TORONTO, July 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Villa Charities will present a unique interactive art installation, IMPACT: A Dialogue on Art & Memory, at the Columbus Centre from August 12 – 31, 2019. The exhibit tackles the important topics of Alzheimer’s and dementia by highlighting how people tend to associate memory with inanimate objects to create a sentimental attachment.
Sara Dalla Guarda’s most recent piece, IMPACT: A Dialogue on Art & Memory, is an interactive installation artwork that discusses the topics of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and the exploration of the human’s sentimental fondness of inanimate objects.
Dalla Guarda has collected antique items from several thrift stores in Toronto. Holding memories and sentimental value from their previous owners, these objects are placed in a vending machine and sold for 50 cents. Once purchased, the item falls from its place and shatters at the bottom of the machine, forever destroying any past or present memories associated with the object. This experience implores viewers to reflect on what happens to a memory once the object it is attached to, has been destroyed.
“The inspiration for this piece came from my grandmother who suffers from dementia,” said artist Sara Dalla Guarda. “My grandmother has been a resident of Villa Colombo Toronto for the past 10 years. I previously presented this installation at Villa Colombo and I am excited to have the opportunity now to showcase IMPACT to a wider audience at the Columbus Centre.”
Ada Alberton, the artist’s grandmother has been a resident of Villa Colombo Toronto since 2009. Although still with us, Ada has since progressed to a catatonic state after living with Alzheimer’s and dementia for over a decade.
Subsequently, Villa Colombo Toronto has become an integral part of Sara’s family tradition and structure. She now sees the long-term care facility on the Villa Charities campus as her grandmother’s new home and a place to make new memories.
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are often uncomfortable for many to confront and discuss openly, specifically for those who have loved ones that are directly affected. Through her installation, Sara shares how dementia has affected her personally and aims to make others aware of the necessities required to care for loves ones.
“This is a thought-provoking and important piece which will spark a discussion about the real struggles that people experience when facing these diseases,” said Emanuele Lepri, Executive Director, Cultural Programming, Villa Charities Inc. “Sara is a talented artist who brings her personal experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia to life through this innovative piece of work and I felt it would resonate within our community.”
Opening reception: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.
Exhibit dates: August 12 - 31, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Columbus Centre Lobby
901 Lawrence Ave. West, Toronto, ON
About Sara Dalla Guarda
Sara Dalla Guarda was born in Toronto in 1997 and is currently an Etobicoke-based artist with a BFA in Visual Arts from York University. She has displayed her work at expositions across Toronto, most notably the 2019 Together We Care Expo and Mind Over Matter: Art for Alzheimer’s in support of Baycrest Health Sciences.
Currently, her medium of preference is photography and installation art. Her installation and painted artwork tend to focus on relatable yet personal topics such as body image, sexuality and feminism. Sara strives to keep an open narrative for her photography which captures the alluring and simplistic aesthetic of the human-made and natural environment. She looks forward to creating more installation artwork in the future that reflect various societal issues.
About Villa Charities Inc.
Villa Charities Inc. is a registered charity that celebrates and promotes the Italian Heritage, Culture, Language, Arts, Food and Family Values. For almost 50 years across the GTA, Villa Charities has provided culturally sensitive long-term care for seniors and offered educational and cultural programs in music, dance, visual arts, culinary arts, athletics and more. The Villa Charities family includes Villa Colombo Homes for the Aged Inc. in Toronto; Villa Colombo Seniors Centre (Vaughan) Inc./Di Poce Centre; Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo apartments for independent seniors; the Columbus Centre; and Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery. For more information, visit villacharities.com.
For further information, please contact:
Jessica Patriquin
MAVERICK
416-640-5525 Ext. 230
jessicap@wearemaverick.com
Kathleen Sloan, CM
Director, Marketing and Communications
Villa Charities Inc.
416-789-7011 Ext. 309
ksloan@villacharities.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ea20edb-d8fc-4b6f-b6ec-95be5ae8c16b