“Clay is a soft material, when fired by the kiln it becomes much stronger…so there’s this parallel then that the women too become stronger through taking this important class,” she said.
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