Kelly Stevenson's 'beyond ana' art installation opens at Goderich's Huron County Museum
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
On Saturday night, Blyth-based artist Kelly Stevenson’s latest work, “beyond ana”, opened in a large, secluded room on the second floor of the Huron County Museum in Goderich.
An intimate coterie of friends, family, invited guests and art fans gathered in the lobby of the museum in anticipation of the show, but before they were invited up the stairs to engage with the installation, Stevenson brought them into a small auditorium, where she prefaced her work with some prepared remarks that added context, insight and emotional resonance to the unveiling.
She explained that “beyond ana” had been in development for a very long time. Stevenson first began working on the multimedia experience as part of her thesis project 13 years ago when she was a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). Back then, the young artist had no idea that so much time would pass between this show’s conception and its eventual actualization. Back then, it was her intention that “beyond ana” would get people talking about eating disorders like anorexia nervosa - an important social issue that has had devastating effects on so many Canadians, including Stevenson’s own family.
Stevenson spoke about all the reasons why, 13 years ago, she had decided that “beyond ana” would be her contribution to the discourse of eating disorders, and how the true impetus of this show had much older origins. The true grit at the centre of Stevenson’s painful, gorgeous pearl of an exhibition began way back in 1997, when her 18-year-old cousin Sarah died suddenly from complications caused by her own eating disorder.
She talked about how “beyond ana” isn’t just about social messaging - it’s about honouring, remembering and loving a person whose legacy had been all but buried beneath the so-called shame of dying of a disease that was long considered to be a personal failing of the many victims that have not survived its insidious influence.
Stevenson spoke about her own struggles with eating disorders, the strain of carrying this project and its emotional weight for over a decade, and the stress surrounding finally presenting it to an audience. What she did not explain was her actual work, which she wisely allowed to speak for itself.
One of the biggest barriers that prevented “beyond ana” from being exhibited is the sheer size of the work; finding a suitable room to contain the show proved challenging for the artist. But the Huron County Museum’s upper gallery has proved to be the perfect place for “beyond ana”. It almost feels erroneous to refer to this as a collection of work, or a show, or an exhibit - once you enter, it feels as though you are moving within the body of a single work in many pieces. “beyond ana” is a staggering, brutal, and beautiful tour de force from Stevenson - full of contradiction, open to interpretation, and demanding to be seen, heard and discussed.
The exhibit will remain in the museum until Sunday, Nov. 24. Patrons can see it by paying regular admission to the museum or for free with a museum membership or a Huron County library card.