On September 30, as part of the Awakenings program, Toronto History Museums presents a public art installation, The TRUTH by KWEST, Young Elder Philip Cote, Tyrone Edwards, Que Rock and Noah “40” Shebib; All Power to All People by Hank Willis Thomas with a soundscape from Mustafa and Dis/Mantle by Gordon Shadrach and guests.
Created in 2016 and reborn in 2020, The TRUTH stands against injustice and erasure of Black, Indigenous and communities of colour and advocates for self-reflection to honour truths found within. The monumental three-dimensional graffiti-style sculpture is a statement that pays homage and respect to the fact that we are living on Indigenous lands taken over by Colonial Treaties. The TRUTH also reinforces that Black lives matter in all areas of Canadian society.
The TRUTH is a physical and social movement. It presents opportunities for individuals to reflect on their truth and the injustices on the planet. Mounted on a 55-foot flatbed truck, this travelling installation will visit more than 20 locations throughout the GTA from September 30 to October 12. Programming may include, but not be limited to, sharing your truths, smudging, performances, talks and reflections.
The TRUTH is a collaboration of culture and shared experiential learned process and knowledge being handed down from one generation and nation to the next.
More information on The TRUTH is available online. Visitors to the exhibit can contribute to the social movement on social media by posting photos and using the following hashtags: #TheTRUTH #Awakenings #TelltheFullStory.
Opening Ceremony
A public opening ceremony for The TRUTH takes place on Friday, September 30 at 7 p.m. at Garrison Common, Fort York National Historic Site, 100 Garrison Rd, Toronto. All are welcome.
The City of Toronto is grateful to community partner the Toronto Raptors and media partner 106.5 ELMNT FM for their support of the Awakenings program.
Additional Toronto History Museums programming:
Nuit Blanche at Toronto History Museums
Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s all-night celebration of contemporary art, returns for its 16th edition on Saturday, October 1.
Toronto History Museums will have three major artworks participating in Nuit Blanche:
Nuit Blanche independent projects Step Into My Space will also be onsite at Spadina Museum and Writing on the Wall at Mackenzie House.
More information on Nuit Blanche can be found online.
Dis/Mantle art exhibit continues
Until December 31, Dis/Mantle, an art exhibit inspired by the efforts of Black abolitionists, reimagines Spadina Museum through an Afrofuturism narrative. The group show includes soundscapes, ceramics and visual art by Canadian artists from the Afro Caribbean diaspora. Visitors can see the art exhibit by joining a free guided tour of the museum and learn more online.
Watch: A Portrait in Red and Acknowledgment
Revisit We Were Always Here, a film series part of the Awakenings program that showcases the short films of 10 Toronto-based Black, Indigenous and people of colour filmmakers. The short films aim to disrupt, discover and display colonial narratives. Each filmmaker focuses on one of the 10 Toronto History Museums to bring untold stories to light. For National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, films A Portrait in Red and Acknowledgment will be of great interest.
A Portrait in Red, viewed on YouTube, deals with themes such as the ongoing colonial violence against Indigenous women and the environment and intergenerational trauma. Acknowledgment, viewed on YouTube, sheds light on how Indigenous people’s lives and histories have shaped Toronto’s origins.
The Toronto History Museums’ Awakenings program is the recipient of the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Community Leadership and, recently, the 2022 Award of Excellence at the annual American Association for State and Local History conference for Awakenings. Awakenings was the only Canadian program to receive the prestigious award this year.
Entry to all 10 Toronto History Museums is now permanently free for everyone. More information is available on the Plan Your Museum Visit webpage.
Toronto History Museums are a group of 10 museums owned and operated by the City of Toronto that bring Toronto’s history to life for residents and visitors. They include Colborne Lodge, Fort York National Historic Site, Gibson House Museum, Mackenzie House, Market Gallery, Montgomery’s Inn, Scarborough Museum, Spadina Museum, Todmorden Mills and Zion Schoolhouse. More information is available online, or follow Toronto History Museums on Twitter, on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
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