Beauty in Pieces

For three days at the end of November the Library at the Dock hosted “Beauty in Pieces”.

The exhibition’s entrance had poet, writer and radio producer Sista Zai Zanda on a screen, talking. If you put the headphones on you heard her say “I carry many stories on my head”.

The exhibition visually explored the meaning of personal beauty and the beliefs we have growing up ­– what ideals do we carry of body type, hair, skin or attitude?

Artists Suhasini Seelin and Peris Martel-Cruz interviewed people of diverse upbringings and life experiences on their notions of beauty and discovered multiple meanings.

A sign at the edge of the exhibition read, in part: “We hope the objects provide context, the pottery provides a new way of looking at ourselves, thoughts expressed in the performance videos resonate and the ideas in the short film connect with something deep within.”

“We invite you to think about the variety of pieces that create beauty, as well as the beauty that lies in pieces.”

Some features were old beauty advertisements from around the world, daily beauty products, and portraits.

There were different displays of pottery – some were whole earthen pots and some were broken.

The unbroken pottery was complete by itself – can you think of a time when this was you?

The broken pottery was a reference to the Japanese art Kintsugi, of repairing broken pottery and finishing it with coat of gold.

At the end, there were odd-sized pieces of cardboard for visitors to write their experience of the exhibition on.

One read: “Thanks for giving me a new way to see my journey through beauty.”